Year: | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

René Goscinny , Albert Uderzo

Asterix and the Laurel Wreath [Astérix: Les Lauriers de César] (Astérix, 18)

Asterix and the Laurel Wreath is the 18th story in the Astérix comic series (see also entries for Book 4, Book 6, Book 12, Book 17). The story commences with Astérix and Obélix in Ancient Rome pondering whether they have made a mistake travelling to the city. An explanatory flashback takes the story Lutetia, the Roman name for modern day Paris. At Lutetia, Astérix and Obélix travel as part of a dinner party that includes Chief Abraracourcix (à(...)

literary

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: France

TAGS: Ancient Slavery Roman Religion Roman Virtues

Paul Bernard, Terrance Dicks, Barry Letts, Robert Sloman

Doctor Who (Series, Season 9): The Time Monster

‘The Time Monster’ was typical of early-1970s Doctor Who (1963-1989; 2005-present) and its focus on a large regular supporting cast (the United Nations Intelligence Task Force – UNIT), Earth-bound alien invasions, and espionage themes. The story sees the Doctor (an alien ‘Time Lord’ from the Planet Gallifrey, in exile on ‘present-day’ Earth) and his companions (Jo Grant and the officers and men of UNIT) investigating strange time-travel experiments (...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Atlantis

Yuri Prytkov, Leonid Zavalniuk

Kolya, Olya and Archimedes [Коля, Оля и Архимед (Kolia, Olia i Arkhimed)]

This is a popular scientific animation for children about Archimedes and his discoveries. The story is set in Moscow and in ancient Greece. The main characters, contemporary children Kolya and Olya, get to ancient Syracuse during the Second Punic War, meet the great scientist and witness life of the ancient city. The story starts in a contemporary flat in Moscow, where Kolya is studying. We see a lot of books on his table (an open one has the name and portrait of Archimedes), a map of Sicil(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

TAGS: Archimedes Rome Syracuse Trojan Horse

Michael Ende

Momo: Or The Strange Story of the Time-Thieves and of The Child Who Gave the Stolen Time Back to Humans [Momo: Oder Die seltsame Geschichte von den Zeit-Dieben und von dem Kind, das den Menschen die gestohlene Zeit zurückbrachte]

When Momo, a little girl between eight and twelve years without parents, moves into the old amphitheatre in a small town, she quickly becomes friends with the local children and grown-ups. The children love to play with Momo because her presence makes them particularly imaginative, and the adults talk to Momo about their problems because she is such a good listener. Then everything changes: The grey gentlemen of the Timesavings Bank gain more and more power over the adults who suddenly have(...)

literary

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: Germany

TAGS: Amphitheatre Andromeda Argo Cassiopeia Orion

Vasily Livanov

Phaethon, the Son of Sun [Фаэтон – сын Солнца (Faėton – syn Solntsa)]

This animated film is made as a science-fiction “hypothesis” film that includes a mythical story in its narration. It starts with a scientific meeting at a planetarium. The scientist says: “This secret has been worrying astronomers from ancient times. Back in the 17th* century, scientists noticed a mathematical pattern in the distance between the planets and the sun.”** The researcher presents to the audience the Titius-Bode law about a hypothetical planet that existed be(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

TAGS: Helios Jupiter Phaethon Zeus

Anna M. Komornicka

Shattered Vase [Stłuczona czara]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue (accessed: June 11, 2021), Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp.Athens during the times of Socrates. Potter Blepyros dreams that his son Leagros lost at sea fifteen years earlier asks him to make a vase decorated with a painted boy running after a hare, the same Leag(...)

literary

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: Poland

TAGS: Anagnorisis Ancient Slavery Athens Pottery / Vases

Maciej Słomczyński

The Black Ships [Czarne okręty]

Based on: Katarzyna Marciniak, Elżbieta Olechowska, Joanna Kłos, Michał Kucharski (eds.), Polish Literature for Children & Young Adults Inspired by Classical Antiquity: A Catalogue (accessed: June 11, 2021), Faculty of “Artes Liberales”, Warsaw: University of Warsaw, 2013, 444 pp.The action takes place around 2000 BC. The main character is a Trojan teenager (he is fourteen when the story begins), called Białowłosy (Towhead, literally “White-haired”) because of the col(...)

literary

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: Poland

TAGS: Ariadne Athens Crete Egypt Minoan Civilization Minos Phoenicia Theseus Troy

Robert Newman

The Twelve Labors of Hercules

This is a retelling of the myth of Hercules, aimed at teenage children, in novel format. At the end of the book there is an alphabetic list of characters of humans/non-humans and a short explanation of each.The story begins with Hercules’ birth and Hera tricking Zeus to bless Eurystheus instead of Hercules with the reign over Mycenae. Having realized that he was trapped, Zeus promises that nevertheless “Hercules will perform deeds so glorious that his name will be remembered forever.(...)

literary

YEAR: 1972

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Alcmene Amphitryon Antaeus / Antaios Atlas Augean Stables Chiron / Cheiron Copreus Deianeira Delphi Dodona Eleusinian Mysteries Eurystheus Fate Geryon Gorgon(s) Hades Hera Heracles Hercules Hermes Hestia Hydra Iole Iphicles Medusa Megara Meleager Nemean Lion Nereus Nessus Omphale Oracles Prophecy Pythia Thebes Typhon / Typhoeus / Typhaon Underworld Zeus