Eating with Athenogenes!

Transcription

1 MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND SPORT DIRECTORATE OF MUSEUMS GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF ANTIQUITIES AND CULTURAL HERITAGE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNICATION Eating with 1

2 A symposium means tasty food, a lot of fun and games, and interesting conversations - one of the best recipes for an enjoyable evening in ancient Athens! Make an imaginary trip back in time and take part in a symposium organised by Athenogenes at his home and discover its flavours! Athenogenes the host Glycon the chef Athens, spring of 321 BC. A little after sun set. The lamps have been lit and everybody in Athenogenes home is getting ready for a large feast! Tonight Athenogenes has invited some friends along to eat and have fun. His wife, Dimareti and his daughter Eurydameia are not allowed to take part in the entertainment with the men and are in the women s quarters with their women friends talking, signing and playing music. Athenogenes is in the men s quarters, where the symposium will take place tonight. 2

3 Hail... Well met! Do come in and welcome to my home! Ophelimos, my slave, will wash your feet and attend to you. Then he will bring you to the men s quarters for the symposium. 1 Circle the couch you want to recline on! 3

4 The feast will begin after Ophelimos washes your hands! First we must make a libation in honour of Dionysus, the god of wine. We thank the generous god, who has so open-handedly offered us wine, his most precious good! May you all be health. Our meal, however, must always have its own symposiarch. He will determine the ratio of wine to water that will be poured by the cup-bearer (oinochoos) into the krater, as well as the number of glasses that each symposiast can drink. In this manner nobody will drink more than he should and risk ruining the celebration Athenogenes The lots are drawn and you have won. You are the king of the symposium! Which is the ratio for mixing wine with water? Choose the one you think best! 2 3 In which vase will water be mixed with wine? 1/3 1/2 No water The kylix The krater The oinochoe 4

5 The first part of the symposium is the dinner. Let us see what Glycon has cooked for us... Hail! I am Glycon, a famous chef in ancient Greece! Everyone appreciates and admires my cooking skills! I hope you like the delicacies I have prepared 5

6 4 All types of food has been prepared and placed on the table. Some of these are modern and do not belong in ancient times. Identify them and cross them out! The pictures will help you understand which foods belong to ancient times. Chickpeas with beetroot and garlic Lentils with sardines Smoked eel with asparagus, coriander and oregano Appetizers Cheese bread Pancake Τυρί με σάλτσα από μούρα Mushroom soufflé Savoury cheese cake Main course Risotto with shrimps Chicken wings with barbecue sauce Baked potatoes with bacon and cheese Spaghetti Bolognese Shrimps in a honey glaze Tuna steaks Lamb with artichokes Moussaka Chicken stuffed with olives Tope shark with mulberry sauce Liver in caul fat Perch with mash and chickpeas Sheepshead fish encrusted in herbs Hyacinth bulb and lentil soup Seafood with barley and crocus Squid filled with vegetables and cheese Shrimps with leeks Salads Rocket with goat s cheese Pasta salad Spinach, onions, capers, seafood I think I must have impressed you with my cooking! I used all my skills and mastery and I hope you are impressed! The night is not over yet In fact a symposium can last up to 6-7 hours! Musicians, flute players and dancers will entertain the guests. Beautiful melodies and songs will fill the room. The cup-bearer (oinochoos) will serve the kekramenos oinos (watered down wine) together with tasty tragimata, i.e. desserts. 6

7 5 Delete the two tragimata, i.e. desserts that did not exist in ancient times! A variety of dried fruit and nuts Chocolate soufflé Milk pie Myttotos (garlic puree with leek, garlic, cheese and honey) Crème caramel Figs with walnuts and honey A dessert made out of with cheese and sesame 7

8 6 Athenogenes comes close and gives you a myrtle branch! You look at him without understanding! What does this mean? What should I do now? you wonder a bit at a loss I shall make a run for it! Just think if I have to pay for all that I ate. That would not be good. I shall take part in the fun! It is time for me to sing you a song! 7 The symposiasts are really having fun! Entertainment continues with jokes, teasing, stories and puzzles! Everybody can t wait to play kottavos, one of the best loved games of those times, played by both men and women. What type of game was it? Note down what you think it was! 8

9 ANSWERS 2. 1/3 In ancient times they always mixed wine with water in order to dilute it. In this way it was not so strong that the symposiasts would get drunk. This was the most common mixing ratio. 3. The krater. This is where the mixing, i.e. krasi, of water and wine took place. 4. Appetizers: Pancake, Mushroom soufflé, savoury cheese cake, risotto with shrimps, chicken wings in barbecue sauce, baked potatoes with bacon and cheese. Main course: Spaghetti Bolognese, moussaka, beef and potato stew. Salads: Pasta salad. 5. In ancient times chocolate soufflé and crème caramel did not exist, as they did not have chocolate and caramel. 6. Athenogenes is offering the myrtle branch to encourage you to take part more actively in the fun. Perhaps by singing or telling a story. 7. The purpose of the game was for the player to toss the last few drops of wine on a plate that was placed a bit further away. The game was quite difficult requiring dexterity and of course a steady aim. Each participant could dedicate his shot to a favourite person. If the wine fell onto the platter with a clear sound, then this was a good omen for the person making the wish! The winner would win various items, such as eggs, apples, sweets, sandals, cups, jewellery and other useful things. 9

10 MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND SPORT GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF ANTIQUITIES AND CULTURAL HERITAGE DIRECTORATE OF MUSEUMS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNICATION Αthens, 2015 Project coordinator: Maria Lagogianni, Ph.D. (Archaeology) Souzana Choulia Kapeloni, Archaeologist General editors: Tonia Koutsouraki, Archaeologist Alexandra Seleli, Archaeologist / Museologistς Texts: Eleni Fragkaki, archaeologist, Cultural Heritage Management Consultant Translation into English: Katerina Apostolaki, Translator - Interpreter Graphic design editor: Spilios Pistas, Graphic artist Graphic design: Irene Charalampidi, Graphic designer Illustrated by: Elias Karras, Painter Copyright 2015, Ministry of Culture and Sport ΙSBN: The leaflet Eating with, was created and digitized in 2015, within the framework of Act code no. MIS Updating and digitizing educational material to support the educational process, which is implemented by the Directorate of Museums as part of the Operational Programme Education and Lifelong Learning and jointly funded by the European Union (European Social Fund) and by national resources.