Science Fiction from 125 AD

What was the first work of science fiction? It’s not Star Wars or War of the Worlds. In fact, it wasn’t written in the last thousand years. Its author is Lucian of Samosata, an Assyrian man born around 125 AD. In this episode, we look at Lucian’s decidedly science fictional journey through space and analyze some of the deeper meanings behind the aliens and strange worlds we visit along the way.

An enormous thanks to all of Patreon supporters, especially Sean, ThemeFinland, and Stephen Page! Our patrons help make this channel sustainable and allow us to continue to improve the quality of our content!

Sources:

Fredericks, S.C., “Lucian’s True History as SF.” Science Fiction Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar., 1976), pp. 49-60.

Whibley, Charles. Lucian's True History. United Kingdom, A. H. Bullen, 1902.

[-Jansen]

Love that the first Sci-Fi story was called "A True Story". Extremely wacky. I love how when they finally go back to Earth instead of things returning to normal they instantly get eaten by a whale which has a world inside of it. The symbolism with the lamps was very clever of him.

[wastelanddv]

Sounds like an ancient Roman acid trip.

[pedrodeeg]

In love how even in 100 they knew planets were round and we have to deal with flat earthers in the 21st century

[-Jansen]

This ancient Science fiction, which was written before sci fi tropes existed, is an unbelievably unique trip! It's sooo out-there that despite the incredible narration, this would be almost impossible to follow without the animations. I can only imagine what it was like to come up with ideas for how to animate a story this crazy!

[grantholmes]

Someone should make a live action adaptation of this story.

[Nathan-yhbm]

This is actually such an underrated channel you deserve way more views one day you'll make it big.

[BarnabyJones]

One day when you have a million plus subs I'll have the absolute pleasure of bragging in the comments how I was following this channel since 3K subs.

[SabotSender]

SciFi or satire, this needs to be made into a cinematic trilogy.

[d.m.collins]

In the Alexander Romance, I always liked the sci-fi element of Alexander the Great descending into the ocean in an early bathysphere made of glass to view the depths of the ocean. From what I've read, the most fleshed out version of this comes from the 12th century, though it's possible that some versions could have been written before Lucian's time! That said, I'm not sure if fully counts as science fiction when it was being sold to its readers as science fact. 

It did, however, inspire William Beebe to construct his very real bathysphere in the 1930s, and it's a hallmark of good science fiction when elements of the story go on to inspire scientists, engineers and inventors to improve the world (or at least enhance it). Just think of Jack Parsons' love of science fiction going on to help him pioneer much of rocket technology, or Motorola's Martin Cooper being inspired by Dick Tracy's wrist watch communicator, or Amazon's David Limp being inspired by Star Trek's "computer" to create Alexa's functionality.

And regarding your own criteria for good science fiction, the Alexander Romance's use of a bathysphere was not merely conjecturing but was actually taking very real technology and pushing it into a more advanced and extreme direction. Because the Greeks did, according to Aristotle, use large cauldrons to trap air and help divers recover items from shipwrecks, and this was even something that Alexander made use of. So his descent into the ocean depths in a glass barrel was merely the logical extension of something that already had begun to be a thing, though the pressures of ocean water meant it would be another millennia or two before a fully functional bathyscape could be made a reality.

[wakingcharade]

This is fascinating. The line between fantastical travel narrative and satire and science fiction is one that repeats again with Gulliver's Travels book 3 centuries later. Modern science fiction has a lot of roots in fantastical travel narratives in general. This totally counts.

The Japanese The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is 10th century, so later, but has also been called 'proto-science fiction for moon people.

But going back further, Hephaestus has essentially robot minions. There's space travel and flying ships and robots and weapons of mass destruction in ancient hindu poetry, says wikipedia.

[christopherg]

What an amazing guy this Lucian character was being so ahead of his time with the lamp commentary on slaves in fiction that blew my mind he was doing that so early. And then writing science fiction before anyone else. What a style of his own

[jeffreygunter]

Holy Roman Empire! This short and lovely acountant of an old and amazing tale I should have known about when I was a kid... well done and perfectly presented.

[thelastroman]

I’ve gotta give credit to the ancient Romans for knowing that the Moon, Venus and other celestial bodies were worlds you could visit and walk upon. I know it doesn’t sound too extraordinary but if you think about it it’s a pretty incredible thing to know as an ancient person. What with the limitations of technology and all.

[adrianaslund]

I like how even back then. Spiders and bugs where associated with alien monsters.

[RagnarRipper]

I hope you don't stop making videos!! This is right down my alley. Thank you :)

[GamerRoman]

So why does this have only 600 views?!

[leonardoc.]

Your videos are fantastic! Seriously. Damn

[JOGA_Wills]

This is wholly unbelievable that this was made during Roman Antiquity!!!! (Samosata I believe is in Armenia)

I am gobsmacked at your find, beautiful channel

[porschesbs]

hehe I love the sound the lamp makes at 6:28

[JobKiriaku]

Super awesome. It’s like the Odyssey and Trojan War fused into a sci fi epic.