peripeteia ironic reversal, term in dramatic criticism
phalanx a line of infantrymen
phallus the male organ in Greek; often part of the costume in old comedy
phratria literally, brotherhood; clan
phyle tribe, of which there were four originally at Athens, turned into ten in 508 BC
when the democracy was established
perioikoi dwellers round about; in Sparta the free inhabitants of the towns of Laconia
who enjoyed civil but not political freedom
polis city-state
proskynesis obeisance, associated with Persian attitude to the King
rhyton vessel often in the form of a horn, but also of an animal or human head, used
for libations and drinking
sarissa the long pike used by the Macedonians
satrap a Persian governor
satyr creature with a human body, a horse’s tail and ears, usually associated with
Dionysus
sophist from sophia,Greek word for wisdom; one of the new breed of professional
educators who specialized in giving practical lessons in such matters as rhetoric
and the law
sophrosyne self-control, moderation, balance
stasis party or civil strife, revolution
stele upright stone slabs usually serving as a tombstone
stichomythia in Greek drama, line by line debate between characters
stoa a building with a roof supported by columns, usually a long open colonnade
strategos a general
strigil bent bronze scraper used by athletes to remove oil, dust and sweat after exercise
sussitia the system of taking meals together in Sparta
symposium drinking party
synoikismos joining together into a union with one city as capital
temenos a piece of land marked off and dedicated to a god
terracotta figure or object of fired clay (Italian: terra cotta = baked earth)
tholos a round building with a conical roof
thyrsos wooden staff bound with ivy and tipped with pine cones carried by Dionysus
and maenads
time honour, self-respect
trittys a division, one of three, of the phyleat Athens
tripod three-legged stand for a cauldron
xenos Greek word for a stranger, guest, or mercenary
GLOSSARY OF TERMS 287