190. Greece and Greeks

See also 18. ANTIQUITY .

Alexandrianism

the style and theories of the Greek writers of Alexandria, 325-30 B.C., whose style was highly ornamented and obscure and favored such forms as the elegy, epigram, epyllion, and lyric and also ventured into the drama. —Alexandrianist, n., adj.

archon

one of the nine magistrates in ancient Athens, chosen from the leading families to oversee the civil and religious life of the city.

Atticism

the language and style typical of Athens and Attica, particularly in reference to a polished, elegant, and concise rhetorical style. —Atticist, n.

dithyramb

Ancient Greece. a choral chant of a wild and abandoned nature; hence, any poem or similar composition of this nature, especially one of irregular form. —dithyrambic, adj.

docimasy

Ancient Greece. the process whereby candidates for office or citi-zenship were judicially reviewed. See also 270. METALS .

eparchy

Ancient Greece. the territory governed by an eparch or governor. See also 135. EASTERN ORTHODOXY .

etacism

the pronunciation of the Greek letter η (eta), like the a in late.

Grecism, Graecism

1. the spirit of Greek thought, art, etc., and the adoption or imitation of this spirit.

2. anything typical of Greek language, art, thought, etc.

Grecomania, Graecomania

an obsession with Ancient Greece and Greeks.

Hellenism

1. the culture and ideals of the ancient Greeks.

2. the use of a Greek idiom in writing in another language.

3. the adoption or imitation of ancient Greek language, thought, art, or customs. —Hellenist, n.

Hellenist

a classicist whose specialization or preference is for Greek language and culture.

hetaera

a female companion or paramour of ancient Greece, a sort of professional prostitute.

himation

a garment composed of a rectangular piece of cloth, thrown over the left shoulder and draped around the body, as worn in ancient Greece.

Homerology

1. the study of the poet Homer.

2. the study of the Homeric poems, especially of their authorship and dates.

Ionicism

1. Architecture, use or imitation of the Ionic order in construction or decoration.

2. the culture and ideals of ancient Ionia and the Ionians.

3. an Ionian idiom appearing in the midst of material in another language or in the dialect of Athens (Attic). Also Ionism.

isotely

in ancient Athens, the granting of some of the rights of Athenian citizenship to noncitizens.

lampadedromy

Ancient Greece. a race in honor of Prometheus in which the contestants ran bearing lit torches, the winner being the first to finish with his torch still lit. Also called lampadrome. lampadephoria.

lampadist

a contestant in a lampadedromy. Also called lampadephore, lampadophoros.

metic

Ancient Greece. a foreigner or a resident alien.

myriarch

Ancient Greece. the commander of ten thousand men or soldiers.

Panhellenism

1. the idea of a union of all Greeks in a single political body.

2. advocacy of the idea of such a union. —Panhellenist, n. —Panhellenic, adj.

Philhellenism

a habit of friendship or support for the Greeks. —Philhellenist, n. —Philhellenic, adj.

phratry

1. a subdivision of an ancient Greek tribe or phyle.

2. a clan or other unit of a primitive tribe.

psephism

a decree made by an ancient assembly such as the ecclesia of Athens.

symposiarch

Ancient Greece. the master of a feast or symposium; hence, a person presiding over a banquet or formal discussion.

synomosy

Ancient Greece. fellowship or brotherhood bound by solemn oath.

syntrierarchy

1. the ancient Greek system in which a number of citizens were given the responsibility of equipping a trireme.

2. the position of one of the appointed citizens, or syntrierarchs. —syntrierarch, n.

syssitia

the practice or custom, as among the ancient Spartans and Cretans, of eating the main meal of the day together in public to strengthen social and political bonds.

taxiarch

Ancient Greece. a military commander of a taxis, or division of troops.

theatrocracy

the absolute rule of the Athenian democracy, exercised in the course of mass meetings in the theater.

xenia

Ancient Greece. a custom of hospitality, specifically the giving of presents to guests or strangers, especially foreign ambassadors. —xenial, adj.