Throughout Greek history and culture, one of the most interesting parts of Greek society was their

relation to entertainment and drinking. Encouraged in some ways,, such as frescos featuring the cult
of Dionysus worshiping the god of wine and theatre, and shunned in others such as the myth of the
Centauromachy. One of the most important ways of understanding how the Greek Symposium was
conducted was via surviving Ancient Greek Literature. Surviving literature by writers such as Plato
and Plutarch are prime examples of how modern scholars learn about the Symposium from ancient
times. Equally, what we cannot learn from literature, such as the format of the room or where
dancers, servant or even the wine was located, images on Kraters or frescoes on walls help us
understand the rest. The main aspects of the Greek Symposium which we can be re-discovered by
modern historians can be split into three basic aspects. The first is possibly the most important the
basic rules and courtesies of the event such as who was invited and what was expected of them.
While many of these rules are explored in Plutarch's Morals, they are not exclusive to this book,
and various Greek societies often had differing rules. The second is what made the Symposium a
symposium wine. The traditions of how the refreshments were served and how much was drank
on average are important to those attending, as if one makes a faux pas in relation to wine, one was
often not invited to another Symposium. Finally, the entertainment of the night was almost as
important as the drinking during the gathering. Equally, it is important to note how each section of
the symposium adapted from the previous Persian traditions, and thus evolved when delivered to
the future Romans.

While the Symposium was a social event meant to gather the influential aristocrats of Greek society
together, it would often have important rules to dictate how the gathering would progress. For
example, unlike in other similar social gatherings found in other societies such as the Convivium in
Rome, or the Etruscan eating festival, females were not allowed to join in the festivities of the
Symposium. Plutarch mentions in his morals that this festival was not for the wives of the
participants, claiming to 'command the custom of the Persian, who never let their wives appear, but

drink, dance, and wanton with their whores.'1 However, this does not mean the event was solely for
men. Image one shows that women were sometimes invited to attend the Symposium, not as guests,
but as entertainment. On top of this, rules were clearly defined as to where the Symposium could be
held and the format in which participants would be placed. Symposiasts would gather in the Andron
and would recline on pillowed couches against three of the walls, found in the format shown in
image two. While the positions are not set, allowing the participants regardless of position in
society to choose where they sit, usually the host would sit closest to the door.
Equally, only the most influential of Greek society were able to attend, being an event for the elite
as the poor could not afford, nor were not important enough, to attend. However, the Symposium
was not merely about rules of the gathering. It was designed as a means of discussion and there
were expectations on what was to occur. For example, the Symposium was meant as a gathering of
influential Greeks and as such was meant to encourage conversation on a variety of subjects.
Homer's account of the Symposium of Menalaus in the Deipnisophistae had the company have
philosophical debates among other learned men2 while Plato's Symposium had length debates on the
meaning of love. Often these accounts and debates would be shown on images of the Symposium,
such as in image three, where men gather in the circle, raising their cups to the conversation.
However, the basic rules and concepts of discussion of the Symposium are not the only parts of the
Symposium as guests were often invited with the intent of drinking and games.

Alongside the rules for how the Symposium would be held, there are additional rules regarding the
most important part of the Symposium the wine. However, the wine drank at a symposium went
under certain rituals before the Symposium could begin. To start, libations must be offered to the
gods. The offering of libations connected the attendees of the Symposia to the Gods whose pastime
included banqueting, drinking from phialai, and as such, must be offered by pouring the wine on the
ground utilising a phialai.3 Secondly, the Symposium was meant to be a communal event and as
1
2
3

Plutarch, Plutarch's Morals. Trans. William W. Goodwin (Cambridge, 1874) 1.1.1

Melitta Weiss Adamson and Francine Segan. Entertainment: From Ancient Rome to the Super Bowl: An
Encyclopedia. (Westport, 2008) p. 14
Kimberley Patton. Religion of the Gods: Ritual, Paradox, and Reflexivity. (New York, 2009) p. 37

such the wine would be mixed together with water into an giant krater in the centre of the room. As
this was the centre of the Andron, and equally that of the Symposium, evidence of the central krater
can be found in literature and indeed on the kraters that were used during the Symposium.
Equally, the wine would have to be mixed. Evidence throughout the Greek world differs from that
of the closely related Roman customs in that those who did not mix their wine were seen as vulgar
and uncouth4. This is because while the Symposium revolved closely around the consuming of
alcohol, drunkenness was shunned. In Semele or Dionysus, Dionysus warns the participants of the
dangers of over-consumption of alcohol. He states that 'Three Kraters only do I propose for sensible
men, one for health, the second for love and pleasure, and the third for sleep' but continues up to
ten, warning that the tenth brings ' madness and people tossing furniture around.'5 However, despite
warnings from the gods, drunkenness did occasionally occur. Image four shows how Symposiums
can get out of hand as a servant, holds back the hair of a participant who had consumed enough
alcohol. Equally, Plato's Symposium details how his symposium was ruined as the unexpected
guest, Alcibiades as he encouraged mindless drinking, as the guest Eryximaches states 'What is this
Alcibiades? Are we to have neither conversation nor singing over our cups; but simply to drink as if
we were thirsty?'6 However, like many things in Greek society, this was not always black and white.
Often the rule of three kraters was broken at these Symposiums, as most literature, such as Plato's
Symposium, feature characters which come in completely drunk. Equally, this is further backed up
by the commonness of kraters featuring images of guests vomiting. Furthermore, while it was
shunned to have drank so much, the concept of drunkenness was often used for entertainment's sake
as the act of Komos or a drunken procession and dance was often seen in ancient texts, and
often on amphoraes such as in image five. However, while a large part of the Symposium, alcohol
was not the only means of entertainment for the evening, but would only put the participants in the
mood of joy and laughter.
4
5
6

William Slater. Dining in a Classical Context. (Michigan, 1991) p. 19

Eubulus, 'Semele or Dionysus' in The Fragments of Attic Comedy After Meineke, Bergk, and Kock Augmented.
(Netherlands, 1959)
Plato, Symposium. Trans. Benjamin Jowett. Available from http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/symposium.html; accessed
at 1st May, 2013.

Equally, at the Symposium, participants were not only expected to join in the festivities of
discussion and drinking, but entertainment and games would be a huge part of the Symposium . One
of the most important sections of entertainment at the Symposium is exactly what connects the
modern scholars to the event literature and poetry. Often at the Symposium literature and poems
would often be shared, and participants would compete in contests against one another. This
competitive act of reciting poetry accompanied by Lyre, known as Skolion, is often described by
ancient sources when discussing the Greek Symposium.7 The Skolion would often allow a guest to
thank the gods for fortune, praising gods such as Dionysus or Pan for the events of the future when
'the gifts of Dionysus Wine sends men's thoughts soaring'8 or even create a mockery without being
criticised. This is because while some Skolion were positive, many could be satirical such as
Proclus' Chrestomathia which ridicules men,9 the only participants of the Symposium. However,
while the contest was considered important and entertaining, Plutarch described it as not essential to
the event, claiming 'the unmusical would refuse, thus the Skolion owes its name to the fact that it
was not sung by all and is not easy.'10 However, while this competitive custom was important
entertainment, it was not the only form throughout the evening. Often during the Symposium,
guests would play games in order to entertain themselves, usually related to the alcohol they
consumed. Games where men would balance a cup on his arm while pouring wine into another cup
were often played while others involved flinging the dregs of the wine into kraters at the other end
of the room.11 Images found on various kraters display these games being played in extreme
circumstances, such as in image six which displays a Satyr playing a balancing act with his cup of
wine on the top of his phallus. Equally, the cups of wine were not only used as the wineskin which
the wine was found before it was poured into the communal cup was utilised in balancing acts
called Askoliasmos where the rider would mount the wineskin and attempt to stay on as long as
7
8
9

Claude Calame, The Poetics of Eros in Ancient Greece. (Princeton, 1999) p. 86

Bacchylides, 'Encomium' in Complete Poems. Trans. Robert Fagles (Yale, 1961) 20B
Thomas J. Mathiesen, Apollo's Lyre: Greek Music and Music theory in antiquity and the Middle Ages. (Nebraska,
1999) p. 144
10 Plutarch, Plutarch's Morals. 1.1.5
11 Melitta Weiss Adamson and Francine Segan. Entertainment. p. 15

possible. Aside from entertaining oneself during these events with Skolions and balancing acts, the
host would often invite people along to entertain his company. This would vary from different tasks,
but the most common would involve dancing and singing. During Xenophon's Symposium,
Xenophon tells of Ariadne, who came to a Symposium 'appareled as a bride' to play 'Bacchic music
played on a flute.'12 Equally, some of these women, called Hetairai, who attended the Symposium
were not only desired for their musical talents but also their emotional. This allowed them to be
hired for their company throughout the Symposium alongside their ability to fulfill sexual desires13.
In fact, it was quite common for Hetairai to attend the Symposium, and are depicted on a variety of
pottery of the era, such as in Image seven. The variety of entertainment shown in archaeological
evidence that occurred during the Symposium meant that there would always be things to do
throughout the evening. Equally, it shows that the Symposium truly did let the participants relax and
enjoy themselves with conversation and games.

The Symposium was an important part of Greek society. The gathering of the aristocratic members
in society allowed for discussions to take place and was often the main location for philosophical
debates to occur. After all, despite his philosopher status, even Plato and Socrates would use the
Symposium as a means to discuss ideas and concepts. Equally, the archaeological evidence shows
the other activities that occurred during the Symposium, such as games and possibly the overindulgence of alcohol was a common procedure in the Symposium, even if some practices were
shunned. However, the evidence for the Symposium is important as it allows us to understand how
the elite Greek society functioned as well as the Persian custom evolved into the Greek, and further
evolved into the Roman Convivium in later years.

12 Xenophon, Symposium. Trans. William Heinemann. (London, 1979) 9.3

13 Melissa Ditmore. Encyclopedia of Prostitution and sex work: A-N Vol. 1. (Westport, 2006) p. 37

Images
Image One

Symposium Scene in National Archaeological Museum of Spain. Circa 420. Marie-Lan Nguyen,
2008.
Image Two

Sketch of the Andron available from

http://www.stanford.edu/class/ihum14/Symposium/images/4andron.jpg; accessed at 3rd May, 2013.

Image Three

Kylix with a Symposium Scene in Staatliche Museen, Berlin. Maria Daniels.

Image Four

A drunk men vomiting, while a young slave is holding is forehead. Brygos Painter, 500-470 b.C.
National Museum of Denmark. Picture by Stefano Bolognini.

Image Five

Crater Comasts, Louvre. Attic black-figure krater, ca. 550 BC540 BC. Villard, CVA Louvre 12
(1958), IIIHe pl. 164,2-4.
Image Six

Drunk cavorting satyrs in Main floor, room 14, Greek & Rome, British Museum. Circa 500, MarieLan Nguyen 2006.

Image Seven

A scene from the interior bowl of a red-figure kylix or stemmed drinking cup (490-480 BCE)
depicting a symposiast and hetairai - high-class prostitute. (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) Sebasti
Giralt. 2013.

Bibliography
Bacchylides, 'Encomium' in Complete Poems. Trans. Robert Fagles (Yale, 1961)
Claude Calame, The Poetics of Eros in Ancient Greece. (Princeton, 1999)
Eubulus, 'Semele or Dionysus' in The Fragments of Attic Comedy After Meineke, Bergk, and Kock
Augmented. (Netherlands, 1959)
Kimberley Patton. Religion of the Gods: Ritual, Paradox, and Reflexivity. (New York, 2009)
Melissa Ditmore. Encyclopedia of Prostitution and sex work: A-N Vol. 1. (Westport, 2006)
Melitta Weiss Adamson and Francine Segan. Entertainment: From Ancient Rome to the Super
Bowl: An Encyclopedia. (Westport, 2008)
Plato, Symposium. Trans. Benjamin Jowett. Available from
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/symposium.html; accessed at 1st May, 2013.
Plutarch, Plutarch's Morals. Trans. William W. Goodwin (Cambridge, 1874)
Thomas J. Mathiesen, Apollo's Lyre: Greek Music and Music theory in antiquity and the Middle
Ages. (Nebraska, 1999)
William Slater. Dining in a Classical Context. (Michigan, 1991)
Xenophon, Symposium. Trans. William Heinemann. (London, 1979)