How are the elderly treated in Greece?
Nursing homes and residential care are viewed negatively; if Greeks must live in a nursing home, their children are expected to visit them often and make all arrangements for them. Age gives authority in Greek families and society at large. The elderly are given utmost respect and are consulted when any major decision is made.
What do Greeks do to show affection?
Physical Contact: Greeks are generally very people, comfortable with open affection. Hugging and kissing is common in public spaces. People often touch one another on the back, arm or leg to emphasise their point as they talk. Body Language: Expect many hand gestures to be used during communication.
Why is Greek mythology important to Greek culture?
Greek Mythology. The ancient Greek spiritual beliefs, religion, and oral tradition are all reflected and formulated through rich myths and legends that besides entertainment provided an articulation of the moral fiber of the Greek culture as it evolved through at least two thousand years.
What is the health status of Greek citizens?
The health status of Greek citizens is roughly equivalent to that of Western Europe. Western concepts of biomedicine are well accepted but are supplemented for some individuals by longstanding cultural conceptions concerning the impact that certain foods, the wind, hot and cold temperatures, envy, and anxiety have on health.
What is the significance of Greek?
The Greeks made important contributions to philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine. Literature and theatre was an important aspect of Greek culture and influenced modern drama. The Greeks were known for their sophisticated sculpture and architecture.
What was so significant in ancient Greek society?
Overview. Greek society was comprised of independent city-states that shared a culture and religion. Ancient Greeks were unified by traditions like the panhellenic games. Greek architecture was designed to facilitate religious ceremonies and common civic spaces.
What Greek value means to treat all guests with respect?
Xenia consists of two basic rules: The respect from hosts to guests. Hosts must be hospitable to guests and provide them with a bath, food, drink, gifts, and safe escort to their next destination.
What are some Greek cultural values?
The ancient Greeks implemented their values of loyalty, glory, intelligence and hospitality into everyday life. While these values may seem simple, they effectively shaped an entire civilization into a culture that is one of the most referenced in history.
What was the culture like in Ancient Greece?
The Greeks had cultural traits, a religion, and a language in common, though they spoke many dialects. The basic political unit was the city-state. Conflict between city-states was common, but they were capable of banding together against a common enemy, as they did during the Persian Wars (492–449 BCE).
What is the culture like in Greece?
98% of the Greeks are Christian Orthodox. The rest of the population are Muslims, Roman Catholics, and Jewish. Greece and Russia are the only countries to have such a big proportion of Orthodox Christians. The Orthodox Church forms the third largest branch of Christianity, after the Roman Catholic and the Protestant.
How did Greeks treat their guests?
In ancient Greece, hospitality was all about pleasing guests elaborately, whether the host could afford to or not. Ancient Greeks not only offered their guests standard comforts such as beverages, meals and accommodations, but went above and beyond. They provided visitors with apparel if necessary.
How did Greece treat outsiders?
In Athens, where they were most numerous, they occupied an intermediate position between visiting foreigners and citizens, having both privileges and duties. They were a recognized part of the community and specially protected by law, although subject to restrictions on marriage and property ownership.
What are the five rules of Greek hospitality?
Hospitality, also called “guest-friendship,” was a social ritual expected of men in the Greek world. Under the rules of hospitality, men would be expected to host visitors, providing them with food, a bath, friendship gifts, the promise of safety for the night, and safe escorted travel to their next destination.
What did the Greeks value the most?
The Greeks valued beauty, art, intellect, honor, and truth; the list is long. Some of these values are shown through the story of the Odyssey, which tells of the adventures of Odysseus and his family.
What is a Greek tradition?
Traditions Only Greeks Can UnderstandName Days. It is true that the tradition of “name days” exists in many European countries, but in Greece, these name days are strongly respected and celebrated. ... First Day of the Month. ... Evil Eye (Mati) ... Spitting. ... Name Giving. ... Saints' Day Celebrations. ... Plate Smashing. ... The Christmas Boat.More items...•
What is the Greek culture?
Greek culture and identity reflect the shared history and common expectations of all members of the nation-state, but they also reflect an ethnic history and culture that predate the nation-state and extend to Greek people outside the country's borders.
What is the health service in Greece?
The state-run National Health Service, a network of hospitals, clinics, and insurance organizations, was established in 1983. The service provides basic health care even in remote areas, but there is an over concentration of hospital facilities, doctors, and nurses in Athens and other major cities. Private health care facilities are used by those who can afford them. The health status of Greek citizens is roughly equivalent to that of Western Europe. Western concepts of biomedicine are well accepted but are supplemented for some individuals by longstanding cultural conceptions concerning the impact that certain foods, the wind, hot and cold temperatures, envy, and anxiety have on health.
What is the Ministry of Culture?
Support for the Arts. The Ministry of Culture supports all the arts in terms of production, education, publicity, festivals, and national centers , such as the Greek Film Center. There are provincial and municipal theaters, folklore institutes, orchestras, conservatories, dance centers, art workshops, and literary groups.
What are the most common voluntary organizations in Greece?
Among the most common are urban-based organization s formed by people from the same rural area. These associations enroll as much as one-quarter of the Athenian population and raise funds and exert political pressure on behalf of their areas of origin. Agricultural cooperatives are widespread, enabling family-based farmers to buy and sell in bulk. Trade unions are less well established.
What are the major public gathering spots in Greece?
Plazas, open-air markets, shops, churches, schools, coffeehouses, restaurants, and places of entertainment are the major public gathering spots. An interior view of a home on Crete. Greek homes are private spaces, and hospitality is seen as both a pleasure and a responsibility.
What is the symbolism of Greece?
Several widely recognized images and celebrations invoke the identity of the republic. The country is seen as the restoration of an independent Greek civilization, and many symbols establish a strong link between past and present, between larger Greek history and the modern nation-state.
Where did the name Greece come from?
Greece, the English name for the Hellenic Republic, derives from an ancient Latin word for that area. "Hellenic" derives from the word ancient Greeks used to refer themselves, while "Romeic" comes from the medieval or Byzantine Greek term. Although Romeic was the most common self-designation early in the nineteenth century, ...
What is the symbol of medicine in ancient Greece?
Below you will find the top 23 most important ancient Greek symbols: 1. Rod of Asclepius Symbol. Also known as the Staff of Asclepius, the Rod of Asclepius is an ancient symbol of Greece that is today recognized as a symbol of medicine all over the world. It represents a serpent wrapped around a staff.
What did the Greeks believe about the gods?
The ancient Greeks believed in polytheism (the existence of more than one god), basing their assumptions on the perceived reality that there were many gods and goddesses, along with supernatural beings of different kinds.
Why is the knot of Solomon symbolic?
The knot of Solomon has a number of symbolic interpretations because it has been used in different cultures and historical eras. Since the knot does not have any beginning or end, it is used to symbolize immortality and eternity, just like the Buddhist Endless Knot.
Who is the goddess of youth?
The daughter of Zeus and Hera, Hebe is the goddess of youth and is known as Juventas in Roman mythology. She is the cupbearer for the numerous gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus.
Who is the Cornucopia?
The roots of the Cornucopia lie in ancient Greek mythology when the God Zeus was looked after and fed milk by a goat, Amalthea , when he was a baby. A few years later, when Zeus became god, he decided to reward Amalthea by allowing her to enter heaven as a constellation (Capricorn).
Who was Zeus's Roman counterpart?
The Roman counterpart of Zeus was Jupiter, while his Etruscan counterpart was Tinia. The son of Cronus and Rhea, Zeus was the youngest in the family. Legend has it that he was married to Hera. However, at the oracle, Zeus’s consort was Dione.
1. The Cornucopia Symbol
The word “cornucopia” is from the Latin cornu copiae, literally meaning “horn of plenty.”
2. Bowl of Hygeia Symbol
Hygeia is the Greek goddess of health, cleanliness, and sanitation. Together with the asklepian ( Rod of Asclepius ), Hygeia’s symbol—the Bowl of Hygeia—is one of the oldest and most important symbols associated with medicine.
3. Hercules Knot Symbol
This simple knot with two entwined ropes is associated with the fertility of Hercules. The act of tying the Hercules knot is symbolic of binding. This has come to represent the commitment to love in various cultures.
4. Caduceus Symbol
The caduceus is from the Latin cādūceus; and the Greek kērykeion, which means ‘herald’s wand’ or ‘herald’s staff.’
5. Rod of Asclepius Symbol
The probable medical origin of this ancient Greek symbol with a snake wrapped around a staff is the ‘worm theory’ that dates back to about 1500 BC.
6. Labyrinth Symbol
The term ‘ labýrinthos’ came from the Minoan or pre-Greek labrys, which refers to the double ax. This is said to be the symbol of the supremacy of the Minoan Mother Goddess.
7. Gorgon Symbol
The word ‘Gorgon’ is commonly used to call any of these three sisters: Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. The term is derived from the ancient Greek word gorg ós, which means ‘grim,’ ‘terrible,’ or ‘dreadful.’
What does it mean when a Greek man speaks loudly?
This can be an expression of excitement or conviction rather than a sign of anger at their conversation partner.
Do Greeks have a lot of space?
Personal Space: Greeks do not require a lot of personal space between one another. Therefore, they may sit or stand at slightly closer proximities than what you are used to. It is not unusual to have one’s belongings or body touching the stranger next to them when queuing, sitting/standing on public transport or in a crowd.
What is the Greek key design?
What Is the Symbolism of the Greek Key Design? The Greek key design symbolizes infinity or the eternal flow of life. It can also represent waves, the four compass points, the four seasons and snakes. The design was named "meander" after the twisting and turning of the Meander river in present-day Turkey.
What is the shape of the Greek symbol?
The shape of the symbol — both angled and rounded — has been used as a decorative motif in architecture, in mosaic tiles and to encircle stone columns. Temples were widely decorated using the meander design, and it is common in Greek and Roman art.
What does the Greek key mean in jewelry?
Jewelry designers see the Greek key as representing the eternal bonds of friendship and love. Tattoo artists use it to signify a journey that has no particular destination planned.
Where did the Greek key originate?
Some historians believe that the Greek key symbol originated in the myth of the labyrinth, a garden maze formed by rectilinear paths separated by tall hedge-like vegetation . It has most notably been associated with the legend of Jason, a seafarer who led a band of adventurous heroes known as "the Argonauts.".
What is the culture of Greece?
With a rich culture, Greece is a country with traditions and customs passed down from generation to generation. These traditions reflect the country’s past and are one of the things that make the country so interesting and enjoyable. Here are some of the superstitions and traditions of the beautiful country of Greece that only Greeks can understand.
What is the tradition of a Greek wedding?
A unique tradition happens before a Greek wedding day. The krevati (literally meaning bed) is a tradition where the bride-to-be and her single friends come together and decorate the couple’s future marriage bed with fresh bedding and decorations, and throw gifts, money and rice on it.
Why do Greeks spit?
Greeks do not actually spit but actually say ‘ ftou, ftou, ftou ’ (three times no less). It is common to spit when someone mentions a bad piece of news or a death, when someone comments on the beauty or health of someone, or even when complimenting a baby or a child , so that the comment doesn’t give the person the evil eye.
What is the Greek wedding bed?
A unique tradition happens before a Greek wedding day. The krevati (literally meaning bed) is a tradition where the bride-to-be and her single friends come together and decorate the couple’s future marriage bed with fresh bedding and decorations, and throw gifts, money and rice on it. Even small children are placed in it. This ritual is done to promote prosperity and fertility for the couple. (This tradition is not always observed in modern-day Greece.)
Did Greeks have a Christmas tree?
Traditionally, Greeks didn’t decorate with a Christmas tree but a Christmas boat. It was only in 1833, when Bavarian King Otto celebrated his first Christmas on the throne of Greece, that the Christmas tree tradition was introduced to the country.
What is mythology in Greek culture?
What we call "mythology" today, was a big part of ancient Greek culture and taken as a whole it represent the bulk of what we know as Pagan religion mixed in with the ancients' heritage (the concept of "History" was born later in the 5th c. BCE). As such, it was later suppressed in favor of other religions.
What is Greek mythology?
Greek Mythology. The ancient Greek spiritual beliefs, religion, and oral tradition are all reflected and formulated through rich myths and legends that besides entertainment provided an articulation of the moral fiber of the Greek culture as it evolved through at least two thousand years.
Why did Greek mythology have somber tales?
Greek mythology also had some more somber tales and legends that were meant to serve as warnings of what could befall those who fall suit to more negative personality traits. These myths also served as a connection to religion in ancient Greece.
Why did Zeus swallow Kronos?
Zeus however, was hidden in a cave by his mother Rhea. She instead gave Kronos a swaddled stone to swallow, and when Zeus was grown, he freed his siblings and killed Kronos to become King of the Gods.
What is the name of the goddess that represents luck?
Fortuna or Tyche were seen as the personification of luck in Roman religion and Greek mythology. She may either bring good or bad luck. Fortuna represented the fickle nature of life. Tyche is the daughter of Aphrodite and Zeus or Hermes. In Roman mythology her name is Fortuna.
Why did Kronos swallow his children?
Kronos originally ruled the Cosmos, and swallowed his children in fear of a prophecy foretold that he would be overthrown. However, his wife Rhea saved their youngest son Zeus and hid him from Kronos. When Zeus was old enough, he returned and forced Kronos to disgorge his swallowed siblings.
What is the most popular mythology?
For centuries, Greek tales and tragedies have enchanted the world and this continues to be the case. Greek mythology symbols revolve around gods, heroes , and rituals that the ancient Greek followed and most of these were considered to be true. These myths explained many elements of the natural and physical world and phenomena that were in existence.
What is the goddess of flowers?
Chloris is the goddess of flowers in Greek mythology. In Roman mythology, she is known as Flora. She is also associated with the season of spring. Chloris is a symbol for nature and flowers (especially the may-flower). She is one of the many fertility goddesses in Roman religion.
Who is the goddess of good health?
Hygeia is known as the goddess of good health. She is the daughter and attendant of the medicine-god Asklepios (Asclepius). Hygeia is also seen as a companion of the goddess Aphrodite. She is seen as the personification of health, cleanliness, and sanitation.