/r/ancientgreece

Photograph via snooOG

Sub for posts about Ancient Greek history, archaeology, language, philosophy, art, poetry, theatre - anything interesting about the culture and history of the ancient Hellenes, from around 1500 BCE until the demise of the Ancient World (approximately 400 CE).

This is a history sub, so try to keep it on topic. Conspiracies, memes and pseudo history are not welcome.

So Χαίρετε to you all!

"The road up and the road down are one and the same." - Heraclitus c.540 - c.480 BC

This is a sub for posts about Ancient Greek history, archaeology, language, philosophy, art, poetry, theatre - basically anything interesting about the culture and history of the ancient Hellenes.

Their culture went through many phases, but essentially we are talking about the Hellenic speaking peoples of Europe, Asia and Africa from around 1500 BCE until the demise of the Ancient World (approximately 400 CE).

Remember though that this is a history sub, so try to keep it on topic. Conspiracies, memes and pseudo history are not welcome, and posters of this will be banned.

So Χαίρετε to you all!

Other reddits about civilizations that have come and gone

Other reddits you may like:

A great list of books on Ancient Greek religion:

/r/ancientgreece

38,828 Subscribers

5

New version due to critic.

0 Comments
2024/03/16
18:48 UTC

2

When do you think they’ll start whipping and throwing fetters into the Atlantic?

0 Comments
2024/03/16
18:29 UTC

1

Is anybody else a little annoyed by Plutarch's criticism of Aristophanes?

I have come across this several times in his Moralia. Lucius Plutarchus, admiring Plato's academic outbursts cannot help but find Aristophanes, wit of Athens, to be a little too vulgar and obscene.

But I often think this is because he has the weight of the Roman empire breathing down his neck while the classics were much more appreciative of Aristophanes, even Plato himself.

He cites Menander as being more gentlemanly, more temperate and while this is certainly true, we can say that Menander isn't as clever and savvy (and certainly not as ballsy) as Aristophanes.

Was there any hope for the old comedy in the Greek world when it was under the caesars?

1 Comment
2024/03/16
14:33 UTC

6

How did pikes and other long pole arms protect from arrows when held vertically? In addition why are results of protection so inconsistent from army to army?

I remember reading in The Western Way of War by Hanson stating that part of the reason why Arrows were ineffective against the Greek Phalanx and later Macedonian Pikemen was that in addition to the shield Wall and Bronze Armor, the long spears hoplites and Macedonian phalangites typically held vertically before the clash protected him from arrows or at least dulled it before it actually hits him.

I am curious how does long Pole-Arm Weapons protect its wielder from Arrows?

Also I am curious-The Scots used the Schiltron, a long formation in which they were wielded long pole arms (pikes) and part of the formation included men behind wielding their pikes vertically. In this case however I read the Schiltron was vulnerable to archery barrages and that it was arrows that broke through William Wallace's formation at Falkirk.

In this case why didn't the long pole arms held vertically protect Wallace's pikemen as opposed to the Greek Hoplites?

Does holding spears vertically provide protection against arrow barrages?

Hanson's claims is inconsistent.

The Yari Ashigaru and Yari Samurais and to a much leser extent Roman legionnaires were known to suffer casualties despite being in spear walls.

However Macedonian as well as general ancient Greek historical texts describes the same thing about the long Sarissas protecting the Macedonian Phalanx from arrows and the Swiss Pikeman despite lacking shields in their formations also suffered minimal casualties from arrows in their squares.

I am curious why this inconsistencies in account?

4 Comments
2024/03/16
11:13 UTC

1

Athenian vs. Roman Camps (Exteriors & Interiors)

Hello all,

I hope this isn't a strange or stupid question, but would Roman military camps like this be in any way comparable to Athenian ones during the Peloponnesian war? Either exterior or interiors?

Thanks!

https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=2bfbd2acd28f2d20&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS790DE791&sxsrf=ACQVn08Sqn5CkvgO9_aRqteivJES0mxZJQ:1710575532514&q=pohl+roman+museum&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjCgOi3pviEAxV-0gIHHSQGC-gQ0pQJegQIDRAB&biw=1440&bih=779&dpr=2

2 Comments
2024/03/16
07:53 UTC

3

What is a 'league' in ancient Greece?

What are 'leagues' in ancient greece history?

A book on Sparta in reading mentions multiple times 'leagues' like for example , the Archaen League- what is a league exactly in this context? And how does it pertain to ancient greece?

4 Comments
2024/03/15
14:51 UTC

3

The Pillars of Time: A Journey Through Ancient Greek Architecture

Playing with AI to create educational videos on all things ancient Greece. Latest creation is here if interested: Journey Through Ancient Greek Architecture

https://preview.redd.it/h4vtxw6t9boc1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b985c8e7194f55476e63849959591f09e25acb7

2 Comments
2024/03/14
14:38 UTC

3

Is Dionysiaca an authentic compilation of Dionysus' stories? Or a forgery?

I'm asking because a lot of stuff in Dionysiaca has stories identical to the Biblical account of Moses.

Anyone here familiar with similarities between the two? Could Moses actually be based on Dionysus?

9 Comments
2024/03/13
22:02 UTC

0

What motivated the Ancient Greeks pursue Arete/Excellence?

I’m interested in the concept of Arete and feel like I understand how the Greeks defined it and everything but I’m curious if anyone can explain why they pursued it? Was it based out of a survival instinct or as a way to become like the gods?

4 Comments
2024/03/13
17:22 UTC

0

translation

hello, i was wondering if i could get some form of "always & forever" translated as i am looking to get it tattooed. greek history, culture and mythology have played a huge role on my life and it would mean a lot to me. all my tattoos have inspiration from greek myths, however i’ve never had a knack for languages. thank you so much :)

4 Comments
2024/03/11
15:55 UTC

24

Heracles looking non-plussed whilst at a fountain. Some fun had here by the artist I think (430 BC Corinthian).

3 Comments
2024/03/10
13:56 UTC

2

Ο Αγάθωνας για όσους κυβερνούν. Agathon for those who rule.

0 Comments
2024/03/10
11:49 UTC

7

Myths of young women connected to the sea/water?

I'm looking for tragic stories about young women with a theme of water, the ocean etc. any kind of body of water would do lol. Does anyone know any?

13 Comments
2024/03/09
18:06 UTC

0

Ok, so ive been studying many different myths/gods of all different cultures and I felt like I wanted to share this thought, because the topic comes up alot about Greek gods and their image/skin color or what they would have looked like.

The gods of Greek/Roman mythos were not white and were not black. The depiction of them over time changed to fit an ideal.

The Gods original ideal image where similar to the ancient greeks. Darker skin, hair and eyes. Not Northern European or Sub-Saharan looking.

I think it strange that they have been allowed for so long to become Anglo-Saxon looking. When you have the Norse gods already that depict what that culture would deem as Gods.

I know someone is going to react weirdly to this and im not trying to stir up an argument, but studying also anthropology and knowing how skin, eye, hair our physical features come into play its weird to have Zeus/Aphro/Ares look Scandinavian. When the people that created their origin never looked like that.

It would be like the if Spainards changed the Aztec gods to look like Cortez, which is another story becausw the Aztec did not think he was a god. That is a European tale for another time

End Ted Talk Lol🧡🧡🧡

15 Comments
2024/03/08
14:53 UTC

4

Toys and Games in Ancient Greece

0 Comments
2024/03/08
11:34 UTC

4

I’ve been researching the Delphic Epsilon and have a few questions.

Does anyone know of any literature or academic articles discussing “Delphic Solar Mysticism” or “the initiation of man into the light”. Both of these are often repeated online as it relates to the Delphic Epsilon, but outside of Plutarch I can’t find much information. Has any historian ever tried to understand what these were?

1 Comment
2024/03/07
14:55 UTC

2

Books on city states

Hey guys Im gonna make it quick. I just wanted to know which books you guys would reccomend when it comes to the ancient city states of greece. Thank you all very much in advance!

1 Comment
2024/03/06
16:40 UTC

0

Trojan War and mixing it up with some Helen and Paris

Hello everybody! I am new enough to archaelogy and ancient Greece. So, I don't really go into studies and papers yet.

Some days ago I saw a philologist in YouTube debunking Dorian Invasion and explaining why Mycenean centers collapsed. In summary, he said that the reason was of the Trojan War, the cause of which was that Achaeans were trying to take over Troy, even though Hettite kings asked them not to interfere. This, alongside social turbulences, gave the opportunity to the poor to rise.

So, the question is; why would someone think that this all happened for a Helen. Is there any historical truth or context to it, or is it two or more stories/myths mixed up ?

1 Comment
2024/03/05
17:50 UTC

11

Following Aeneas, the Trojan refugee, podcast episode

A great podcast episode where I talk to genealogist and author Anthony Adolph about the Trojan hero Aeneas and how his story was embraced and evolved with the Greeks and later Romans: https://www.diggingupthepast.net/p/featured-episode-in-search-of-aeneas-ad9

0 Comments
2024/03/05
15:54 UTC

1

What were the defenses of Syracuse?

I know about two of them: the mirror heat-ray and the claw machine. Were there others?

I just want to know what devices for the defense of Syracuse are attributed to Archimedes; I don't really want to debate whether they were real or legendary although if you want to do that, I can't stop you.

1 Comment
2024/03/04
20:25 UTC

3

Did Lysimachus ever rule over Palestine or Coele-Syria?

Did Lysimachus, one of Alexander the Great's successor Diadochi rulers, gain control or attempt to control either the region of Palestine or Coele-Syria during his reign? Both areas were strategically located trade routes and invasion corridors in the eastern Mediterranean. I know at one point during his time, he conquered Asia Minor and Macedonia but I was wondering if he made any inroads into Palestine or Coele Syria?

3 Comments
2024/03/04
00:03 UTC

0

Ο ΣΚΥΛΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΚΡΕΑΣ. THE DOG AND THE PIECE OF MEAT

0 Comments
2024/03/03
12:47 UTC

60

Get on her level

3 Comments
2024/03/03
05:44 UTC

34

Fragment with a wonderful owl on it (Chios 610-570 BC).

0 Comments
2024/03/02
10:22 UTC

1

Socrates' Trial

The trial and subsequent death of Socrates in 399 BCE is a watershed moment in the annals of Western philosophy, encapsulating the eternal conflict between the individual and society, and the pursuit of truth in the face of adversity. Socrates, by then a venerable figure in Athens, was renowned for his Socratic method—a form of inquiry and debate intended to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas. His relentless questioning, however, did not sit well with everyone in Athens.

The charges against Socrates were grave: impiety against the pantheon of Athens and corrupting the youth of the city. In essence, Socrates was accused of challenging the status quo, questioning the unquestionable, and instigating a spirit of skeptical inquiry among the young. The trial was not just a legal proceeding but a clash of ideologies, pitting the traditional values of Athens against a new philosophical introspection that threatened to upend societal norms.

Socrates' defense, as Plato recounts, is a masterclass in eloquence, irony, and logic. He did not kowtow to the expectations of the court. Instead, he turned the trial on its head, asserting that he was a gift to Athens from the gods, likening himself to a gadfly that stung the sluggish horse of Athens into action. His unapologetic stance and his refusal to propose a serious penalty for himself (suggesting instead that he be rewarded for his service to the state) only infuriated his detractors further.

Condemned to death, Socrates was given the opportunity to escape—a plan was in place, and his friends implored him to flee Athens. Yet, he chose to stay. His reasoning was a testament to his life's philosophy: he had lived by the laws of Athens, and to flee would be to undermine the very principles he espoused. Drinking the hemlock, Socrates turned his death into the final act of a philosophical discourse, a serene acceptance of the inevitability of fate and a profound statement on the integrity of personal belief.

Socrates' death did not silence his ideas; rather, it immortalized them, propelling his thoughts through the ages. Through Plato's dialogues, Socrates' method of questioning and his unyielding search for truth continue to resonate, a beacon of intellectual rigor and moral courage. The story of his trial and death is not just a historical footnote but a narrative that challenges us to question, to think critically, and to live a life of philosophical inquiry

Want to learn more about Greek History? RubberDuck has a FREE Ancient Greek History course.

https://preview.redd.it/osfoj0tw5slc1.jpg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a69cb5c421fe1a445340e0644c07655cc2ea73c1

0 Comments
2024/03/01
20:14 UTC

27

Upcoming trip to Athens! Any sites/tips to recommend for a Classics grad?

Hello! I've searched through the sub and found a couple posts about travels to Greece, but figured I'd make one a bit more specific. My husband and I will be traveling to Greece in May for about a week and I'm trying to make sure we make the most of our time. I did both my BA and MA in classics and still have never been to Greece, so this trip is long overdue, haha!

Obviously the Acropolis/etc. will be visited, and we'd like to do day trips to Delphi/Mycenae/Corinth, maybe the theatre of Epidaurus. Does anyone have recommendation for additional historical sites or places that might be worth checking out for a big history person? Or even recommendations for if day group tours are better for some of these sites? I feel like I remember back in the day my professor mentioning some places you could only go to with a tour versus by yourself, but not sure what places they meant. My husband is also pretty concerned about transportation around Greece and if it's difficult. When I was in school, there were so many places I thought about going to, but now I'm totally blanking and don't want to miss something I might've wanted to see. I'm not sure if we'll be doing any island hopping, but we have considered Crete for the Palace of Knossos (but we might just stick to Athens). Any input, tips, advice, etc. are welcome and appreciated!

28 Comments
2024/03/01
18:12 UTC

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