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The syssitia (Classical Greek: ''ta syssítia'') was, in Ancient Greece, a common meal for men and youths in social or religious groups, especially in Crete and Sparta, though also in Megara in the time of Theognis (6th century BC) and Corinth in the time of Periander (7th century BC). The banquets spoken of by Homer relate to this tradition. Some reference to similar meals can be found in Carthage and according to Aristotle (''Politics'' VII. 9), it prevailed still earlier amongst the Oenotrians of Southern Italy.〔This article relies heavily on the French wikipedia article , translated 13 June 2006, as well as (Smith 1870)〕 The origin of the ''syssitia'' is unknown; while Lycurgus certainly made use of the practice in Sparta, we do not know whether he introduced the practice or developed an existing one. == Sparta == In Sparta, where the system was most evolved, they were also called ''pheiditia'' (, from ''edō'', to eat). The term is probably a corruption of ''philitia'' ("love-feast"),〔This should not be presumed to refer to a sexual nature; the connotation here is classical brotherly love.〕 a word corresponding to the Cretan ''Hetairia''. This was a daily obligatory banquet comparable to a military mess. Before the 5th century BC this ritual was also referred to as the ''andreia'', literally, "belonging to men". Obligation was total; no person, not even the kings, could be absent without good excuse, such as performance of a sacrifice. Lesser excuses, such as being away on a hunt, implied a requirement to provide a present to the table (Smith 1870) . The participation at syssitia was, as for other aspects of agoge, obligatory for membership in the ''Homoioi'', the peers. Spartans were admitted starting at the age of twenty after a ritual described by Plutarch in his ''Life of Lycurgus''(ch 12): "each man in the company took a little ball of soft bread, which they were to throw into a deep basin, which a waiter carried round upon his head; those that liked the person to be chosen dropped their ball into the basin without altering its figure, and those who disliked him pressed it between their fingers, and made it flat; and this signified as much as a negative voice. And if there were but one of these pieces in the basin, the suitor was rejected, so desirous were they that all the members of the company should be agreeable to each other. The basin was called caddichus, and the rejected candidate had a name thence derived. ".〔Plutarch. ''Life of Lycurgus'' Online version () accessed 13 Jun 2006〕It was also possible for the young man to be presented by his erastes, his father figure who was (disputably) the elder in a pederastic relationship. Each person was supplied with a cup of mixed wine, which was filled again when required, although drunkenness was not tolerated. Following a main meal of black broth ( ''melas zōmos''), an επαικλον (''epaiklon'', or after-meal) was served, which consisted of game, fruit, poultry and other delicacies. Alcman (Frag. 31) tells us that ''at the banquets and drinking entertainments of the men it was fit for the guests to sing the paean.'' The arrangements were under the supervision of the polemarch. Each member was required to contribute a monthly share to the common pot, the φιδίτης ''phidites'', of which the composition has been passed to us by Dicaearchus (through Athenaeus and Plutarch ''ibid.'', 12): 77 litres of barley, 39 litres of wine, 3 kilograms of cheese, 1.5 kilograms of figs, and 10 Aegina obolus, which served to purchase meat. This served to prepare the main dish, the black broth ( ''melas zōmos''), of which Athenaeus has given us the ingredients: pork, salt, vinegar and blood. The ''kleros'', the allotment given to each Spartan and cultivated by helots, was supposed to allow each citizen to pay their share. If this proved impossible, they were excluded from the syssitia. (Aristotle, ''Politics'', II, 9). The number of members in each syssitia remains vague. According to Plutarch in ''Life of Lycurgus'', there were approximately 15 men in each syssitia; but in his ''Life of Agis'', the king divides his 4,500 citizens into 15 ''phidites'' of 400 or 200 members, that is 7 ''phidites'' of 400, 7 of 200, and 300 hippeis (elite Spartan guards). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Syssitia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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