What was the Athenian oath?

What was the Athenian oath?

One of those taped clippings is the Athenian Oath: “We will never bring disgrace to this, our city, by any act of dishonesty or cowardice, nor ever desert our suffering comrades in the ranks. The oath, also known as the Ephebic Oath, is said to be the one taken by young men in classical Athens as they became citizens.

Why did Athenian soldiers take an oath?

The ephebic oath was an oath sworn by young men of Classical Athens, typically eighteen-year-old sons of Athenian citizens, upon induction into the military academy, the Ephebic College, graduation from which was required to attain status as citizens.

Who follows the Athenian oath?

The Athenian Oath was recited by the citizens of Athens, Greece, more than 2,000 years ago. It is frequently referenced by civic leaders in modern times as a timeless code of civic responsibility. “We will never bring disgrace on this our City by an act of dishonesty or cowardice.

When was the Athenian oath written?

The Athenian statesman Lycurgus says it explicitly in one of his public orations, delivered in 330 BCE, where he actually refers to the Oath at Plataea (1.79–80) and where he says outright that ‘the Oath is what holds together the democracy’ (τὸ συνέχον τὴν δημοκρατίαν ὅρκος ἐστί, 1.79).

What does youth mean in ancient Greece?

ephebus
: a youth of ancient Greece especially : an Athenian 18 or 19 years old in training for full citizenship.

What is Ephebic?

ephebic • \ih-FEE-bik\ • adjective. : of, relating to, or characteristic of a youth of ancient Greece or a young man.

What is a Greek adage saying about their newborn children?

What is a Greek adage about their newborn child? If you have a boy, keep it. If you have a girl, expose it.

What did children call their parents in ancient Greece?

‘baba’ is for children, ‘patera’ is for adults. baba is more affectionate/warm (and easier/faster) and patera is more formal/respectful. The only time an adult would call his father ‘baba’ would be in the house or in a very informal situation and almost never when referring to his father to a third person.

What does callow fellow mean?

adj. 1 lacking experience of life; immature.

What is ancient Greece often called?

The Greeks called themselves Hellenes and their land was Hellas. The name ‘Greeks’ was given to the people of Greece later by the Romans. They lived in mainland Greece and the Greek islands, but also in colonies scattered around the Mediterranean Sea.

What Greek society is dedicated solely to war?

Sparta’s
Sparta’s entire culture centered on war. A lifelong dedication to military discipline, service, and precision gave this kingdom a strong advantage over other Greek civilizations, allowing Sparta to dominate Greece in the fifth century B.C.

What happened to weak babies in Sparta?

If a Spartan baby was judged to be unfit for its future duty as a soldier, it was most likely abandoned on a nearby hillside. Left alone, the child would either die of exposure or be rescued and adopted by strangers. To test their constitutions, Spartan infants were often bathed in wine instead of water.

Where did the ephebic oath take place in Athens?

Ephebic Oath. The Ephebate, an organization for training the young men of Athens, chiefly in military matters, had existed since the 5th century but was reorganized by Lycurgus. The oath was taken in the temple of Aglaurus, daughter of Cecrops, probably at the age of eighteen when the youth underwent an examination ( Greek: δοκιμασία)…

How old did you have to be to take the ephebic oath?

The ephebic oath was an oath sworn by young men of Classical Athens, typically eighteen-year-old sons of Athenian citizens, upon induction into the military academy, the Ephebic College, graduation from which was required to attain status as citizens. The applicant would have been dressed in full armour,…

When was the Ephebic Oath written by Stobaeus?

The ephebic oath is preserved on an inscription from Acharnae, which was written in the mid-fourth century BC. Other versions of the oath are preserved in the works of Stobaeus and Pollux. This is the oath, as preserved by Stobaeus .

How old was the ephebus when he took the oath?

The oath was taken in the temple of Aglaurus, daughter of Cecrops, probably at the age of eighteen when the youth underwent an examination ( Greek: δοκιμασία) and had his name entered on the deme register. He was then an ephebus until the age of twenty.