Biblical Reference in GW?

scuza2100

scuza2100

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Jun 2006

Mo/E

Could the first city in the original Phrophecies, Ascalon, possibly be a tribute to the ancient (or modern, there are two) city of Ashkelon? I found the name and instantly thought of the city in Guild Wars.

Here's the page on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashkelon

Contempt

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2006

N/

There are referneces to lots of different works throughout the game, just like in most games.

Deleet

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2006

Denmark

Rule Thirty Four [prOn]

Mo/

Prophecies.

And yeah, it could be, it could not. It's not funny and we probaly won't ever know.

What does the bible say about Ashkelon?

scuza2100

scuza2100

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Jun 2006

Mo/E

Well, I'm not sure EXACTLY if it's in the Bible, but a different book (can't remember what it was) said something about it being a biblical city.
Title Fixed.

EPO Bot

EPO Bot

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2006

Mo/N

The ending of NF is pretty gnostic.
So i won't call it officially biblical.

Mister Muhkuh

Mister Muhkuh

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Feb 2006

Germany

Ugly Ducklings [ugly]

P/

I don't think so... If they'd have named Droks or LA like that, hmm, kk, but not ascalon the way it is now
"Ashkelon was the oldest and largest seaport in ancient Canaan"

well, usually they take names that fit to whatever they are the name for(sry, for my bad english^^) and this is obviously not the case here

Sidra

Sidra

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

CT

NITE

R/

and then at the bottom of the page... it also refers to an alternate spelling of "Ascalon". Lol Muhkuh.

FalconDance

FalconDance

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Sep 2005

...deep within the sylvan splendor...

Order of the Migrating Coconuts [ALBA]

Quote:
Ascalon was an important city near Jerusalem which changed hands several times during the Crusades. During the Battle of Ascalon in 1099, Crusaders successfully fought off an Egyptian army sent to relieve Jerusalem. In 1101, at the First Battle of Ramleh, An Egyptian army under emir Sa'ad ed-Daula al-Qawasi was defeated by Baldwin I, though at the cost of nearly half his knights. (http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQ...s_ascalon.htm)
Quote:
Antiochus was born in the latter part of the second century B.C.E. in Ascalon (whose site is in present-day Israel) and died in 69/8 B.C.E. Early in life he moved to Athens, at this time still the center of the ancient philosophical world, where he became a member of the Academy, the philosophical school that had been founded by Plato in the fourth century B.C.E.
(http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/antiochus-ascalon/)
To say that Anet's use of Ascalon is as a 'biblical' reference, it might be stretching the connection a bit.

If you were to say that they are re-using an important historical city placename, then you might be a lot closer.

But, of course, only someone who likes and studies history would likely know much about 'Old' Ascalon anyhow ..... unless you shortcut with wikipedia (and they are not always accurate, remember).

Sidra

Sidra

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

CT

NITE

R/

If I remember middle school correctly, Antiochus was the antagonist in the Channukah tales. Interesting.

Str0b0

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Feb 2006

North Carolina

N/Me

I think it's just coincidence. Human beings tend to find analogs where they don't really exist. Shing Jea....awfully close to Shanghai both harbor towns I might add too. I could probably sit down and find tons of analogs between real world locations and the fictional world of Guild Wars but my gut tells me a lot of the analogs are coincidental, particularly in reference to the names of many places.

Maria The Princess

Maria The Princess

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2006

Aequitas Deis

Ashkelon is a city in Israel now... if i remember correctly some big prophet came from there

Uber Mensche

Uber Mensche

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2006

Canada!

Scarlett Company

Mo/

Here's biblical reference for ya, Balthazar=One of the the three wise men and also a Babalonian king. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Wise_Men.

GreatLich

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2005

Here's another biblical reference: Onan the spiritless

anyone remember what he's "famous" for?

arcady

arcady

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2006

San Francisco native

Mo/P

It's not at all improbable that someone with a moderately decent education worked on the first chapter of Guild Wars. The newest chapter shows signs of educated people being behind it to some degree or another.

So I wouldn't find it odd if a reference came from something one of the writers read previously that wasn't just 'another geek reference.'

It is also just as probable that they got the reference in a random net search or coffee shop conversation with someone else, and had no real idea where it came from, but felt it sounded catchy.

Relambrien

Relambrien

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

Delaware, USA

Error Seven Operators [Call]

W/

You'll find that a lot of games use references to things, if only because the name sounds cool.

Final Fantasy X has a weapon in it called "Ascalon."

So yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if the inspiration was from the real city of Ascalon, but it's probably just because the name sounded nice.