KRATER – SYMPOSIUM VASE

This vase was designed to hold wine at some of the ancient Greeks’ notorious drinking sessions c.550 BCE, Greece

The ancient Greeks were no strangers to a good party. Their symposiums were a form of boozy banquet that usually occurred after a main feast, and attendees were mainly concerned with drinking. Intended for male guests only, members of the wealthy classes would gather for an evening of conversation, games and copious amounts of wine. The item shown here is known as a krater and was designed to hold large amounts of wine, which was then diluted with water and poured into guests’ glasses by servants. It’s currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This example features mythological subjects, while others depict images of the symposiums themselves. These illustrations are responsible for much of what we know about these events. The houses of Greek…

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All About History (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 150

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