''Saracen'' was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam. The expansion of the meaning occurred first among the Byzantine Greeks and then among the Latins. By the time of the Crusades, beginning in 1095, a "Saracen" had become synonymous with a "Muslim" in European chronicles.

Roman times

The earliest datable reference to Saracens is found in Ptolemy's ''Geography'' (2nd century AD), which describes "Sarakene" as a region in the Northern Sinai named after the town Saraka located between Egypt and Palestine. Ptolemy also makes mention of a people called the ''Sarakenoi'' living in north-western Arabia. Eusebius of Caesarea references Saracens in his ''Eccelastical history'', in which he narrates an account wherein Dionysus the Bishop of Alexandria mentions Saracens in a letter while describing the Roman emperor Decius's persecution: "Many were, in the Arabian mountain, enslaved by the barbarous ''sarkenoi''." The ''Historia Augusta'', written in 400 AD also refers to an attack by ''Saraceni'' on Pescennius Niger's army in Aegyptus, 193 CE but provides little information on who they might be. The Saracens were often forced into slavery.

Hippolytus, the book of the laws of countries and Uranius mention three distinct peoples in Arabia during the first half of the third century, the Saraceni, Taeni and Arabes. The Taeni, later identified with the Arabic speaking people called Tayy, were located around the Khaybar Oasis all the way up to the eastern Euphrates while the Saracenoi were placed north of them. These Saracens located in the Northern Hejaz appear as people with a certain military ability and opponents of the Roman Empire who are characterized by the Romans as ''barbaroi''. They are described in a ''Notitia dignitatum'' dating from the time of Diocletian, during the 3rd century, as comprising distinctive units in the composition of the Roman army distinguishing between Arabs, Iiluturaens and Saracens. The Saracens are described as forming the ''equites'' (heavy cavalry) from Phoenicia and Thamud. In a ''praeteritio'', the defeated enemies of Diocletian's campaign in the Syrian desert are described as Saracens and other 4th century military reports make no mention of Arabs but refer to groups as far east as Mesopotamia (Iraq) involved in battles on both the Persian and Roman sides as Saracens.

The ''Historia Augusta'' carries an account of a letter to the Roman senate, ascribed to Aurelian, that describes the Palmyrian queen Zenobia: "I might say such was the fear that this woman inspired in the peoples of the east and also the Egyptians that neither Arabes, nor Saraceni, nor Armenians moved against her." Another early Byzantine source chronicling the Saracens is the 6th century works by Ioannes Malalas. The difference between the two accounts of Saracens is that Malalas saw Palmyrans and all inhabitants of the Syrian desert as Saracens and not Arabs, while the ''Historia Augusta'' saw the Saracens as not being subjects of Zenobia and distinct from Palmyrans and Arabs. Writing at the end of the fourth century Ammianus Marcellinus, a historian of Julian the Apostate, notes that the term Saraceni designating "desert-dwellers" of the Syrian desert had replaced ''Arabes scenitae''. After the time of Ammianus the Saracens were known as warriors of the desert. The term Saracen, popular in both Greek and Roman literature, over time came to be associated with Arabs and Assyrians as well

The Middle Persian correspondent terms for Saracens are ''tazigan'' and ''tayyaye''; who were located by Stephanus of Byzantium in the 6th century at the Lakhmid capital city of Al-Hirah.

Early and medieval Christian literature

Eusebius and Epiphanius Scholasticus, in their Christian histories, place Saracens east of the Gulf of Aqaba but beyond the Roman province of Arabia and mention them as Ishmaelites through Kedar; thus, they are outside the promise given to Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and also therefore, in Christian theology, beyond a privileged place in the family of nations or divine dispensation. The Jews viewed them as pagans and polytheists in ancient times and in later Christian times they became associated with cruel tyrants from early Christian history such as: Herod the Great, Herod Antipas and Agrippa I. Christian writings, such as those by Origen, viewed them as heretics who had to be brought into the Orthodox fold. To the Christian Saint Jerome the Arabs, who were also considered in Christian theology as Ishmaelites, were also seen to fit the definition of Saracens; pagan tent-dwelling raiders of the lands on the eastern fringes of the Roman empire.

The term Saracen carried the connotation of people living on the fringes of settled society, living off raids on towns and villages, and eventually became equated with both the "tent-dwelling" Bedouin as well as sedentary Arabs. Church writers of the period commonly describe Saracen raids on monasteries and their killing of monks. The term and the negative image of Saracens was in popular usage in both the Greek east as well as the Latin west throughout the Middle Ages. With the advent of Islam, in the Arabian peninsula, during the seventh century among the Arabs, the term's strong association with Arabs tied the term closely with not just race and culture, but also the religion. The rise of the Arab Empire and the ensuing hostility with the Byzantine Empire saw itself expressed as conflict between Islam and Christianity and the association of the term with Islam was further accentuated both during and after the Crusades.

John of Damascus, in a polemical work typical of this attitude described the Saracens in the early 8th century thus: :There is also the people-deceiving cult (threskeia) of the Ishmaelites, the forerunner of the Antichrist, which prevails until now. It derives from Ishmael, who was born to Abraham from Hagar, wherefore they are called Hagarenes and Ishmaelites. And they call them Saracens, inasmuch as they were sent away empty-handed by Sarah; for it was said to the angel by Hagar: "Sarah has sent me away empty-handed" (cf. Book of Genesis xxi. 10, 14).

See also

Byzantine-Arab Wars

History of Islam in southern Italy

Medieval Christian view of Muhammad

Mohammedan

Moors

Orientalism

Serkland

References

Footnotes

Notations

Retso, Jan. 2003. ''The Arabs in Antiquity: Their History from the Assyrians to the Umayyads''. Routledge. ISBN 0-700-71679-3

Category:Ancient peoples

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Coordinates	9°30′55″N123°9′30″N
name	Dougie Poynter
background	solo_singer
birth name	Dougie Lee Poynter
born	November 30, 1987Corringham, Essex, England
instrument	Bass guitar, vocals, guitar
genre	Pop rock, pop punk
occupation	Musician
years active	2003–present
label	Island/Super
associated acts	McFly
website
notable instruments	Music Man SterlingMusic Man StingRayFender Jazz Bass }}

Dougie Lee Poynter (born 30 November 1987 in Corringham, Essex, England) is an English musician and the bass guitarist and vocalist for the pop rock boyband McFly.

McFly

Poynter is bassist of pop band McFly, also providing backing, and on occasion, lead vocals. He has co-writer credits on many of McFly's tracks. Poynter is the youngest member of the band. Poynter was also the last to enter the band when Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher held auditions. Poynter was at the young age of 15 when he was brought into the band.

Personal

Dougie was born in Orsett, Essex, England, and educated at Corringham Primary School, then moved to Gable Hall School, a state-owned Arts Foundation School also in the small town of Corringham. When Poynter was 15 he auditioned to join McFly, and consequently made it as bass player for the band.

He dated and lived with Frankie Sandford from The Saturdays, until the pair briefly split up in March 2010. They reunited in April 2010, but split up again in November of the same year. Dougie states that they will not be getting back together for the third time. Poynter spent some time in rehab following the split.

References

External links

Category:1987 births Category:English bass guitarists Category:English child singers Category:English male singers Category:English pop singers Category:Living people Category:McFly members Category:People from Corringham, Essex Category:Music from Essex

da:Dougie Poynter et:Dougie Poynter es:Dougie Poynter fr:Dougie Poynter it:Dougie Poynter he:דאגי פוינטר lv:Dagijs Pointers nl:Dougie Poynter no:Dougie Poynter pl:Dougie Poynter pt:Dougie Poynter simple:Dougie Poynter fi:Dougie Poynter sv:Dougie Poynter zh:道基·波伊特

Coordinates	9°30′55″N123°9′30″N
name	David Seymour
birth name	David Seymour
birth date	September 27, 1984
birth place	High Wycombe
height
weight
ru position	Flanker
ru currentteam	Sale Sharks
ru youthclubs	Chinnor
ru clubyears	2003–20092009 ‐
ru proclubs	Saracens F.C.Sale Sharks
ru clubcaps	88
ru clubpoints	(15)
ru nationalyears	2006 ‐
ru nationalteam	England Saxons
ru sevensnationalyears	2006
ru sevensnationalteam	England
ru sevensnationalcomp	Commonwealth
repupdate	}}

David Seymour (born 27 September 1984 ) is a rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Sale Sharks and England Sevens. He formerly played for Chinnor Rugby Club and Saracens F.C.. He was born in High Wycombe.

Seymour joined Saracens on a full-time academy contract at the start of the 2004/05 season. But after only a few weeks of pre-season training, he was promoted to the first team squad and made his first full appearance as a replacement for Richard Hill.

He established himself as a regular in the first team and made his debut at England U21 level in both the Six Nations and World Championships in Argentina. Further international honours have followed, Seymour having played for England 7s in the IRB Series in Dubai, Los Angeles and Hong Kong and claiming a silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Seymour was called up to the England Saxons squad for the Churchill Cup in Canada.

Seymour started 13 games for Saracens in the 2007–08 season and appeared as a replacement 11 times. A knee injury at the start of the 2008–09 season restricted his appearances in the early stages of the season.

On 26 June 2009, after being released by Saracens, Sale Sharks announced that they had signed Seymour on their official website.

References

External links

Saracens profile

England profile

Sale Sharks profile

Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:English rugby union players Category:Saracens F.C. players Category:Sale Sharks players Category:Rugby union flankers

The Coachman (), also known as The Little Man (''L'Omino''), is a fictional character who appears in Carlo Collodi's book ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' (''Le avventure di Pinocchio'').

Role

The coachman is introduced in chapter XXXI, and is described as thus:

The coachman’s name is never revealed, though he identifies himself in Chapter XXXII as merely “The Little Man” (''L’Omino''). He drives to Busy Bee Island (''Isola delle Api Industriose'') on a coach pulled by twenty four donkeys which mysteriously wear white shoes on their hooves. By the time he arrives to take Pinocchio and Candlewick to the Land of Toys (''Il Paese dei Balocchi''), his carriage is completely packed, leaving Candlewick to sit in front with him and Pinocchio to ride one of the donkeys. The donkey throws Pinocchio off, and is reproached by the coachman, who bites half its right ear off. When Pinocchio remounts the donkey, the animal begins to weep like a human, and warns Pinocchio of the impending danger he faces. The coachman again reproaches the animal by biting off half its other ear. The coachman proceeds to take the children to the Land of Toys, whilst singing to himself:

“All night they sleep And I never sleep…”

In chapter XXXII, the coachman visits Pinocchio and Candlewick five months later, when they have finally become donkeys due to their idleness. He violently breaks into their house, meticulously waxes their fur, and puts them on sale. Candlewick is bought by a farmer, while Pinocchio is bought by a circus ringleader.

In Disney version

The Coachman appears in the 1940 Disney film adaptation, where he is voiced by Charles Judels, who also voiced Stromboli. Unlike ''L'Omino'' who worked alone, Disney's Coachman enlists Honest John and Gideon to help him lure wayward boys to take to "Pleasure Island" and ultimately turn them into donkeys to sell. It is also shown that he has numerous silent, black, ape-like henchmen working for him on the island. Unlike the book's "Little Man", Disney's Coachman is large, physically imposing, and has a harsh, rather than alluring voice along with a Cockney accent. Though physically and verbally abusive toward the children-turned donkeys, he does not go as far as mutilating them as in the book. Like all the villains of the film, the Coachman's ultimate fate is never revealed.

Other appearances

In Giuliano Cencis 1972 adaptation ''Un burattino di nome Pinocchio'', the Coachman, voiced by Gianni Bonagura, is portrayed much more closely to the book than his Disney counterpart. Like the ''Omino'' of the book, Cenci's Coachman works alone, and he is portrayed as an effeminate and alluring character with a high pitched voice, who easily tricks Pinocchio and Candlewick to come to the Land of Toys. However, he is not portrayed as violently as in the book.

In Steve Barrons 1996 live action film ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'', the Coachman's role is fused with that of Mangiafuoco (renamed Lorenzini), who is played by Udo Kier. After Pinocchio accidentally sets Lorenzini's theatre on fire, Lorenzini changes career and begins luring unruly children to pleasure island, taking on the role originally filled by The Coachman. There, the children inevitably drink cursed water which turns them into donkeys. Lorenzini, during a struggle with Pinocchio, falls into the water and turns into The Terrible Dogfish.

In ''Geppetto'', the Coachman is renamed the Ringleader and is played by Usher.

In the 1999 live action film "Pinocchio" The coachman is renamed Mr. Gypsy. He is very similar to the coachman in the 1940 Walt Disney film with a rough hoarse voice and tricks Pinocchio into being transformed into a donkey until he is rescued by the Magic Fairy.

References

Collodi, ''Le Avventure di Pinocchio'' 1883, Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli

Category:Pinocchio characters Category:Fictional businesspeople Category:Italian characters in written fiction Category:Fictional characters introduced in 1883

es:El cochero (Disney) it:Il Cocchiere