Forever Friends: Damon and Phidias
Damon and Phintias, also called Damon and Pythias, in Greek legend, a celebrated pair of friends who came to signify the willingness to sacrifice oneself for the sake of a friend.
Women In Sports: The Heraean Games
Hera was the goddess of marriage, family, childbirth and the protectress of women. The Roman counterpart of Hera was Juno. For the Romans, Juno was the protector and special counselor of the State. The month of June is named...
Ultimate Girl Power
The trireme The foundation of Athens' power was her formidable navy. While most other Greek city-states could only afford a couple of dozen triremes, the Athenian Navy could deploy more than 200 triremes (!) We're lucky enough to have full catalogs...
Sparta & women’s empowerment: Queen Gorgo
Throughout human history (sadly up until the 20th century) women have been denied fundamental rights. The right to gain property, the right to vote, reproductive rights, the right to speak, etc, etc. There are very few exceptions. One of the...
Ostracism and Aristides
The most honorable man of Athens according to Herodotus: Aristides. His sense of morality, justice, and prudence, made him famous all over the Greek world. He was reputed to be so fair-minded, that he was known to everyone as...
The Nine Muses
Have you ever wondered where does the word 'museum' come from? No? Ok... I'll tell you anyway: It's connected with the Muses! The Nine Muses were deities who ruled over the arts and sciences and gave humans the necessary...
The Olympian Gods
This month: let's Meet The Gods ! ZEUS - Father of Gods and Men, ruler of the universe. He was the supreme cultural embodiment of Graeco-Roman religious beliefs. Symbols : thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, lion, scepter, scales. HERA - Hera was...
Parian Marble: An incredible ancient chronicle
The Parian Chronicle is a chronology of events, inscribed on a marble stele, covering more than 12 centuries of Ancient Greek history. Focusing a lot on events linked with the city-state of Athens, this chronicle presents us with a...
I read books. I know stuff.
How wonderfully passionate are the many ways that Socrates and Plato try to convince us that the only safe way that leads us to happiness, is education. Plato dreamed of public libraries, public lectures, education being a basic element...
Plato was walking along the road…
...when a friend stopped him and said "My friend, I must tell you something bad I heard about one of your students." Plato said, "First answer me the three tests of knowledge. One, have you personally checked if this thing...
Fatherhood
A few months ago the US President was photographed crawling on the floor of the Oval Office, playing with a baby. This was seen as inappropriate by many as the Head of State isn't supposed to be seen on...
Epictetus
Epictetus (50-120AD) “Difficulties are things that show people who they really are!” A slave born in Hierapolis that was to become a saint-like figure for the Greeks and the Romans. Poor, homeless he struggled with super-human energy and dedication to ease...
Women Warriors vs. The mighty Spartans! [The Telesilla incident]
Hestia (detail) Howard David Johnson Back in the summer of 495 B.C a victorious Spartan army marches against the defenseless city of Argos. A few hours earlier that army annihilated the army of Argos. Now, the Spartan king Kleomenes leads...
Diogenes: Politically incorrect
John William Waterhouse: Diogenes [1905]An anecdote that involves the cynic philosopher Diogenes of Sinope (404-323 B.C.): " When some strangers (visiting Athens) expressed a wish to see Demosthenes, he (Diogenes the cynic) stretched out his middle finger and said, "There goes...
The Father of Geometry: Euclid
"Sire, there is no Royal Road to geometry." (Euclid to King Ptolemy) Euclid was a Greek mathematician, also known as the “Father of Geometry”. His work 'Elements' (Στοιχεία Ευκλείδου) is one of the most important in the history of mathematics...
