How to party like an ancient Greek

Parties in ancient Greece were wild, with evidence of copious alcohol and sex. That’s the popular idea that endures today.

But there were different types of parties at the time. Not all involved lots of alcohol and debauchery. Some featured moderate eating and drinking, and intellectual conversation.

So what actually went on at these parties? And how exactly do you party like an ancient Greek?

Different strokes for different folks

Ancient Greek historian Idomeneus of Lampsacus (4th–3rd century BCE) tells us the Greeks began partying in the 6th century BCE. He said that’s when two members of Athens’ ruling class started the trend:

Hippias and Hipparchus invented parties and wandering the streets drunk; this is why they were surrounded by a large number of horses and many friends.

The Greek writer Athenaeus (2nd century CE) provided more evidence for the role of alcohol at parties. He wrote that the Greek Macedonian nobleman Proteas (4th–3rd century BCE) declared at a party he once attended:

he who drinks most will be happiest.

There was also evidence of sexual debauchery at parties. Scenes of sex at parties, between male guests, and male or female prostitutes, appear on numerous vases.

Other parties were regarded as a good venue for debating ideas with friends. In fact, a few of the greatest works of ancient Greek philosophy supposedly stem from intellectual conversations at parties.

For example, in Plato’s Republic (written around 380 BCE), the intellectual debate about the nature of justice takes place at a party hosted at the house of a wealthy man named Cephalus.

Mate, you should have been there

There’s one detailed eyewitness account of a party from the ancient Greek world. Hippolochus of Macedon (4th–3rd century BCE) left behind a letter containing a lengthy description of a party he attended.

It was the wedding party of Caranus, a wealthy Macedonian nobleman. There were 20 guests, all male.

The walls of the room are lined with white linen curtains and the room filled with couches.

When the guests enter, they receive many gifts and lie down on the couches, rather than stand up, and start drinking from bowls:

The moment they lay down, each of them was given a silver libation bowl to keep. Even before they came in, he had garlanded them all with gold tiaras, each worth five gold coins. After they drank the contents of their libation bowls, each man was given a loaf of bread on a bronze platter of Corinthian workmanship (the loaf was as big as the platter).

After guests receive more gifts, a prominent member of the group gives a toast.

By this time, says Hippolochus, “we had now happily escaped sobriety”.

The next stage of the party involves musical entertainment:

Some pipe-girls, female singers, and Rhodian harp-girls came in – they looked naked to me, although some of the guests claimed that they were wearing tunics – and after playing a prelude, they went out again. Other girls came in after them, each carrying two perfume-flasks, one made of gold and the other of silver […] and they gave a pair to all of us.

After this comes the first main dish. A “huge roast piglet” is brought in.

This is followed by more gifts: baskets and bread trays made of strips of woven ivory, as well as flower garlands and an additional pair of gold and silver perfume flasks.

After these gifts, there are more performances, including from naked female acrobats:

who did tumbling tricks among swords and blew fire from their mouths.

As the drinking continues, a chorus of 100 men started singing a wedding hymn. Then there were more dancing girls, followed by:

the clown Mandrogenes [… who] made us break into laughter repeatedly; after that he danced with his wife, who was over 80 years old.

The party ends with the guests filled with wine and drink and amazed at the expensive gifts they have received:

Finally the after-dinner tables came in, and everyone was given […] snacks in ivory baskets, along with flat-cakes of every kind […] along with the special cake-containers for each. After this we got up and left.

Hippolochus doesn’t mention the guests at this party playing games. Some parties, however, included games such as kottabos. This involved throwing dregs of wine at targets on top of poles to try to dislodge them.

Some ideas for your next party

You now have a blueprint for your next party, whether it features bowls of alcohol, lavish gifts of gold and silver, naked fire-breathing acrobats, or intellectual conversation.

Just remember one rule: absolutely no togas. The ancient Greeks would’ve raised an eyebrow – and then sent you to Rome.

Greeks wore a chiton (a type of tunic) and himation (a mantle or wrap, sometimes worn over a chiton). None of these looked much like a bedsheet.

Konstantine Panegyres does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.