While I wrap up the last things for college, I'm going to leave you with part one of two of a BBC Two series about ancient Hellas. In this documentary series, Classicist Dr. Michael Scott, explores 'the legacies of the Ancient Greeks, what they have given us today, and asks why these legacies have lasted through time'.

The Hellenic online communities I am a part of seem to be unanimously in love with this series. For me, the series paints ancient Hellas with too... sensational a brush. The focus on the differences between ancient Hellas and the modern world seems counterproductive to the goal of providing an understanding of how life in ancient Hellas worked.
I also have to admit,﻿ I knew almost everything in this video already, which does not help with my judgment upon it. It was nice seeing the medical tools, though. For those of you looking for more information on some of these subjects, try these blog posts:
Part two of this series airs Thursday at 9 PM, on BBC Two, and as far a I'm concerned, it's shaping up to be a lot more interesting than part one.
Like anyone passionate about their work field and religion, I greatly enjoy it when the two overlap. Through the wonders of Facebook, I was made aware of a recent study by Pedro Miranda, Murilo Babtisa, and Sandro de Souza Pinto, who appear to be students at Cornell University. Their study analyses the social network between characters in Hómēros' Odysseia, and they have discovered that this network is remarkably similar to real social networks today. That suggests the story is based, at least in part, on real events.

The study itself is full of math and statistical data, and exposes the network to a variety of tests to examine basic characteristics of networks, mostly determined by psychologist Stanley Milgram in the 1960's. Milgram's work was the foundation for the 'six degrees of separation' theory which states that in any given social network, it requires only six (sometimes less) steps to connect everyone to each other in the network. Real world social networks all have this characteristic, and it is reflected in the Odysseia.

We know that social networks are often layered in hierarchical terms and is highly clustered. Both characteristics of the Odysseia, the researchers have found. The model also held up under 'random attack', in which non-specific people were taken out of the model to see if Milgram's theory was upheld. This was the case. Interestingly enough, when the researchers took central figures out of the model, the strength of the network faltered--another feature of real social networks. 

In order to test that last statistic, the researchers first had to remove 'loose verticals'--characters, mostly mythological ones like Gods and heroes, who have no connection to anyone but a single (main) character. This indicates to the researchers that the Odysseia is part factual, part narrative, where the mythological undercurrent of the tale was added to the existing facts.

This is a conclusion drawn before, by those this research was based upon. The existing study, conducted by P.M. Carron and R. Kenna in 2012 on the Iliad, Beowulf and Táin Bó Cuailnge, concluded that only the Iliad (and to a lesser degree, Beowulf) matched real world social network behavior, when the mythological under layer was removed.

Personally, I would be curious to see if the skill of the author has an influence on the model. I would love to see Harry Potter plotted like this, or the Lord of the Rings. We know those are entirely fictional, but will the model reflect that if the interconnectedness is tested? All in all, I am a fan of this type of research, and hope to see more of it in the future. It does add another layer to the epic, don't you think?
I love to meditate. I think it's a wonderful way to quiet ones mind, and to become closer to the Theoi. Although it has been a long time since the last one, I have even shared some of my meditations on this blog. When I first progressed into Hellenismos over a year ago (can you believe it has already been over a year since the start of this blog? I sure can't!), I was sure I would have to leave the practice behind. It seemed logical to me that the ancient Hellenes would not have meditated. Thankfully, I was very wrong.

The ancient Hellenes were there for the birth of Buddhism. Bactrain (Βακτριανή) was a region northwest of India which Alexander the Great occupied between 331 and 325 BC. Legend says that two merchant brothers from Bactrian, named Tapassu and Bhallika, visited the Buddha and became his disciples. The legend states that they then returned to Bactria and spread the Buddha's teaching. It seems like some of the Hellenes who visited the region became inspired by the emerging teachings, and when they returned home, they took the teachings with them. Meditation techniques would have been included.

Several philosophers, such as Pyrrho, Anaxarchus and Onesicritus, are said to have accompanied Alxander in his eastern campaigns. During the months they were exposed to Indian philosophy and Buddhist teachings. Pyrrho (360-270 BC) eventually returned to Hellas and became the first Skeptic and the founder of the school named Pyrrhonism, whose teachings also included a lot of Buddhist thought.

The Stoics also practiced forms of meditation, aimed at living in the present moment. Most famously, these teachings were recorded by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius in his aptly titled 'meditations'. Especially from these writings, it is clear that ancient meditation had very little to do with chakra's, mindfulness and other modern conventions. Meditation was a way of centering, a philosophical tool to become a better person. Although quoting a roman man to describe Hellenic practices is always dangerous, I will risk an example from Aurelius none the less:


'Contemplation' is perhaps a less confusing term to use to describe the practice the ancient Hellenes would have considered meditation. This removes the modern sphere of influence from the phenomenon. Plotinus (Πλωτῖνος), who was an Hellenic philosopher who lived from around 204/5 CE to 270 CE, was greatly inspired by Plato's theories of contemplation as a form of betterment of the self. It is said that Plotinus loathed his own body, and preferred to be outside of it as much as possible. As he became inspired by Platonism, he distrusted the material, seeing it as a shadow of the real world. Meditation, or better, contemplation, was one of his most valued tools.


In my practice, meditation is a combination between modern and ancient views upon the practice; visualization, like the meditations I have posted before on the blog, is one part of it, but contemplating my life and ways to better myself is another part--a bigger part. It always has been. In our busy lives, it's often hard to take time solely for yourself. I run into that problem often. As such, meditation--even just a few minutes a day--is very helpful. It seems the ancient Hellenic philosophers at least agreed.







Image source: sculpture
As we are coming to the end of the scholastic year here, I am currently drowning in college deadlines. I managed to blog pretty well throughout the period, but today, I need to play hooky. Today, I have the last of my deadlines, tomorrow, my last big presentation, and on Monday, my last oral exam; then I will be done with school, I will actually have graduated! Think of the time I will have for the blog then!

I will be back with a proper post tomorrow, with my gratitude for your understanding that I won't be able to put anything up besides this today. As always when I can't pot anything good, I will pot a video today. I scoured Youtube for a good video on Plato's Academy, but came up with nothing. I was going to include something about philosophical schools of thought, but the video below far better reflects my enormous sense of whimsy at being almost done far better than anything the ancient Hellenic philosophers could have come up with. Enjoy the Spartan High School Musical, and hopefully, I'll see you tomorrow.

As those who frequent this blog are well aware, I am a huge geek, and as a huge geek, I can think of very few things more awesome than Cosmo Wenman's latest project: making 3D models of ancient Hellenic and Roman sculptures and releasing those models into the public domain so anyone with access to a 3D printer can print them. No copyright, no charge. Why? To preserve the classics, and to enrich the lives of our children.

"Recent advances in 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies are opening up new opportunities for the average person to possess and enjoy beautiful sculptural artwork of their own. The children growing up today and tomorrow with 3D printers in their homes and classrooms are on the verge of becoming the very first generation to have an aesthetic sensibility informed by direct, hands-on access to the world's sculptural masterworks. Their cultural landscape and visual vocabulary will be richer, more complex, and more varied than ours. Sculpture and artifacts will be able to speak to them in ways that have never before been possible."

Wenman's ambitious project actually started well over a year ago. He has been taking photographs of statues and other sculptures for well over a year, and has released those into the commons as well. Amongst his already available print forms: a bust of Alexander the Great, a portrait of Perikles, and the head of a horse of Selene. He has been invited to the British Museum, the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Tate Britain, the Getty Villa, the Louvre, and the Norton Simon museum to photograph some of their extensive collection, and has now been invited to The Skulpturhalle Basel museum in Switzerland, which has an incredible collection of more than 2,000 high quality 19th and 20th century plaster casts of important ancient Hellenic and Roman sculptures. The Skulpturhalle has given Wenman permission to 3D scan sculptures of his choosing, and to share the 3D designs without any restrictions.

3D printing is a relatively new technique where a 3D image is printed pretty much like a 2D image. You can see an example of the process here. Wenman uses an eight year old camera, a range of open-source (free) computer programs﻿, a lot of time, and an even greater amount of patience to make his models. Wenman on his process:
"Once I have a subject selected, I walk around it and find a zoom setting that will keep the entire object in frame from all sides, at all angles, for the entire shoot. I take photos along a continuous path from one position to the next, progressing around the subject several times, holding the camera at medium, high, then low angles. I usually take at least 200 to 250 photos per subject.
Afterwards, I upload [the] photos into the 123D Catch application [to combine the photographs]. After Catch, I’ll export the resulting mesh and bring it into MeshMixer, which is another free Autodesk application. It has some great tools for inspecting and patching holes and tiny errors in the model mesh that would otherwise create problems down the road.
From there I bring the repaired file into Blender, which is what I use to edit the model by sculpting as needed for added detail, or deleting parts I don’t want. Blender is also what I use to scale the model, cut it into pieces sized for my printer’s build volume, and export the printable pieces. Then I use ReplicatorG to orient the pieces. I make the print settings in ReplicatorG too; I usually print stuff completely hollow, four walls thick and around .18mm layer thickness, but sometimes much thicker for larger prints. Then I generate the G-code, then the .s3g files, and then, finally, copy those onto an SD card and put it in the printer and start printing. Then, lunch!"
I think what Wenman is doing is not only revolutionary, it is necessary. We are moving into an age where preservation is not only a must, but a responsibility. Think about it: if  specific work can be preserved, as is, without ever running the risk of loosing access to it throughout time, don't we have a responsibility to do so? If the possibility is there, can we ethically ignore this option and risk loosing the object forever in the event of a natural or man-made disaster? I can't, and that is why I have contributed to the Kickstarter campaign. Wenman has made a wide range of perks available, and his very realistic and modest goal of 35,000,- dollars for traveling expenses, materials, and equipment expenses is a goal that should be easily achievable, even if there are only 11 days left. If you can't contribute financially, then like his Facebook page, friend him on Twitter, and share the link to the Kickstarter project. Help spread the word. Even if you don't have access to a 3D printer to print the sculptures, preservation of the classics is a worthy goal.﻿

Hyginus briefly describes the constellation in his Astronomica, and focusses almost solely on the Dioscuri:

"These stars many astronomers have called Castor and Pollux. They say that of all brothers they were the most affectionate, not striving in rivalry for the leadership, nor acting without previous consultation. As a reward for their services of friendship, Jupiter [Zeus] is thought to have put them in the sky as well-known stars. Neptune [Poseidon], with like intention, has rewarded them for he gave them horses to ride, and power to aid shipwrecked men.

The twins were born from Leda, Zeus, and mortal king Tyndareus. One of the twins was mortal, the other immortal, and both hatch from an egg. Accounts vary about who was the mortal one, and who was the immortal one; in some accounts they were even both mortal or immortal. During their lifetimes, the Dioscuri became great heroes, joining Iásōn in securing the Golden Fleece, and they both fought the Calydonian Boar.

I will discuss their mythology better another time, but for now, let me suffice in saying that eventually, they aspired to marry Phoebe and Hilaeira, who were already betrothed to cousins of the Dioscuri, a second set of twin brothers named Lynceus and Idas of Thebes, sons of Tyndareus's brother Aphareus. This sparked a feud between the cousins that left Polideukes the only one standing. He was given the choice by Zeus of spending all his time on Mount Olympus or giving half his immortality to his mortal brother. He opted for the latter, and thus the two divided their time between Olympos and the Underworld.

The Dioscuri were regarded as helpers of mankind and held to be patrons of travelers and sailors. Because they excelled in horseback riding and boxing, they were regarded as the patrons of athletes and athletic contests, and in all capacities, they had shrines throughout Hellas, and were worshipped well into the Roman era. As the twins lived on after death, they became emblems of the Eleusinian Mysteries, and were said to have been initiated into it during their lifetimes.

Hyginus also mentions a few other duos connected to the constellation:

"Others have called them Hercules and Apollo; some, even Triptolemus, whom we mentioned before, and Iasion, beloved of Ceres [Demeter] - both carried to the stars." [2.22]

Hēraklēs and Apollon earned this honor because, when Apollon commanded that Hēraklēs be sold into slavery to atone for the murder of his family, Hēraklēs became enraged and wrestled the Theos for the Delphic tripod. Their match was memorialized amongst the stars as the constellation Gemini.

Triptolemos and Iasion are the last candidates. The two were favorites of the Goddess Demeter. Triptolemos was a hero who first instructed mankind in the art of agriculture, while Iasion was said to be Her lover on the island of Samothrace. Demeter must have immortalized them out of love.

Alright, hipsters and Hellenists alike, please take this post as it's intended: in good fun. French photographer Léo Caillard and art director Alexis Persani have created a series of photos where the Louvre's classical statues are dressed up with modern clothes. The 'Street Stone' photography series is not only hilarious to see, but also demonstrate the huge cultural shift society has undergone throughout the centuries, since the original sculptures were created.

All images were created with photoshop and the use of a live model: Caillard first photographed the sculptures and then had his friends strike similar poses, wearing the intended outfit. He would then dress the sculptures using Photoshop as well as Persani’s retouching skills. The result is incredible, and it shows how much we are trained to literally judge a man by the clothed on his back. Take the re-imaged statue of Aristaios, son of Apollon and patron god of cattle, fruit trees, hunting, husbandry and bee-keeping, below: in the François Joseph Bosio original from about 1800, the statue looks powerful and contemplative, in the clothed version, he actually looks like a hipster... and a denim model. For those of you looking to see all the statues--some Hellenic, others Christian or even more contemporary--visit boredpanda.com.

There is a lot of outrage over the project, and a lot of love as well. Very few people seem to just go 'meh' and move on. To some, dressing the statues in this manner--Photoshop, modern clothes--is not only disrespectful to the Gods and people portrayed, but also the original artists. Myself, I'm in the 'love' section. I think the photography reveals a shallowness in human nature without taking away from the statues at all. If we had made a statue today, would he or she be wearing Ray-Bans? And do we appreciate the beauty of the statue more now we can relate to his beauty in a modern way? The clothes have given us a benchmark: we can now judge them against modern males, and Aristaios can compete with the fittest of them. On the other hand, that we automatically place judgment upon the beauty of the statue now he's clothed--something we might not have done when we still considered the statue solely a work of art--tells us something about our frame of mind and our society, and I'm not sure its speaking to the best part of it. This is why I love this project.

I can't speak for the deities and people portrayed in the non-Hellenic statues, but I think the ancient Hellenic heroes and Theoi would not mind one bit being portrayed in a way that is desirable to us: when they were created (or when the images they were based on were created), they were created to be attractive the ancient Hellenes. In fact, I think they might enjoy the attention. That said, some of the fashion choices are atrocious, but mostly in the non-Hellenic department; Jesus in a denim shirt? Yikes!

What do you think of the project? Does it raise your ire, or can you appreciate the statement? What do you interpret the Theoi think of it? I'd love to hear your opinion.


As regular readers know, I am also the founder of Little Witch magazine, which I founded a few years ago. Four times a year, on the solstices, we release both a Dutch and an English magazine about anything surrounding Paganism. This issue, which came out yesterday, Robert A. Clark, one of the founders of Elaion, and a very good friend of mine contributed and wrote an introduction to Hellenismos. As I'm going to need the day to recover from wrapping up magazine, I'm sharing the magazine with you all, in the hopes you enjoy it. Until tomorrow!

During animal sacrifice in ancient Hellas, a very specific portion of the sacrifice is given to the Theoi. This part of the animal is the mēria (μηρια), consisting of both thigh bones in their fat, which was placed on the altar, sprinkled with a liquid libation and incense, and then burned. The scented smoke was said to sustain and please the Theoi, and the sacrificial smoke also carried the prayers of the worshippers to Them. The mēria is a very specific portion, and today, we will discuss how it came to be so, and how it related to actual sacrifice.








I have mentioned in passing that the Skiraphoria was one of the few days when the women of ancient Athens would gather in public to honor Demeter and bless the harvest. They refused to sleep with the men on this day and took part in a very odd tradition: casting piglets down into a chasm where they were left to rot until the Stenia. I also promised I would reflect on this festival again when it came about, so here we are, because the Skiraphoria starts tonight, on the 12th of Skirophorion.

I should first elaborate on which deities were involved in the festival, because while Demeter was certainly honored during the festival, She was not the only one. The Skira, or Skiraphoria--both are correct--was first and foremost a fertility festival, mostly of the earth so that a good harvest was ensured for the following year, which started a little more than half a month later. Yet, many other deities are tied to the harvest and the success of the nation in some way, especially in Athens from where most of the surviving material originated. There, Athena Skiras, Poseidon Pater, and Dionysos also had a role to play.





Athena Skiras, it seems, was an epithet of Athena closely related to Eleusis and the war, and connected to both farming and seafaring. From Pausanias', 'Description of Greece':



The Skiraphoria was celebrated over a three day period, but when this procession took place is unclear. The Skiraphoria was celebrated mainly by women, perhaps to contrast the Greater Dionysia celebrated mostly by men. To bring fertility, they abstain from intercourse on these days, and to this end they ate garlic to keep the men away. We also know that during the Skiraphoria, offerings were thrown into the sacred caves of Demeter located in a cliff at Eleusis: cakes shaped like snakes and phalluses, and very real piglets. These became the Thesmoi--'things laid down'--that were removed in the Thesmophoria. The piglets were fertility symbols, but also related to the myth of Demeter, Persephone and Hades, because it is said that, when Hades opened a chasm to swallow up Persephone--the caves of Demeter--a swineherd called Eubouleus was grazing his pigs and they were swallowed up in the chasm as well.


For a festival so elaborate and vague, it is in my opinion one of the easiest festivals to reinvent in modern times--especially if you're practicing with a group. Personally, I'd leave the piglets out of it, but that's just personal preference. If you are practicing in a group, the meeting of (the priest(esse)s) of Athena, Poseidon, Demeter, and Kore, can be loosely reenacted. On the spot where you meet, you could dig a shallow pit and all pour out libations with hymns to the deity you are representing. If you are alone, pour out all libations into a shallow pit yourself after a short hike. The men in your group can then partake in a race for the pentaploa and the honor to libate to Athena Skiras from it. If you're alone, make the mixture yourself and pour it out to Athena, asking for blessings for the coming year. No sex during these days is kind of a given, and although I could not find actual reference to it, this day is connected to the Eleusinian mysteries, so I would refrain from eating pomegranates, apples, eggs, fowls, and fish. Have a blessed Skiraphoria!
The Archaeology News Network reports that after 1,700 years of neglect and silence, the ancient theatre of Messeni is slated to re-opens its doors for the public, this summer. Restoration work took nearly 20 years, but the theater is now ready for use again--as the theater was intended to be.

“We want the theatre to operate for events, schools, conferences. We want all areas of ancient Messene to operate in a multifaceted manner. We want the whole city to become alive, to be related to society and the institutions. The only damage is caused by women’s high heels; the risk of damages comes through time not people.”

Archeologist Petros Themelis has spearheaded the project from the beginning, and he believes that the purpose of a theater is the be used, not remain clothed. This from a man who has spent years trying to piece together the theater. From the article:

Ancient Messeni (Αρχαία Μεσσήνη) is a local community within the regional unit of Messenia, and is located in the far south of modern Greece. Most of the area of Ancient Messene contains the ruins of the large classical city-state of Messene refounded by Epaminondas in 369 BC, after the battle of Leuctra and the first Theban invasion of the Peloponnese. The ancient city can be visited an is a major tourist attraction. In ancient times, it was founded by Helots (Spartan slaves) running from Sparta. The defensive wall they built around the city to keep them out still exists in some places. Pausanias describes the ancient city in great detail in his 'Description of Greece'; a few choice selections.

"Round Messene is a wall, the whole circuit of which is built of stone, with towers and battlements upon it. I have not seen the walls at Babylon or the walls of Memnon at Susa in Persia, nor have I heard the account of any eye-witness; but the walls at Ambrossos in Phocis, at Byzantium and at Rhodes, all of them the most strongly fortified places, are not so strong as the Messenian wall." [4.31.5]
"The Messenians possess a statue of Zeus the Saviour in the market-place and a fountain Arsinoe. [...] There are sanctuaries of the gods Poseidon and Aphrodite, and, what is most deserving of mention, a statue of the Mother of the Gods, of Parian marble, the work of Damophon,31 the artist who repaired the Zeus at Olympia with extreme accuracy when the ivory parted. [...] By Damophon too is the so-called Laphria at Messene. The cult came to be established among them in the following way: Among the people of Calydon, Artemis, who was worshipped by them above all the gods, had the title Laphria, and the Messenians who received Naupactus from the Athenians, being at that time close neighbors of the Aetolians, adopted her from the people of Calydon.
The Messenians have a temple erected to Eileithyia with a stone statue, and near by a hall of the Curetes, [...] There is a holy shrine of Demeter at Messene and statues of the Dioscuri, carrying the daughters of Leucippus. [...] The most numerous statues and the most worth seeing are to be found in the sanctuary of Asclepius. For besides statues of the god and his sons, and besides statues of Apollo, the Muses and Heracles, the city of Thebes is represented and Epaminondas the son of Cleommis, Fortune, and Artemis Bringer of Light." [4.31.6 - 4.31.10]

The theater is only mentioned in passing:

"There is also a bronze statue of Aristomenes in the Messenian running-ground. Not far from the theater is a sanctuary of Sarapis and Isis." [4.32.6]

The restored theatre will open on the third of August with an opera performance in ancient Hellenic festival style. It will be performed by the Athens State Orchestra, conducted by Giorgos Kouroupos. Soloists Dimitris Platanias and Tselia Kostea will participate. The event is organized in cooperation with the “Diazoma” Association.vDuring the event, 2,500 spectators will be hosted at the theatre. After the completion of restoration works, its capacity is estimated to reach 5,000 seats, which is half the capacity the theater had in antiquity.

Image property: theater.
Yesterday, I received an e-mail from a frequent reader of Baring the Aegis who had seen my post on the small packages of the ancient statues and the post about taboos where nudity also plays an important role, and had begun to wonder about nudity at large in ancient Hellas, and specifically in a religious setting. They also wondered how I feel about nudity in modern Hellenismos. I would like to share my--slightly edited--reply with the readers of this blog, because others might be wondering about the ancient Hellenic attitude towards nakedness as well.
‘Naked’, gymnos, in the ancient Hellenic language has a double meaning: it means both nudity and ‘to go without chiton’, which complicates drawing conclusions from the written word. As such, most of the information gathered on this topic is based upon artwork, with a few exceptions. The ancient Hellenes had a very complicated view of nudity, and I don’t think I did that view justice back in 2012.
Before I get to the religious part, I feel I must look at every day life first. I want to start with ancient Hellenic clothing, which varied for males and females, although both only wore one or two rectangular pieces of cloth. Undergarments of any kind were unknown to the ancient Hellenes, and they were thus naked under them. Men throughout the whole of the ancient Hellenic time period wore either a chiton and himation, only a chiton, or only the himation. Socrates is famous for wearing only the latter, and so is Agesilaus, King of Sparta, and Phocion, who Plutarch joked about in ‘Phocion’, saying: 
There were very strict social rules about what was considered proper and improper for men when wearing only one of the two layers of clothing, and even when wearing both. Under no circumstances was the clothing to slide up above the knee during social affairs. It seems that any setting where nudity was not required--something we will come to below--nudity was forbidden quite strictly. Partial exposure like that was considered not only improper but irreverent, again, something I must explain later.
Women, whose style of clothing varied greatly throughout the ancient Hellenic time period, had to hold fast to different social rules concerning nudity. Statues and frescos show that in very archaic Knossos, for example, highly placed women wore garments which proudly exposed their breasts. When this style faded, others took its place. For their clothing, women in ancient Hellas often wore translucent materials, which left very little to the imagination. Many ancient writers, including Lucian, Petronius, and Seneca write about this, Seneca most tellingly:
“I see silk clothes, if they can be called clothes, which can protect neither the body nor the modesty.” [De Beneficiis, 7.9.5.]
It seems that women, while not nude, displayed a nakedness in the streets that was completely accepted. The social rules concerning these displays of the body depended on the intent of the nudity: either natural or erotic. Erotic nudity had no function in public, and was heavily frowned upon. Natural nakedness went accepted. For ancient Hellenic men, a woman’s girdle holding in place her dress was much more erotic than seeing her breasts through the thin fabric of her clothing.
Public nudity was not originally an Hellenic custom, but became one. From Thucydides’ ‘History of the Peloponnesian War’: 
Sports were a frequent platform of nudity: not only did males (and in Sparta and a few other choice city-states, females) who studied at the gymnasium practice sports and even their classes in the nude, there is evidence to support that the two genders did not hide their bodies from each other when women were permitted, and even that they wrestled each other while naked, showing that this type of nakedness was considered completely natural and accepted. Athenaeus records a Spartan custom of this, saying
“The fashion, too, of Sparta is much praised, I mean that of displaying their maidens naked to their guests; and in the island of Chios it is a beautiful sight to go to the gymnasia and the race-courses, and to see the young men wrestling naked with the maidens, who are also naked.” [13, 566e]

Sporting competitions were always in the nude. It seems that in antiquity, the athletes did wear something to hide their nether regions, but when this covering slipped off of a sprinter, and he tripped and fell to his death, any type of covering was forbidden. Married women, in most city states, (interestingly enough) were not allowed to watch sporting events, not even the major ones like to Olympics, although testimony Pindar (in Pythia) hints at the possibility that the Hellenic city-state of Cyrene allowed married women to watch. Maidens were more often allowed to view the games. Scholars pose that the distinction between maiden and married is made purely aesthetically: the ancient Hellenes valued beauty very much, and maidens were considered beautiful. They were virtuous and thus desirable. Married women were not to be seen as desirous; they were married.
Before I come to the religious part of this longwinded tale, I must address two more points: bathing and the ancient Hellenic practice to either be completely dressed, or completely naked. Bathing, in ancient Hellas, had quite an interesting set of social rules attached to it, especially before the Peloponnesian war. ’Baths’, when referred to in ancient texts, unless otherwise specified, nearly always alluded to bathing in hot or warm water, as many bathing house offered. at least until the previously mentioned war, bathing in warm water was  considered taboo for men. Warm water was for women; men were supposed to be a heartier breed and thus bathed in cold water. Aristophanes, in Clouds, forbids men from entering the baths, because they are baneful and effeminizing. From the writings of Plato, Demothenes, and Plutarch, we can see that this view was quite widespread (see Plutarch on Phocion above).
For my last point before I get to religion, it must be said that the ancient Hellenes felt no shame about their body, quite the opposite, in fact. The ancient Hellenes took great pride in beauty, and displayed their bodies proudly. Especially young males were considered pleasing, as described in my post about the small packages of statues. Sexual organs of both sexes were considered not only natural, but sacred. Aidos (Αἰδώς) is a term (and Goddess) interpreted often as ‘shame’ or ‘modesty’, and linked to he displaying of a person’s genitals, but the term can also mean ‘awe’ and ‘reverence’. The ancient Hellenes were well aware that their sexual organs--when brought together in an intimate setting--produced children. As such, these body parts were treated with an almost religious reverence as the mystical tools of propagation. These instruments produced life, something definitely awe inspiring. This is also how the phallus became a religious symbol; it represents the inexhaustible fruitfulness of human nature and the gratitude that came with this understanding.
Because sexual organs were considered somewhat sacred, covering them up--especially when otherwise naked--was considered impious, and so any socially acceptable situation where clothes were deemed cumbersome, unnecessary or impossible led to a state of complete nakedness. The ancient Hellenes took great pride in this fact, and to cover up one’s groin was considered barbaric. As Herodotos puts it so beautifully in his ‘Histories’:
“For among the Lydians, and indeed among the barbarians generally, it is reckoned a deep disgrace, even to a man, to be seen naked. ” [1, 7-11]
Now, as for religious worship: there are definitely some instances where complete nudity became required. In other festivals, I would assume--based on the above--that nudity was allowed, if the person went completely uncovered. A few examples of rituals where we know nudity was included:
  • The young maidens who ‘played the bear’ to Artemis at the Brauronia are depicted naked at various stages of the ritual
  • Athenaeus describes a 'naked-boy dance' in relation to the cult of Dionysos:  “The naked-boy-dance is like what is called the anapale among the ancients. For all the boys who dance it are naked, performing certain rhythmical movements and describing certain positions with the arms gently, so as to represent certain scenes in the wrestling-school during a wrestling-and-boxing match, but moving the feet in time to the music. Variations of it are the Oschophoric and the Bacchic, so that this dance also is traceable to the worship of Dionysus. Aristoxenus says that the ancients, practicing first the naked-boy-dance, proceeded into the pyrriche before entering the theatre.”
  • Arisophanes in ‘Clouds’ hints at this type of dance being performed during the Panathenaea as well: “But you, you teach the children of to-day to bundle themselves quickly into their clothes, and I am enraged when I see them at the Panathenaea forgetting Athene while they dance, and covering their tools with their bucklers.”
  • Vase paintings and frescos of Dionysios’ festivals often have men and women dancing naked.
  • I’m sure I have read somewhere that Aphrodite’s worship was also sometimes conducted naked, but I simply can not find the reference again.
Nudity was a part of ancient Hellenic religion, but not often a requirement. In most cases, clothes were cot considered a burden, so they remained on. In the case of Dionysian worship, clothes would hinder the ecstatic dances usually tied to them, so clothes were discarded. Functional nudity. That said, I have not found any references to festivals where public nudity was expressly forbidden.
I come from a Neo-Pagan background and was quite accustomed to performing rituals in the nude. It was a big shift to go to clothed ritual for me, but it does seem fitting somehow. The ancient Hellenic viewpoint of functional nudity seems practical and a good standard to uphold. That said, I am not against nudity in Hellenic ritual at all, if agreed upon by all participants and the occasion warrants it.
If you have a question for me, please, do not hesitate to contact me at the gmail address 'baring.the.aegis'.
Especially for those of us not living in Greece or the United States, finding other Hellenists can be a mighty challenge. I'm sad to report that I'm still pretty sure I'm the only Hellenist living in The Netherlands. Remind me to ask the Young Flemish Hellenist exactly where in Belgium he lives, because he might very well be the closest Hellenist to me. Of course, with modern technology, nothing is preventing us from overcoming this distance with a little help. Today, I want to discuss some possibilities of starting an e-thiasos and Practicing Apart Together (like a LAT relationship but for religion).

The internet--and especially e-mail, Yahoo groups, and social media--have made it possible to connect to anyone, anywhere, anytime. There are forums, groups, and lists aplenty where one can find modern practitioners. Elaion, for example, or Facebook groups like the Hellenic polytheistic Community. Yet, talking with someone is not the same as worshipping with someone, even if the discussions you are having are very in-depth and religious. Religious discussion is--or should be, in my opinion--part of communal worship, communal worship needs something more: shared ritual. That is the basic foundation of group worship, and also of PAT.

There are, of course, various ways to go about this. The simplest way is to find people you connect with and decide on a date, a time, a purpose and a deity to honor in your own way. Hellenion, for example, does this with its monthly libation schedule where--at 12 PM local time--everyone pours a libation to the deity that is honored in that month. It is also possible to match time tables so all participants are executing the libation or ritual at the exact same time.

A step slightly more involved than that is to write the ritual with the group, or taking turns writing the ritual. This ritual can then be performed individually. This requires a bit more shared practice--who receives libations besides the Theoi for whom you are performing the ritual? How do you perform a ritual? What basic steps are observed?--but also gives a greater sense of community. Logistically, you will all be doing the same thing after the same starting time, but it's still impossible to line the worship up exactly, or to take up a specific role in the ritual, although opinions may vary on that.

Beyond this option, there is the option of shared audio/video ritual. Anyone with a laptop, tablet, smart phone or even a PC with a webcam and microphone can start a Google Hangout or other type of video sharing session and point the camera at what they're doing. This interaction will allow roles to be integrated into the ritual; one of the members of the e-thiasos recites the hymn to Hestia, another prays to Apollon, and a third sacrifices honey cakes to Him afterwards, while libations are poured by all. It's not exactly traditional, but it sure helps you to feel included in a group. You might want to announce to the Theoi who, exactly, is taking part in this ritual, and practice a couple of times to get the weight of technology off of you, but for many of us, this kind of elaborate set-up might be the only way in which we can take part in regular group worship. I would suggest sticking to a single continent, though, when forming these Thiasoi, simply because it might be harder to plan daytime or night time specific rituals if the time zones are too far apart.

With such a distinct lack of people to worship with in my neck of the woods, I would love the opportunity of being part of an e-theisos, and I would love to try out a shared video ritual. I've been part of the other three, and it was very satisfying to do. Hellenismos is not a solitary religion, it was never intended as such. For the festivals, especially, I feel a great longing to practice with others. Perhaps the internet will one day allow me to do so.
Well then, it seems Google decided that any blogger who had their Google+ comment plug-in installed was not interested in allowing any other method of commenting on a blog post. Today, I was warned that commenting was, indeed, reserved for the Google+ elite, so naturally, I turned off the Google+ plug-in. Commenting is now open again to anyone with a blogger, Google+, and OpenID account. I apologize for the inconvenience.
Today, like with Plato's allegory of the cave, I want to discuss one of the major developments in thinking contributed to the ancient Hellenes. When I was in high school, I was terrible at math. Especially geometry was a huge problem for me. I had nightmares about the Pythagorean theorem even years after high school--I understood the overall theory, but then my teacher dragged in a lighthouse or tent pole and I was lost. It took my brain a good couple of years to understand that those lighthouses and tent poles didn't have anything to do with math and were just an overlay intended to make math easier for people whose brain was wired differently than mine. For me, it made me hate anything connected to mathematics. In a roundabout way, I was eventually reintroduced to math in a way that made a lot more sense to me, and looking back now, the Pythagorean theorem is really not that difficult anymore. If I have readers who are struggling with this in school, trust me, it gets better.

Back to Pythagoras. Pythagoras of Samos (Πυθαγόρας ὁ Σάμιος) was an Ionian Hellenic philosopher, mathematician, and founder of the religious movement called Pythagoreanism. He was an influential voice in philosophy, religion, mysticism and science in the late 6th century BC, and is best known for the Pythagorean theorem which bears his name. Because almost everything we now know about Pythagoras was written down centuries later, it may very well be that the theorem as well as anything else attributed to Pythagoras was discovered by his colleagues, students, successors, or even his mother. That said, I'm just going to assume that Pythagoras was brilliant and came up with one of the most basic fundaments of geometry, that in any right-angled triangle, the area of the square whose side is the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares whose sides are the two legs (the two sides that meet at a right angle). Gods, that sounds complicated when posed like this. The Pythagorean theorem is better known as the formula used to solve it: a2 + b2 = c2.

The easiest form of the Pythagorean theorem

We often call the ancient Hellenes the founders of modern thinking, and although the theorem was very influential even then, it had been discovered before. What Pythagoras did--and which man other Hellenic scholars did in their time--was proof why the theorem works. Instead of simply going with it, they struggled to find proofs of the theories. To prove the Pythagorean theorem, we must realize that it does not actually concern the triangle depicted above; it concerns the squares that you can connect to them. In the example above, there will be a square with a value of 3 on all sides to the left of the shortest side (a), a larger square with a value of 4 on all sides tagged to the bottom line (b), and an even larger square with a value of (in this example) 5 on all sides tagged to the hypotenuse (c). You can see this in the image to the left, below. Pythagoras then realized that this theory works because the area encompassed by the outer square never changes, and the area of the four triangles is the same at the beginning and the end, so the black square areas must be equal, therefore a2 + b2 = c2. Actually, we don't know if this is the proof Pythagoras used, but it sure is one that works.

Pythagoras's theorem has been at the core of mathematics and geometry ever since its discovery, and even though the discoveries by Pythagoras and his contemporaries at his school were supposed to be kept secret within the brotherhood that surrounded those who studied, lived, and worshipped with Pythagoras, many of them were leaked to the public eventually. This allowed those who were not part of Pythagoreanism to understand and develop the foundations Pythagoras had laid out. His influence could be seen in the work of the greats--like Plato--but the influence of his brotherhood can be found even as far down the line as Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism.
Pythagoras made many more brilliant discoveries in his time, many of which w will talk about at a later date. For now, I want to share with you this lengthy, but hugely interesting lecture by N.J. Wildberger at the University of New South Wales for the college course 'History of Mathematics'. In this first lecture (with two parts) a very rough outline of world history from a mathematical point of view is given, with a focus on the position the work of the ancient Greeks as following from Egyptian and Babylonian influences has in that timeline. It also introduces the Pythagoras' theorem in a very elaborate and understandable way. The disposition about Pythagoras starts at about 13 minutes in. Part b can be found here, and is equally interesting. Enjoy!

Image source: squares, Pythagorean proof
I like piety. I discuss it quite often here. I am a pious person. Elizabeth, over at Twilight and Fire has launched a survey to help index how the greater community thinks about the subject, and I have decided to enter. I have also decided to discuss it here, both because I want to help spread the word, and because I think her questions are interesting. If you want to enter too, please follow the instructions below:
  • copy and paste the questions into your email browser and send your replies to lokisthrowpillow@gmail.com with the subject header 'Piety Survey' 
  • answer each question as fully and thoughtfully as possible
  • parts of your reply may be used in the results
  • deadline: August 31, 2013
  • full guidelines here
I would greatly encourage everyone to fill in this survey, to give Elizabeth the best possible focus group for results. Here are mine:

Name (real or “Craft name”)
Elani Temperance
How long have you been Pagan/polytheistic?
Thirteen years, twelve as a variety of Neo-Pagan, one as a Hellenist.
Hellenismos (Reconstructionistic Greek polytheism)
Not in the patron sense, no.
No, the Gods are the Gods. Some of Them guard the household, and are therefor closer to us, but They are Gods--not my friends, not my family, my Gods, who can either help me or hurt me if They so desire. Even the Gods I have built kharis with (a reciprocal relationship), I do not have a personal relationship with. I am one of many.
I define piety as thoughts and actions performed out of devotion and respect to Deity. Piety, to me, in a Hellenistic setting, means putting the work I do for my Gods above anything else and never expecting anything in return. To me, it means living your life in the way the Gods desire of you, and to let Them shape your life as They see fit. I cannot define what piety means for the whole of the Pagan community, as the Pagan community is incredibly broad.
I think piety is one of the most--if not the most--important terms in my relationship to the Gods. As for the whole of Paganism; there is a lot of 'working with' going on and many paths don't focus on Gods at all, so it might be less useful and relevant for them. For me, it has always been essential.
Of course. Piety can be linked to dogma and/or authority, but at its core, it stems from a love for the Gods and the willingness to go the extra mile for Them. You don't need anyone to tell you how to love, although Recon Traditions like mine do have certain established means for that.
Lots of things, honestly. Much of the behavior of the greater Pagan community seems impious to me; 'working with', 'patronage', not addressing the Gods in the way they were addressed by those who originally worshipped them, etc. It's just that I am only accountable for the path I walk, so I don't mind how others walk theirs. For me, to not hold twice daily libations and prayers to the Gods, to speak ill of Them, to invest more time in one than the others, to neglect the heroes, Titans, nymphs, and minor deities, to not follow the sacred calendars of the month and year, to not practice xenia (ritual hospitality), to not live arête (the best I can be), to neglect Them in any way, is impious. 
For, naturally. These are already in place; xenia, kharis, arête, and many more are adopted pious acts within Hellenismos. Without practicing them, what you are practicing is a shadow of the religion; valuable for you, perhaps, but distant from fellow practitioners and perhaps even the Gods. That said, I can not walk, nor dictate, anyone else's path, and so I can and will not judge. It would be impious for me to assume that I had the power to observe the right path: that insight is only for the Gods.
For a tribe of people who are only mentioned once (well, twice...) in the ancient mythological writers, and once in ancient Hellenic history books, the lōtophagoi sure have made a lasting impression on humanity. They have been featured in poetry, in music, and they have inspired books and movies, not in the least Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief. Today, I want to recount the ancient tales.

The lōtophagoi (λωτοφάγοι) are a tribe of people encountered by Odysseus and his crew as they are trying to find their way home after the long Trojan war. In the Odysseia, Odysseus has had quite the adventure already when a strong northern wind has them land on the shores of an island, inhabited by friendly, inviting people. The crew parts with the ship and some partake in the delicacies offered to them by the tribe. The food their receive lulls their mind into forgetfulness, and their bodies into sleep, and when Odysseus sees what is happening to his crew, he drags them away, ties them down to the ship and sets sail. From the Odysseia:


Herodotos was sure the lotus-eaters were an actual tribe. In book four of his Histories, he writes:

"In a peninsula which stands out into the sea from the land of these Gindanes dwell the Lotophagoi, who live by eating the fruit of the /lotos/ only. Now the fruit of the lotos is in size like that of the mastich-tree, and in flavour it resembles that of the date-palm. Of this fruit the Lotophagoi even make for themselves wine." [177]

So, what is this lotus? Scholars have pointed to a number of plants which might represent the lotus of the ancient Hellenes, including clovers, fellbloom, water lilies and fenugreek. None of these would have the desired psychoactive effect, however, and personally, I am of the opinion that the lōtophagoi enjoyed the ripe seed pods of the poppy plant, which resemble the pod of an actual lotus. I have no evidence of this, however.

Where the island of the lotus-eaters is located is another mystery entirely. Scholars take the location to be somewhere of the North African shore; quite possibly the island of Djerba, but as we have seen, Herodotos states the lōtophagoi lived in a peninsula, which discredits that theory. All that is certain is that we do not know where the lōtophagoi lived, if they lived at all, although I see no reason why the tribe would not have existed; getting addicted to a hallucinogen is something easily accomplished.
I was going to write about something else, but I have been made aware of a new fundraiser by Laurelei Black which aims to raise 20.000 dollars for a temple to Aphrodite in the US (assuming in Monrovia, Indiana). From the fundraiser page:

"For nearly 15 years, Laurelei Black has been a Priestess of Aphrodite, and her work has included writing books, leading ceremonies and festivals, teaching classes, and tending to a small woodland shrine of the Goddess of Love and Beauty.
It's time to make a physical temple for Aphrodite's worship in the United States. The temples of old (scattered throughout the Mediterranean) are lovely ruins, but the world needs working temples -- places where devotees can interact with the Gods and Goddesses, ceremonies and celebrations can be hosted, and instruction in the Mysteries can happen."
This crowdfunding project will help the Temple of Aphrodite to:
- build a temple structure suitable for personal and public celebration year-round
- buy or commission an icon (statue) of Aphrodite for use in the Temple
- decorate and equip the Temple with furnishings, fixtures, and basic supplies
- design and create a surrounding garden for outdoor celebration and meditation
- build and equip a workshop/teaching space

I greatly applaud this initiative, although I do have a few questions. For example, does she already have land at her disposal? How will the project be funded beyond the build? Where will the temple be? What if she stops being interested in the project? What is the timeframe? Is there already an existing community for worship, or is it just Black? etc. Also, I would feel better if this was not a private initiative from someone I have never heard of, but backed by some kind of Pagan organization. I would also have liked a few more details about a business plan, but then again, 20k is not that much in the grand scheme of things. If you have a credit card--please, if you ever start a crowdfunded project, pick a provider which allows for other methods of payment--you can chip into the project here, something I wholeheartedly support.