Symposia: How Affluent Ancient Athenian Men Spent Their Evenings

Nowadays, we hear a lot about symposia. In current usage, it has come to mean an academic or scientific gathering where distinguished speakers present their insights or findings on cultural, archaeological, economic, or scientific questions.

The word’s usage in ancient times, however, meant a sumptuous dinner attended mostly by affluent or influential male participants. In addition to food and drink, there would be entertainment, as well as philosophical or political discussions.

Of course, ancient Athenian Greeks hardly had the plethora of entertainment options we have today. They had theater, which they loved, but plays were performed only during specific religious holidays. There were discussions at the Agora (the marketplace) or at the Assembly or the Gymnasium, but not every man had the time or would be present to attend these meetings with their friends.

So they would gather in friends’ houses to attend a symposium. Someone would invite his friends to his house to socialize in a special room called andronas – meaning “room for the men only.” The women of the house or the guests’ wives were not invited in that space.

Besides the food, drink, and discussions, bards would recite or sing poems. Homer, of course, was a favorite choice. if the host was particularly affluent, there might also be acrobats, mimes, and dancers.

The only women allowed in the Symposia were the hetaerae. They played key roles in many intellectual gatherings much like Japanese geishas and were highly respected for their beauty, wit, conversational skills, and musical abilities. Many were well-educated, unlike the average ancient housewife.

They would entertain the men with music, singing, and occasionally sex. The 5th century B.C.E. was the peak for the institution of the symposium, and the hosts spent a lot of money to have the best available cooks and entertainers.

A symposium also included a ritual, in which guests followed actions in a prescribed order. First, servants (usually slaves) brought water to wash the guests’ hands, take off their sandals, and perhaps place ivy wreaths on their heads. The guests were supposed to wear their best clothing.

Then, an offering was made to Dionysus, the god of wine, pleasure, and festivities in Greek theology. The servants then led the guests to anaklintra, a type of wide couch or low bed, which they would share with one or two other guests and recline. They had low tables next to them for their food and wine, and the host would read the menu.

They ate with their hands, and bread was used as spoons to sop up the sauces. Forks and spoons had not yet been invented, but personal knives were used to cut the meat. There were usually appetizers such as radishes, pickled olives, pickled wild onions, wild garlic, or cheeses, followed by main courses of roast whole lambs or pigs, chickens, or geese. Oxen and even swans might be served at the most affluent gatherings.

Their Kylix, the wine-drinking cup that was beautifully decorated with mythical scenes, was placed on the nearby tables. To finish, they would have fresh and dried fruits, nuts, sweet and savory pies, pastries, and more.

The hetaerae would play music, sing, and dance for them.

Note that the wine was always diluted. The usual formula was one part wine to four parts water and sometimes a little honey. There were specific vessels, usually highly decorated with mythical scenes, that were fired red clay painted pots known as Kraters where the wine and water was mixed.

It was considered crass and very low class to drink wine straight or to be seen drunk by your friends or sponsors. Actually, one of the offenses that Socrates, the founder of Western philosophy, was accused of in 399 B.C.E. was corrupting the Athenian youths through his teachings and allowing them to drink akratos wine, which means undiluted wine.

After a trial that lasted a day, he was sentenced to death! The Socratic Method says that the realization of our ignorance is the first step in our understanding of what is happening to us and around us. To quote “I know one thing – that I know nothing!”

Even Plato, the great philosopher, used a symposium for one of his philosophical reflections. In his “Symposium,” the meaning of love is discussed. The setting is a symposium in a house in ancient Athens, where the poet Agathonas is entertaining friends. The guests decide to spend the night discussing Eros.

Each guest expresses his views on the matter. Plato’s character cites one of the most beautiful ideas of ancient literature about love. Using legend, he explains the meaning of true love and the reason we look for it.

During symposia, the influential men of Athens created long-lasting bonds with each other as they shared their views about life, politics, law, and philosophy. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the shared experiences during symposia impacted their ideas and civic practices.

The symposium’s institution, with its ritual and social significance, played a very important role in the educational, cultural, and political life of ancient Greece.  

There was always much leftover food from the symposia, but it never went to waste. The slaves, women, and children of the family were fed much of what was left. After sunset, the food was placed in small shrines in front of each house as offerings to Hecate, the goddess of the underworld, and to the dead. But the very poor would come get it.

Those offerings usually included eggs, some type of small sweet cake, garlic, almonds, leeks and/or onions, and fish. Libations of wine and honey were also commonly offered. According to Athenian legend, the night of the dark moon is the night that the Goddess Hecate emerges from the underworld to gather the souls of the recently departed.

In one of Aristophanes’ comedies, “Plutus” (wealth), there is mention of a poor man’s meal as being of “lupines and Hecate’s Supper.”

It would be quite interesting to contemplate what might have happened if women were allowed to participate in symposia on equal footing with men. Perhaps the world of today might have been better! Who knows?