Symposium

The setting and participants

Symposia took place in the andron, a room reserved for male citizens within the private home. Couches lined three walls away from the entryway, allowing between fourteen and thirty men to recline on cushions while sharing drinks. Young men attended but sat upright rather than lounging, though in Macedonian custom a youth could recline once he had hunted his first wild boar. While wives and free women of status were excluded from Greek symposia, host families hired entertainers, flute players and high-class female companions known as hetairai to converse, dance and provide music for the assembly.

Mixing and serving wine

Drinking pure wine was regarded as uncivilised, so the Greeks always blended their wine with water. An elected leader called the symposiarch determined how strong to make the mixture, balancing the desire for lively conversation against drunken chaos. Wine was mixed inside a large two-handled vessel known as a krater, then transferred into pitchers and poured into cups by young attendants. Before drinking began, participants poured out sacred drops in libations to honour the gods or remember departed souls. Greek writers advised limiting consumption to three bowls for health, pleasure and rest, though gatherings frequently exceeded this ideal.

Music, verse and games

Guests spent the evening engaged in both intellectual and playful pastimes. Musicians played the aulos, a double-reed woodwind, alongside the stringed barbiton, while guests sang skolia, competitive drinking songs where one person began a verse and the next improvised the ending. Participants also held formal debates and speech contests. For lighthearted sport, drinkers played kottabos, flicking the remaining dregs of wine from a shallow kylix cup toward a designated target. Attic ceramic vessels used throughout the evening often featured painted scenes of Dionysus, satyrs and festive celebrations.

Etruscan and Roman versions

Neighbouring cultures adapted the Greek drinking tradition in different ways. In Etruscan banquets, elite women took a full part, lounging beside men on dining cushions and drinking wine as depicted on painted tomb art and sarcophagi. The Romans developed their own customs known as the comissatio and convivium. While a master of ceremonies directed Roman drinking, wine was served before, during and after dinner rather than solely after the meal. Roman law restricted women from drinking wine for moral reasons, unlike the mixed drinking parties celebrated across Etruscan territory.

How Symposium is kept

After an evening meal, guests gathered in the andron, taking their places on cushioned couches arranged along the walls. The group chose a symposiarch to regulate the strength and quantity of the wine. Attendants mixed wine and water in a large krater, poured libations for deities and the dead, and distributed cups to the guests. Throughout the night, participants engaged in philosophical discussion, recited poetry, sang shared verses, listened to musicians and played games like kottabos under the supervision of the host.

When and where

Symposia were held after dinner on special occasions. Hosts arranged them to celebrate victories in poetic or athletic competitions, to mark festivals such as the Dionysia, or to introduce young aristocratic men into adult social circles.

The tradition was practiced across ancient Greek city-states and later influenced Etruscan and Roman societies. Within a residence, the gathering was held exclusively inside the andron, the household room set aside for male citizens.

What Symposium means

The symposium balanced communal pleasure with civic order and self-control. Diluting wine reflected the Greek ideal of moderation, distinguishing civilised conduct from uncontrolled indulgence. Ritual libations maintained the bond between human society, the gods and deceased ancestors, while debate and verse competitions provided an arena for elite men to demonstrate education, wit and social standing.

Questions people ask about Symposium

See also

KoulourakiaSweet butter pastries baked for Greek Easter and shaped into rings and braidsKol NidreAn Aramaic declaration of vow annulment that opens the Yom Kippur evening service in Jewish synagogues.HandshakeA brief clasp of hands to greet, part or seal a deal, with local rules on how it is doneName dayA calendar tradition where people celebrate the feast day of the saint after whom they are named.

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• Our 9,000-Year Love Affair With BoozeNational Geographic, Article
• Our 9,000-Year Love Affair With BoozeNational Geographic, Article

• Symposium (ancient Greece) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.