Abarimon
Legendary tribe with reversed feet and extreme running speed.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Abarimon, also referred to as antipodes in mythology, are a legendary tribe of people whose feet are reversed. Despite this disability, they were said to be capable of running at extreme speeds. They were first described in Europe by Pliny the Elder in his book Natural History, who believed them to be native to India, with a similar tale depicted by Aulus Gellius in Attic Nights.
- First described by
- Pliny the Elder
- Source
- Natural History (VII 11)
- Origin belief
- Native to India
- Alternative location
- Valley of Mount Imaus in Scythia
- Notable trait
- Reversed feet, extreme running speed
- Key limitation
- Could only breathe air of their own valley
Lore & Background
The Abarimon were described as coexisting with wild animals and being so ferocious and barbarian that any attempt to capture them was unsuccessful. Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History, attributes information about them to Baiton, Alexander the Great's land surveyor. According to Baiton, the Abarimon could only breathe the air of their own domestic valleys due to a special quality of that air; if they breathed it for a long period, breathing any other type of air became impossible, preventing them from leaving their valley.
Reader's Guide
The Abarimon represent a mythological tribe that appears in classical and medieval European writings, likely derived from exaggerated ethnographic accounts of prehistoric wildlife near the Himalayas. Their story illustrates how ancient authors like Pliny the Elder compiled and transmitted legendary peoples, often blending fact with folklore. The tribe's inability to leave their valley due to air quality served as a narrative device to explain why they could not be captured or brought to distant rulers, such as those of Alexander the Great's conquests. Later, during the Middle Ages, map drawers placed Abarimon-like creatures at the outermost borders of the world, reflecting a heliocentric worldview. The entry in Thomas Cooper's Thesaurus Linguae Romanae et Britannicae later summarized them as a tribe in Tataria. The Abarimon thus persist as a curious example of how ancient and medieval sources constructed and perpetuated mythical peoples.
Did You Know?
- The Abarimon were first described in Europe by Pliny the Elder in his book Natural History.
- They were said to have reversed feet but could run at extreme speeds.
- According to Baiton, Alexander the Great's land surveyor, they could only breathe the air of their own valley.
- During the Middle Ages, map drawers placed Abarimon-like creatures at the outermost border of the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Abarimon?
The Abarimon are a legendary tribe from ancient mythology, also called antipodes, defined by having their feet reversed. They are best known as a striking example of a physically unusual people celebrated in classical European writing.
What are the Abarimon's notable abilities?
Despite their reversed feet, the Abarimon were said to run at extraordinary speeds. This pairing of a physical oddity with exceptional swiftness makes them a memorable figure in ancient lore.
Where do the Abarimon first appear in written records?
Pliny the Elder introduced them in his Natural History (Book VII, chapter 11), identifying them as natives of India. Aulus Gellius later echoed a similar account in his Attic Nights.
What is the Abarimon's key limitation?
The tribe could only survive by breathing the specific air of their own valley, effectively confining them to that single location. This constraint stands in sharp contrast to their legendary running speed.
Why are the Abarimon significant in the study of ancient mythology?
They represent one of the earliest European literary treatments of the antipodes idea — people dwelling at the far opposite edge of the world. Their association with places like the Valley of Mount Imaus in Scythia reflects how ancient writers imagined the unknown borders of the earth.
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