Bragmanni

Bragmanni

Bragmanni were a mythical race of people thought by medieval Europeans to live on the fringes of the known world. The name could be derived from that of the Hindu caste of the Brahmans, however, some medieval writers clearly differentiate between the Brahmans and the imagined Bragmanni. Although they were often lumped together with monstrous races such as Cyclops and Cynocephaly, Bragmanni were normal in appearance, and differed from other humans because of their unique lifestyle.Fritze, Ronald H. "Travel Legend and Lore: An Encyclopedia". Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 1998.]

Bragmanni were unclothed, cave-dwelling wise men who were extremely moralistic and ascetic. [ [http://www.southwestern.edu/ACS/latin/team9/worldview.htm Medieval World View (Southwestern University)] ] They are often merged or confused with Gymnosophists, a similar group of wise men.

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  • Bragmanni — The Brabant was conveniently placed for English expeditions against the French. It was also a unsettled region which supplied the terrifying *mercenaries Henry II used in 1174. They were also called *routiers. Their appalling reputation was such… …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • Gymnosophists — is the name (meaning naked philosophers ) given by the Greeks to certain ancient Indian philosophers who pursued asceticism to the point of regarding food and clothing as detrimental to purity of thought (sadhus or yogis). The Digambar Jain monks …   Wikipedia

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