How to Party like an Ancient Greek

Dan Snow's History Hit

History Hit

History

4.7 • 12.9K Ratings

🗓️ 11 April 2022

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In Ancient Greece, the symposium was no ordinary after-dinner drinking party, but one in which the Hellenic men of society got together to wine, recline and philosophise. They took various forms depending on the whim of the leader of the symposium - the symposiarch - but were exclusively male affairs (aside from the occasional courtesan or two).

In this episode from The Ancients Tristan is joined by Michael Scott, Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick, to find out more about the soirée of booze, babes and slaves that was the Ancient Greek symposium.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	They have one working dance notes history yet. I think it's time we revisit. See what's
0:04.1	going on over it, the ancients. They began as a little side hustle. It's now a monumental,
0:09.8	very like the Roman Empire. She begins as a little bit of fun in the middle of Italy,
0:14.1	ends up conquering a world-spining empire. The Tristorian, Tristan Hughes, getting it done
0:19.6	every single week, growing like a voracious Italian city-state nipping at the heels of
0:26.1	history that's self, in fact, worrying. So while on Tristan by building this juggernaut,
0:31.4	he's like, Sulla, I can't believe the ancient parallel to him. This is an episode that's
0:36.2	been doing really well on his feet. So enjoy.
0:47.2	It's the ancients on History Hit. I'm Tristan Hughes, your host and in today's podcast
0:52.2	we're talking all about the ancient Greek symposium. Now what was a symposium I hear
0:57.2	you ask? Well, it was basically the ancient Greek dinner party, drinking party, how to
1:01.8	party like an ancient Greek. It could take various forms. There was normally lots of drinking
1:07.8	involved, how much drinking, dependent on what kind of night. The leader of the symposium
1:12.9	the symposium, the Symposium, wanted, was going to be a heavy night like those weekdays
1:16.8	in Shoreditch that sometimes happen at History Hit. What's it going to be a lighter night?
1:21.9	Have less drinking and more talk around other things such as philosophy. To talk through
1:27.0	all of this, I was delighted a few weeks back to head up to the University of Warwick to
1:31.4	interview Professor Michael Scott. Michael, he's a hero of mine. You may well know the name.
1:37.0	He's appeared on several TV shows over the years and also on many podcasts. Never the
1:42.0	ancient podcasts. This is a debut from Michael on, of course, the best ancient history podcast
1:46.7	around. It was great to finally get him on the show. It was a really fun chat and I hope
1:51.6	you enjoy. So that further ado, to talk all about the ancient Greek symposium, here's
	...

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