The Rise of the Greek Aristocratic Banquet [Hardcover]

Wecowski offers a comprehensive account of the origins of the symposion and its close relationship with the rise of the Greek city-state orpolis. Held by Greek aristocrats from Homer to Alexander the Great, its distinctive feature was the importance of diverse cultural competitions among the guests.InThe Rise of the Greek Aristocratic Banquet, Wecowski offers a comprehensive account of the origins of the symposion and its close relationship with the rise of the Greek city-state, orpolis. Broadly defined as a culture-oriented aristocratic banquet, the symposion--which literally means drinking together --was a nocturnal wine party held by Greek aristocrats from Homer to Alexander the Great. Its distinctive feature was the crucial importance of diverse cultural competitions, including improvising convivial poetry, among the guests. Cultural skills and abilities were a prerequisite in order for one to be included in elite drinking circles, and, as such, the symposion served as a forum for the natural selection of Greek aristocracy.PrefaceAcknowledgementsList of IllustrationsList of MapsAbbrieviationsIntroductionPart One: Defining the Symposion1. Early Greek Aristocracy and the Symposion2. Towards a definition of the symposionPart Two: The Symposion and History3. The Cup of Nestor, the Near East, and the Early Archaic Symposion4. Homer, the 'Heroic Feast', and the Symposion5. The Symposion and Archaeology till the Early 7th Century BCConclusionBibliographyIndexMarek Wecowskiis an Assistant Professor of Ancient History at the University of Warsaw. His research interests include archaic Greek poetry, early Greek historiography, and archaic and classical Greek history. ...[M]uch here is commendable for learning and mastery of the evidence.... Wecowski excels at criticizing and nuancing his predecessors' work, being very well at home in the general bibliography on commensality. ... [T]his work willã