30. An archaic perspective

Herodotus touring Egypt was impressed by the reputed longevity of Egyptian civilization. In later Hellenistic times, Berossus of Mesopotamia and the Egyptian Manetho clashed over whose civilization is older.

The fascination with ancient roots persisted in Christian times. St. Augustine in The City of God acknowledged that Egyptian wisdom predated Moses, but he claimed priority for Christianity by asserting that the prophet Abraham preceded the Egyptian sages. The antiquity of a tradition was important because people believed momentous happenings had occurred in the distant past. The community with the strongest connection to the most ancient times would possess the truest knowledge.