The Real Sea Monster A Giant Whale That Terrified the Byzantine Empire
Social media lit up in spring of 2023 with news that orcas were attacking boats off the coasts of Portugal and Spain. Experts can’t agree on the reason behind this aggressive behavior, but history tells us it’s not the first time whales have gone rogue against sea vessels in their midst. Citizens of the Eastern Roman Empire (aka the Byzantine Empire) dealt with a similar problem in the form of a fearsome giant whale they named Porphyrios. Porphyrios struck terror into the hearts of fishermen, merchants, and soldiers who frequented the waters around Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey) during the 6th century; he spent roughly 50 years attacking boats of all sizes throughout the area. Then he would disappear for years at a time, but the locals never knew when he would reappear to sink more ships. The whale caused so many problems for commerce and defense that Roman Emperor Justinian I reportedly prioritized capturing or killing him. But even the greatest war strategists could not devise a way to take Porphyrios down. He was like a natural disaster, and leaders could stop him no more than they could hold off a hurricane. As with today’s killer whales, experts are unsure what drove Porphyrios’ behavior. Since cameras would not be invented for more than 1,000 years, there are no photographs of Porphyrios, and it’s impossible to know
what species he was. Due to his enormous size and apparent long life, many marine biologists believe he was a sperm whale. However, others point out that sperm whales rarely live in the region where Porphyrios caused his mayhem and think he was an orca — perhaps an ancestor of the modern-day boat bashers around Europe. Unfortunately for Porphyrios and animal lovers, the whale’s antics eventually caught up with him. While chasing a school of dolphins, Porphyrios beached himself near the mouth of the Black Sea and struggled unsuccessfully to push his
body back into the ocean. Meanwhile, Byzantines caught wind that their enemy was helpless and attacked with ropes and axes, giving Porphyrios a gory death and themselves a feast of whale meat. Despite his inauspicious end, Porphyrios is still the only whale to threaten the Roman Empire. We can only hope he will be the only marine life ever to pose such a threat.
Don’t Let Mediation Get the Best of You!
3 Ways You Can Prepare
How you’re dressed will make a difference! First impressions are everything. How you dress and carry yourself will influence the way the mediator and insurance adjusters value your case. You want to wear comfortable and casual business attire because you may be sitting for a few hours during the process. The main goal is to be respectful and strengthen your case in any way possible. Ensure you’re mentally prepared. While your attorney will prep you on what will be discussed during mediation, are you mentally prepared for those conversations? You will need to re-live your accident and talk about the pain and suffering you endured. Sometimes, opposing parties will try to downplay your experiences, which can be frustrating. Therefore, it’s essential you’re mentally ready for anything and remain calm during the process. If you or someone you know is dealing with a personal injury, you need an attorney by your side who will present your claim and prepare your case like it’s going in front of a judge. That’s why you should consider having Brooks & Crowley assist you. Please don’t hesitate to call us with questions or concerns.
When dealing with a personal injury case, multiple parts move simultaneously. As you collect evidence and attend doctor appointments to strengthen your case, your attorney is developing an argument to get you the best result possible. On top of that, the opposing side and insurance adjusters are making their calculations about your injuries. And at some point, both parties must try to come to an agreement. One process you’ll face during your personal injury claim is the option of mediation. It’s vital that you understand how this process works and what to expect during the hearing. The events during this meeting can impact your claim in more ways than one — so it’s best to be prepared! Understand what happens during mediation. Before your mediation date, your attorney will outline topics to be covered during the session. You can review what points you want to bring up, discuss some questions you may be asked, and learn who will be present during the hearing. Please don’t enter your hearing anticipating a set dollar amount. It’s best to keep an open mind — you never know what the outcome will be.
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