Corona (ancient)

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Wreathed revelers on an Etruscan tomb painting (around 500 BC; Tomba dei Leopardi, Tarquinia , Italy)

Corona (plural Coronae ; Latin "wreath") was a wreath made of flowers, leaves or twigs, or a replica of such a wreath made of metal, which was awarded as a decoration or worn for cultic purposes in ancient Greece .

terminology

The numerous names and synonyms used by Greeks and Romans prove the importance that wreaths had in public and private life in antiquity. In addition to Corona , Latin also has:

  • Strophium or Struppus , actually a twisted cord worn as a headband , named by Pliny as the original form of the corona. Pliny also notes that in ancient times the wreaths were small, hence
  • Strophiolum as a diminutive of strophium
  • Corolla , a small wreath, diminutive of Corona . Especially the replicas made from gold-plated (corolla inaurata) or silver-plated (corolla inargentata) copper sheet. In particular, they served as a token of appreciation for actors and other artists.
  • Sertum , a wreath of flowers

In addition to the main name Stéphanos ( στέφανος ), Greek also has several synonyms:

  • Stéphos ( στέφος )
  • Stephánoma ( στεφάνωμα )
  • Stepháne ( στεφάνη )

The Stephane is a female hair ornament, not necessarily a wreath. The goddesses Hera and Juno were always represented with a Stephane as a sign of their highness.

Women with Stephane at a banquet ( terracotta group from Myrina in Mysia , around 25 BC; Louvre , Paris)

A separate profession was dedicated to the production of wreaths, called Stephaneplokoi ( στεφανηπλόκοι ) or Stephanopoioi ( στεφανοποιοί ) by the Greeks , and coronarii by the Romans . The flower market in Athens was called ai myrrinai ( αἱ μυρρίναι , from myrtle μύρτος ), as the myrtle was the most widely used flower for making wreaths. Some of the wreath twins working there managed to rise from flower girl to famous hetaera . A wreath-winder even found its way into art history, as the painter Pausias of Sikyon established his fame with a picture that showed his lover Glykera as a wreath-winder. It is reported that he developed his artistry in depicting flowers in a contest with his lover. Glykera tried to design their containers in such a way that they presented the painter with ever new and greater challenges, representing nature in a competition between nature and art.

The types of flowers suitable for production were called Stephanomata ( στεφανώματα ) by the Greeks and coronamenta . Pliny reports that Cato recommended the cultivation of flowers. These flower beds should not primarily serve to beautify the garden, but (similar to a vegetable patch) provide material for household needs such as wreaths.

The subject was so important that it had its own literature. These include in the first place Pliny, who dedicates book XXI of his natural history to the wreaths , Athenaeus book XV of the scholarly supper , Theophrastus of Eresus , and Iulius Pollux.

Cultic wreaths

The wearing of wreaths during cultic acts has been documented since the earliest times. During the cult celebrations of a god, wreaths were worn from the plant corresponding to the god. With Apollon , Zeus and Aphrodite it was the laurel , with Demeter and Kore the ear of corn , ivy and of course vine leaves were assigned to Dionysus , etc. In the mystery cults the wearing or putting on of wreaths indicated belonging or initiation into the cult. The wearing of wreaths was not limited to priests and participants in a cult celebration, also sacrificial animals and cult objects, even temples were decorated with wreaths.

Wreaths at the agon

Sportswoman with Corona (mosaic from the Villa Romana del Casale )

Since the sporting competition, the agon , was primarily a religious celebration in antiquity, it is not surprising that wreaths were lavishly wreathed here too, but not only with laurel. The winner of the Pythian Games in Delphi was wreathed with laurel, at the Olympic Games and the Panathenaia it was branches from the olive tree , the winners of the Nemean and Isthmian Games wore wreaths made of spruce branches and celery . Even poplar - and myrtle branches are mentioned as a material for winners wreaths.

Private wreaths

Also at the symposium , the banquet, the participants wore wreaths. The reason was that the transitions between

  • the celebration dedicated to the wine god Dionysus ,
  • the formal banquet with artistic performances and scholarly conversations and
  • the vulgar feast with drinking contests and prostitutes

were very fluent. According to Athenaeus, wearing an ivy wreath at the banquet was introduced by Dionysus himself. It was believed that ivy was helpful in maintaining sobriety and alleviating the consequences of overeating. It was also hoped that the myrtle, violet and rose wreaths would strengthen drinking resistance. When the feast was over and the revelers staggered home, a procession called Komos with special customs and traditions, the then no longer needed wreath was hung on the door of the lover.

Occasions related to birth, death and other turning points in life were not celebrated without Corona . The amphidromia , the celebration of the birth of a child, was indicated by a wreath of olive branches or wool hung on the door of the neighborhood. At the wedding, the bride and groom wore wreaths. Wreaths were also placed on the deceased, wreaths were placed in the grave, attached to or painted on grave urns or graves.

Another form of turning point in life was the sale of a prisoner of war into slavery. Here, too, the prisoners were wreathed, which is reflected in the expression sub corona vendere ("sell under the wreath"). However, it was a custom practiced in early Roman times; in the 1st century it is already described as archaic.

Coronae as part of the Roman Dona militaria

Bust of Augustus with "Corona civica" ( Glyptothek , Munich)

In the Roman army there was a differentiated system of coronae awarded as military distinctions :

Corona fidei

Christianity was opposed to the pagan custom of wreaths. The church father Tertullian wrote De corona militis ("On the soldier's wreath"), a pamphlet in which he opposed the use of wreaths in the military. But Christianity soon found its crowns and wreaths, namely corona fidei , the martyr's crown , which was not substantial, but rather metaphysical, but in any case a distinction. In the Christian iconography of later centuries, the martyr's crown became a common attribute when depicting martyrs .

See also

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Pliny Naturalis historia February 21
  2. ↑ Pliny Naturalis historia May 21
  3. ↑ Pliny Naturalis historia 21.54.177
  4. ↑ Pliny Naturalis historia April 21, 35:40
  5. ↑ Pliny Naturalis historia January 21
  6. ↑ Theophrastus from Eresos historia plantarum 6.6
  7. ↑ Julius Pollux onomasticon 6106-107
  8. ↑ Theocritus Idyllen 2.153; Anthologia Palatina 5.92
  9. ↑ Catullus 61.6; Apuleius Metamorphoses 4.27
  10. ↑ Euripides Troerinnen 1144; Athenaios Supper of the Scholars 11,460b; Pliny Naturalis historia 21.7
  11. ↑ Gnaeus Arulenus Caelius Sabinus in Aulus Gellius Noctes Atticae 6.4 [1]
  12. ^ Tertullian's De corona militis 13