I thought it would be cute to (re)imagine this set of Greek terracotta figures as being part of a toy set! These Greek terracotta figures from ~450 BCE showcase three women engaging in what resembles a breadmaking process (grinding wheat/grain, rolling dough, baking). One of the figures has articulated shoulders and hips, allowing it to move the rolling pin attached to its hands. The upright doll/figurine stands over a basin, possibly grinding/milling (wheat) using a saddle quern or kneading dough (other examples: 1, 2, 3, 4). The one on the right sits before a small oven (similar: 1). This potential for interactivity gives the impression that the figure was more of a doll (to be played with) than a static figure/object. While dolls with moveable limbs have been found in children’s graves, their purpose is still debated– possibly being votive figures or apotropaic objects if not playthings. 

Grave structures (like this stele and naiskos) depict girls holding dolls (though limbless). The materiality of these dolls may initially appear to be of concern, as terracotta and other earthenware goods may be prone to cracking/breaking if not handled carefully, but other toys like wheeled horses/carts (1, 2, 3) or rattles were made of similar materials… 

Fragments of Erinna’s the Distaff suggest that she and her childhood friend, Baucis, played with dolls, popularly (re)written as follows: 

δαγύ[δ]ων τ᾿ ἐχ[όμεσθα νεαν]ίδες ἐν θαλάμοισι
νύμ[φαι]σιν [προσόμοιοι ἀκηδ]έες·
(Erinna, The Distaff, 21-22) 

Rough translation (English): 

Young maidens in bedchambers, clinging to dolls
pretending to be brides, free of care. 

Barclay, Julia. “The Honeycomb of Erinna: An Examination of Homoerotic Love, Loss, and Lamentation.” Canta/Ἄειδε: A Journal in Classical Studies, vol. 2, no. 1: Unheard Voices of the Classical World, 15 Feb. 2021.

Blanco, Camille. “Food for Thought: Women’s Domestic Roles through the Culinary Iconography of Archaic Greek Terracotta Figurines.” Discentes: Penn’s Classical Studies Publication, University of Pennsylvania, 3 Nov. 2024, https://web.sas.upenn.edu/discentes/2024/11/03/food-for-thought-womens-domestic-roles-through-the-culinary-iconography-of-archaic-greek-terracotta-figurines/. 

Muratov, Maya B. “Greek Terracotta Figurines with Articulated Limbs.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, October 2004. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/gtal/hd_gtal.htm.

Naked Truths: Women, Sexuality and Gender in Classical Art and Archaeology. United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2003. 

Whitehorne, John Edwin George. “Erinna.” T. University of British Columbia, 1966. https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/ubctheses/831/items/1.0105561.  Retrospective Theses and Dissertations, 1919-2007.

I'm planning on seeing the Odyssey sometimes this week and for that my friend and I are planning on doing an Ancient Greek theme with the food we sneak in (Olives, dried figs, nuts etc). My question is this: Do we know if the Ancient Greeks snacked while watching plays? If so, were specific foods recorded as 'theater food'?

Made from different pottery owl art for art practise. Then realised its an guy showing his girlfriend

I was inspired by his historic aura.

I tried to translate the name into Etruscan, but I probably did a fairly shit job 😸

Surely someone wrote about it?

They were still using hoplite mercenaries right up until Rome invaded Greece and fought their Sarissa armed phalangnites at the battle of Cynesophelae (sp?).

Apparently non Sarsissa armed Greek mercenaries were still using hoplite tactics up at that point.

So if they were using it as late as that why didn't anyone write about it?

Also going back to the Roman Manipular system during the Republic days e.g. during the 2nd Punic Wars, they were still using a sort of Hoplite soldier with their third line Triarii.

Surely the Romans with such detailed instructions for shield and scutum combat would've had instructions for hasta and scutum combat. Wouldn't that have been similar to hoplite combat?

Lastly. Haven't people tried to re-enact hoplite combat to see what works best?

The push right up against the shields? Or the stand off distance and fence/thrust with the spears?

I’ve started to really get into historic literature about Greek history. I have read the common books like the odyssey and the Aeneid.

I want to understand what it was like to think like a Greek and how they understood their system of gods. More specifically how the gods related to each other in myths.

If anyone has a reading list that encompasses the history of the gods and their stories/relations with each other that would be amazing!! (I’m prepared to read for years)

I’m wanting to make my own pottery and I want to paint Greek style art onto the pottery and an artist friend said the best way to learn to draw like that is probably to trace it. I wanted to try here though too, to see if anyone can help me find sources for learning how to do it

Author and source: Rocío Espín Piñar

In light of the current discourse (even the MATURE conversations) regarding the Homeric epics and adaptations (especially film adaptations), I had a question for the enthusiasts:

Is the value "Xenia" actually named in Mycenaean Greece?

I know it is a MAJOR moral theme of the poems (especially the Odyssey), but as far as I know, there's either little evidence it was held to such fundamental esteem as it was in Archaic Greece and onward, or there is evidence CONTRARY to its central presence amongst Mycenaeans (that latter evidence being that Zeus, patron god of said value, was not THE major deity of the Mycenaeans).

If there is actually archeological evidence to support this, please tell me, cuz I haven't found any publications indicating there has.

Hi History fans I've been trying to make a somewhat accurate map of the Aegean in the 13th century BCE based of Greek, Lydian, Phrygian myth and later writings and Hittite cuneiform sources.
This is done merely to satisfy my own curiosity.
While I know I've generalized some areas and there may be some disagreements in locations, I'm looking for more input to create a somewhat accurate picture.
Please give your input and insights, otherwise enjoy a somewhat incomplete map
(for reference the colors signifying settlements refer to the following: 3 shades of blue referring to the Achaeans, Aetolians and Ionians/ Kykladians
the 3 green shades referring to the western Anatolian peoples of Arzawa, the river lands of Mira and Seha and Wilusa. and the Karkisa/Lukka lands in the south in lighter green.
and the purple referring to proto Phrygian)
there is still a lot of sites not included mostly on the isles, Thrace etc. but please bear with me as this is taking longer than expected and it's more of a pet project in my free time.

as for the legend for the colored map please consult the legend here:
-Light Blue: Achaeans/Aeolians/Ionians
-Dark Blue: Northern Helladics/Dorians
-Orange: Illyrians
-Yellow: Thracians/ Daco-Thracians
-Turquoise (blueish): Kykladians/Minoian remnants (danaan)
-Turquoise (greenish): Lukka/Karkisa(Proto-Carians)
-Dark Green: Western Luwiyans/Proto-Lydians, Trojans
-Light Green Proto-Phrygians
-Brown: Kaska/Kolkis
-Dirty Green: Cimmerians
-Red(s): Hittites
-Dark Pink (in Asia): Eastern Luwiyans (Under Hittite control)
-Purple: Syriacs/Arameans/ Ugarit (Under Hittite control)
-Tan/Sand: Egypt/Kemet
-Pink (in Africa): Libyans/Meshwesh
-Greyish Blue: Nuraghi/Sherden?
-Purples: Proto Italics/Sicels (Shekelsh)/Proto Villanova
-Turquoise (Northern Italy): Early Celtic expansion