The Ancient Greek Origins of Zeibekiko and Other Contemporary Dances

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greek dances
Zeibekiko. Credit: YouTube/Shakallis Dance School

Greece is home to countless traditional Greek dances, many of which have direct connections to ancient Greek forms of rhythmic movement.

In ancient Greece, dance was an integral part of many aspects of cultural and religious events as well as daily life.

Dancing was very common throughout the ancient Greek world and featured prominently during many celebrations, such as weddings, and even at philosophical drinking parties or symposia.

Additionally, the choruses in ancient Greek drama often performed a choreographed routine when delivering their lines, and dance shows and routines were common forms of entertainment in ancient Greece.

Dance, or “horos,” has held a very important place in Greek culture for thousands of years and is still an important part of life in Greece to this very day.

Over time, it has evolved to suit the needs of different groups of Greeks, who have made their own dances, leading to great regional diversity in this most physically expressive of the arts.

Dances are extremely important to Greek communities and perform a social function as well. You will often see Greeks spontaneously burst into dance at weddings, Greek Easter, or school functions.

Several traditional Greek dances that are still performed to this day have deep connections to ancient Greece, particularly the dances zeibekiko, tsifteteli, and pyrrhichios or serra.

Traditional Greek dances and their ancient roots

One of the most unique and visually striking Greek dances is the zeibekiko. Zeibekiko originated in Asia Minor, and the legacy of tragic displacement and of a homeland lost certainly lives on through this dance.

It is difficult to dance the zeibekiko, mainly because it has no set steps and a complex rhythm. It requires an inner intensity because it is an improvised movement that expresses the feelings of the individual who gets up to dance.

This meaningful dance often conveys feelings of defeat, sadness, life’s despair and unfulfilled dreams, foreboding bad luck, and the dark at the end of the tunnel.

Zeibekiko is performed solo and was traditionally exclusively danced by males, but women have begun to take part in this expressive movement, as well, breaking gender roles.

The most iconic part of the dance is when the dancer stretches out his arms and twirls, sways, and moves with deep feeling and emotion.

This movement is often linked to the eagle, a traditionally solitary and powerful bird, but it may have a connection to a different bird—the crane.

Called “Geranos” in Greek, the crane is a beautiful bird with long, graceful wings. In antiquity, Greeks were known to perform a solitary dance called “Geranios,” which was modeled after the bird’s movements.

Most famously, as mentioned by Plutarch, the ancient Greek hero Theseus performed the crane dance on the island of Delos, which was very sacred as it was the site of Apollo’s birth, after freeing a group of young Athenians from the Minotaur’s Labyrinth.

The dance involves slowly moving in circular motions while holding one’s arms outstretched, much like the wings of a crane.

The movements of the crane dance described by ancient authors certainly resemble the Zeibekiko, which means that the ancient Greek dance may be linked to the modern one.

Is Tsifteteli related to the ancient Greek dance Kordax?

The modern Greek dance “Tsifteteli,” or ‘τσιφτετέλι’ in Greek, seems to be of Turkish or Eastern origin, as the name tsifteteli comes from Turkish, but it may also have links to an ancient Greek dance.

Tsifteteli is often described as Greek belly-dancing involving the rhythmic movement of one’s hips accompanied by sinuous arm movements. While both men and women can dance tsifteteli, it’s most often considered a feminine and highly sensual dance.

The ancient Greek dance Cordax is described in Aristophanes’ comic plays as a sexual, almost vulgar dance that involves hip gyrations. Other ancient authors have also described the dance, which was considered highly sexual, and often those performing it wore masks.

Although the links between this ancient dance and tsifteteli are clear, some scholars believe that there is no relationship between the two, as tsifteteli only became a popular dance in Greece after Greeks from Asia Minor were expelled from Turkey in the 1920s.

Pyrrhichios and Serra

One of the most famous ancient Greek dances is the Pyrrhichios (Πυρρίχιος), or “Phyrric dance,” which was the war dance of the ancient Greeks.

The ancient movement was likely first practiced by the Dorians but became popular across the country in antiquity, particularly in Sparta, where it was taught to children from a very young age.

According to Plato, the dance involved both movements that mimic strikes and assaults as well as actions that resembled dodging and avoiding the blows of one’s opponent.

Even Homer, the most famous ancient Greek poet, wrote that Achilles danced the Pyrrhichios around the burning funeral pyre of his companion Patroclus in the Iliad.

Serra, a traditional Greek dance from the Pontus region of the Black Sea, is believed to have strong links to the Pyrrhichios dance.

It is named after the Serra River, in the Trapezunda (Trebizond) region of modern-day Turkey. It is also sometimes referred to as the Lazikon dance.

Serra was created by Greeks from the Pontus area of the Black Sea. As is the case with most Pontic dances, the serra originated as a war dance and would have traditionally been used to motivate soldiers before entering battle.

The serra is traditionally performed by men holding hands throughout the dance.

As is the case with most Pontic dances, it is usually accompanied by the Pontic lyra.

Putin Warns of Nuclear War if West Sends Troops to Ukraine

Russian president Vladimir Putin
President Vladimir Putin again raises the danger of a nuclear holocaust. Credit: Council.gov.ru / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 4.0

On Thursday, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin warned of a nuclear war if Western powers send ground troops to Ukraine.

Addressing parliament and other members of the country’s elite during the annual State of the Nation address, Putin repeated his accusation that the West is bent on weakening Russia.

He suggested Western leaders did not understand how dangerous their meddling could be in what he cast as Russia’s internal affairs.

He prefaced his warning with a specific reference to an idea, floated by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, of European NATO members sending ground troops to Ukraine – a suggestion that was quickly rejected by the United States, Germany, Britain and others.

“I want to assure you that there is no question of sending European forces, NATO forces, into Ukraine. There is no such issue for Greece and I believe that there is no such issue for the great majority of our partners,” Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

Putin: Threat of a nuclear war

“(Western nations) must realize that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory. All this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilization. Don’t they get that?!” said Putin.

Putin, Russia’s paramount leader for more than two decades, suggested Western politicians recall the fate of those, like Nazi Germany’s Adolf Hitler and France’s Napoleon Bonaparte who unsuccessfully invaded his country in the past.

“But now the consequences will be far more tragic,” said Putin. “They think it (war) is a cartoon,” he said.

Putin, who was speaking ahead of a March 15-17 presidential election when he is certain to be re-elected for another six-year term, lauded what he said was Russia’s vastly modernized nuclear arsenal, the largest in the world.

He also said the Russian military has the “initiative” in the two-year, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and is advancing in several areas.

Ukrainian troops recently withdrew from the eastern town of Avdiivka – but overall, the frontlines have been largely unchanged for months.

No mention of Navalny and his untimely death

The BBC notes that Putin was speaking for about two hours, covering a range of key issues. But, as it points out, there was one name he refused to mention – Alexei Navalny – Putin’s most prominent critic.

Navalny’s death in a Russian Arctic penal colony earlier this month sparked a global outpouring of tributes and anti-Putin demonstrations, with his supporters convinced his death was a political assassination.

Hundreds of people were detained in Moscow, St Petersburg and other Russian cities for laying flowers in his memory.

Navalny will be buried in Moscow on Friday.

Has the Mystery of the Ancient Phaistos Disc Been Solved?

Phaistos Disc
Phaistos Disc. Credit: C. Messier/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-SA-4.0

The mystery of the Phaistos Disc has been “solved by 99 percent” Gareth Owens, a linguist, archaeologist, and coordinator of the program Erasmus of Crete Technological Institute announced recently.

Owens has devoted thirty years to trying to solve the puzzle. The Minoan goddess of love, Astarte, who is linked to the Eastern goddess Ashtart, is the key figure that unlocks the mystery of the Phaistos Disc, Owens argues.

The Phaistos Disc is a disk of fired clay from the Minoan palace of Phaistos on the island of Crete, possibly dating to the middle or late Minoan Bronze Age (second millennium B.C.).

Phaistos Disc: one of archaeology’s greatest mysteries

The disk is about 15 cm (5.9 in) in diameter and covered on both sides with a spiral of stamped symbols.

The language imprinted on the face of the mysterious disk has never been fully decoded, and its symbols are part of no known alphabet either ancient or modern.

Some symbols, however, do bear resemblance to those found in Linear A and Linear B, which were the ancient languages of the Minoans. Linear A has not yet been decoded.

Others are similar to hieroglyphs found in ancient Anatolian sites.

Although the vast majority of scholars believe that the Phaistos Disc is authentic, a few archaeologists are unconvinced of its authenticity.

Its purpose and meaning, and even its original geographical place of manufacture, remain disputed, making it one of the most famous mysteries of archaeology.

This unique object is now on display at the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.

Is the goddess of love the key to decoding the disk?

He, along with his team, is using evidence and strategies from linguistics and history to decode the mysterious disc.

Owens says: “We are reading the Phaistos disc with the vocal values of Linear B and with the help of comparative linguistics, i.e. comparing with other relative languages from the Indo-European language family. Reading something, however, does not mean understanding.”

According to his data, the disc is a religious text to a “pregnant goddess” that takes shape in the face of Astarte, the goddess of love.

“There is no doubt that we are talking about a religious text,” Owens reveals. “This is clear from a comparison made with other religious words from other inscriptions from the holy mountains of Crete. We have words that are exactly the same.”

The scholar adds that he suspects that “the Phaistos Disc is a hymn before Astarte, the goddess of love. Words such as those mentioned on the disc have been found on Minoan offerings.”

“As with today’s offerings, people pray when they are troubled, because of health problems or personal reasons,” he says. “Man doesn’t change, after all.”

The archaeologist says he believes that one side of the Phaistos Disc is actually dedicated to a pregnant mother goddess while the other is dedicated to the Minoan goddess Astarte.

On the importance of the figure, Owens noted that Minoan Astarte was the goddess of love, war, and the mountains and that her origin lies in the east. The goddess’s roots are “from ancient Mesopotamia, located in today’s Turkey; Astarte went to Cyprus and became Venus,” he explained.

Nonstop Flights to Greece From 7 US Cities This Summer

Non-stop Flights US Greece 2024
From Athens, you can simply hop on a quick domestic flight to one of the islands. Credit: AMNA

The 2024 season will be a great one for direct flights from the US to Greece, as seven different airports and cities in the US offer nonstop flights to Athens. This includes Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Washington, Philadelphia, New York, and Newark.

There are no nonstop flights from the US to any other destinations in Greece, such as the popular islands of Santorini and Mykonos, but once you get to Athens, you can simply hop on a quick domestic flight to one of the islands.

Nonstop flights from the US to Greece

JFK, New York

Three airlines offer seasonal flights to Athens out of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. These airlines are Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and newcomer Norse Atlantic Airways.

Norse Atlantic Airways just announced its new route earlier this month. The low-cost airline will offer five flights weekly from May to October from JFK to Athens, Greece.

You can snag the best deals on this airline during the off-peak months of September and October when fares are as low as $249 one-way.

Newark, New Jersey

Another city with nonstop flights to Athens is Newark, New Jersey. Travelers can fly from Newark Liberty International Airport to Athens year-round on Emirates.

United Airlines also will offer seasonal flights from EWR to ATH beginning in March.

This is the perfect time of year to explore Athens before it gets too hot, crowded, and expensive during the peak summer months.

Washington, D.C.

Travelers located in the Washington, D.C. area will be pleased to learn that there’s a nonstop flight from Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Athens beginning this spring.

United Airlines will operate daily flights from April through October this year.

Boston, Massachusetts

Another city with a direct connection to Greece is Boston. Delta Air Lines will fly daily nonstop flights from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Athens starting in April.

With Athens breaking all-time tourism records in 2023 and only getting more popular, this year is the perfect time to finally plan that dream trip to Greece.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Travelers from Philadelphia can also fly directly to Greece beginning this summer. American Airlines will be offering a service from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Athens. Daily flights will begin in May and last through September.

Chicago, Illinois

If you’re based in Chicago, you now have multiple options for flying nonstop to Athens this summer.

American Airlines will once again be offering seasonal flights from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Athens. These flights will be daily from May through October.

Last week, United Airlines announced a new route to Athens, too. Beginning in late May and lasting through August, the airline will fly daily from ORD to ATH.

Atlanta, Georgia

Finally, travelers can fly from Atlanta to Athens nonstop on Delta Air Lines. This seasonal route begins in March, just in time for a spring visit to Greece.

The airline operates daily flights to Athens, making it the perfect time to visit this record-breaking country that is on the bucket list for so many travelers.

The Battles of Ancient Greece That Shaped Western Civilization

hoplites, black figure pottery
The ancient Greeks understood the importance of intelligence in peace and war. Credit: Grant Mitchell / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Ancient Greece witnessed numerous significant battles that played pivotal roles in shaping its history and Western civilization.

These battles ranged from repelling foreign invasions and preserving Greek independence to expanding Macedonian power and transforming the political landscape of the Greek city-states.

While different historians and scholars may have varying opinions on the most important battles, here is a list of the battles that are widely recognized for their significance.

The Battles of Ancient Greece

Battle of Marathon (490 BC)

The Athenians repelled the invading Persian forces, marking a crucial victory and preserving the independence of Athens.

According to historian Richard Billows and his well-researched book Marathon: How One Battle Changed Western Civilization, in one single day in 490 BC, the Athenian army under General Miltiades changed the course of civilization.

Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC)

The great Battle of Thermopylae and the valiant fight of the 300 fearless Spartans under the command of warrior King Leonidas against ten thousand elite Persian soldiers is one of the most brilliant moments in ancient Greek history.

In retrospect, it proved to be no less than a fight for the defense of Western Civilization itself. Although the battle itself was lost, the war was won.

Battle of Salamis (480 BC)

The Greek naval fleet, primarily led by the Athenians, decisively defeated the Persian navy, halting the Persian advance and safeguarding Greece from further invasion.

Had the Greeks not won the battle, many believe that the Persian invasion of Greece would have been successful, altering the course of history as we know it.

Battle of Artemisium (480 BC)

Fought simultaneously with the Battle of Salamis, this naval engagement saw the Greek fleet successfully resisting the Persian forces.

Although it was not a conclusive victory, it played a vital role in coordination with the Battle of Salamis, serving as a strategic defensive effort.

Battle of Plataea (479 BC)

On August 27, 479 BC the Greek warriors annihilated and put an end to Persian ambitions at the Battle of Plataea.

This ferocious battle was the final clash of the second Persian invasion of Greece with the victory of the allied Greek forces putting an end to the Persian empire’s expansion.

The Peloponnesian War (431 to 405 B.C.)

A war fought in ancient Greece between Athens and Sparta—the two most powerful city-states in ancient Greece at the time.

This war shifted power from Athens to Sparta, making Sparta the most powerful city-state in the region. The war featured two periods of combat separated by a six-year truce.

Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC)

The Battle of Chaeronea, believed to have taken place on August 2, 338 BC, confirmed Macedonia’s control over the southern Greek city-states, paving the way for Alexander the Great’s legendary conquests.

Philip II of Macedon, and his son, Alexander the Great, with their innovative tactics and superior cavalry, defeated a coalition of Greek city-states led by Athens and Thebes, establishing Macedonian dominance over ancient Greece.

Battle of Granicus (334 BC)

Alexander the Great, leading his Macedonian army, defeated the Persians, marking the beginning of his conquest of the Persian Empire.

After this battle, the Persians were forced on the defensive in the cities that remained under their control in the region.

Battle of Issus (333 BC)

Alexander the Great achieved a decisive victory over the Persian King Darius III, further expanding his empire and securing his hold over Asia Minor.

It was the second great battle of Alexander’s conquest of Asia, and the first encounter between Darius III and Alexander the Great.

Battle of Gaugamela (331 BC)

On October 1, 331 BC, Alexander the Great’s army defeated the Persian army led by Darius III at the Battle of Gaugamela to complete the conquest of the mighty Persian Empire.

It was an extraordinary victory achieved against a larger army. The superior tactics and the heroism displayed by the Macedonian cavalry led by Alexander carried the day.

Battle of Leuctra (371 BC)

The Thebans, under the leadership of Epaminondas, inflicted a significant defeat on the dominant Spartan army, reshaping the balance of power within Greece.

The Theban victory shattered Sparta’s immense influence over the Greek peninsula, which Sparta had gained with its victory in the Peloponnesian War a generation earlier.

Related: The Deadliest Weapons Used in Ancient Greek Wars

Ten Suspects Face Terrorism Charges in Greece

Terrorist suspect Greece
A suspect is being led to an Athens court to face terrorism charges. Credit: AMNA

A Greek prosecutor charged 10 people on Wednesday on terrorism charges including a series of recent bomb and hand grenade attacks and a planned parcel bomb explosion at a court in Thessaloniki this month.

Four suspects are already in prison for other crimes, police said in a statement after the remaining six were arrested. Police said they confiscated guns, explosives, cell phones, and other electronic devices after raiding nine apartments and three jail cells.

The ten charged, four of whom are prisoners, are being prosecuted on a case-by-case basis for the following offenses:

– Directing, recruiting, and forming a criminal organization
– Terrorist act of attempted homicide
– Terrorist act of explosion continuously carried out and attempted
– Terrorist act of manufacture, possession, and supply of explosives
– Terrorist act of possession of arms
– Terrorist act of physical damage

They are expected to respond to the charges on Sunday.

The case concerns the group “Sympraxi Ekdikisis” (Revenge Partnership), which has claimed responsibility for three terrorist actions via a known anti-establishment website.

These include:

– A grenade attack on the vehicle of a prison officer in Haidari in July 2023

– A bomb attack against a construction company in Kifissia in November 2023

– A bomb explosion at a National Bank building in Petralona on January 25, 2024

– A planned parcel bomb attack against a judge at a courthouse in Thessaloniki this month

The parcel, sent to a senior judge, contained explosive material but was confiscated by police before it exploded.

In a statement uploaded on the Athens Indymedia website last week, the anarchist group claimed responsibility for the makeshift bomb and warned of more attacks against prosecutors, police, and judges, including the judge who was meant to receive the parcel.

Terrorism resurgence in Greece?

Officials have expressed fears of a resurgence of terrorism in Greece. Earlier in February, a bomb exploded in the heart of Athens across the Ministry of Labor.

Initially, Greek Police (ELAS) believed the bomb that exploded early in the morning was intended to destroy a bank on Stadiou Street. However, further investigations revealed the actual target was the government building on the opposite side of the street.

Police experts now believe the bombing is part of an organized and extensive plan to use urban guerrilla tactics in Greece’s capital. They also believe it was a symbolic act and wasn’t meant to lead to any victims.

Last week, police were placed on high alert after phone calls to TV stations warned about the placement of bombs in the embassies of Israel, Egypt, and the US in Athens, as well as at the Parliament.

Special bomb squad teams that rushed to the embassy buildings in Athens found no explosive devices, leading experts to conclude it was a hoax. Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis recently said the government will not allow a terrorism resurgence in Greece.

“We are not going to let terrorism be revived,” he stressed speaking to SKAI television. “We will not allow it.”

“Some brazen and dangerous people did an act that could endanger the lives of our fellow citizens,” Chrysochoidis said. “We will do everything we can so that the perpetrators of such criminal acts are brought to justice and punished.”

Charismatic Greek Actor Ilias Logothetis Dies at 85

Ilias Logothetis
Ilias Logothetis, who collaborated with big names in the film industry, started with opera before finding his calling in acting. Public Domain

Greek theater and the film industry mourned the loss of renowned actor Ilias Logothetis, who passed away at the age of 85 on Wednesday.

Logothetis was married to actress Maria Zacharis and had a son Alexandros Logothetis, who aims to continue his father’s legacy in the acting industry.

His passing was announced by Alexandros, who shared a message on social media, writing “Goodbye blue eyes.”

Logothetis was known for having a successful career, where he initially started with opera before finding his calling in acting.

In his early days, he studied at Panteion University and was a graduate of the Political Science Department. He was known for being heavily involved in the renowned Karolos Koun Art Theatre from which he graduated in 1967. Karolos Koun was a prominent Greek theater director, widely known for his lively staging of ancient Greek plays.

He then went on to make his silver screen debut in 1970 with the film Babylonia.

Throughout his career, Logothetis collaborated with big names in the industry, including Yannis Fertis-Xenia Kalogeropoulou, Kakia Analitis-Kosta Rigopoulos, Nikos Xanthopoulos, Thanasis Veggos, Angelos Antonopoulos-Miranta Kounelakis, Spyros Evaggelatos Amphitheatre, and many others.

Ilias Logothetis gained widespread acclaim

He gained widespread acclaim, particularly for his performance in Harold Pinter’s No Man’s Land, receiving praise for his portrayal of Spooner.

“Ilias Logothetis was a great actor who studied under Karolos Koun,” said the Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni. “He performed with passion, honesty and ethics important roles, giving them life in the theater, in Greek cinema, on television.”

She added that Pinter congratulated him on his performance as Spooner in his work and asked him what made his acting so special.

“And the modest Ilias who was loved by the Greek public, to whatever kind of theatrical speech he indulged in, he replied that his Mediterranean temperament made him put a little emotion into every role he played.

“This temperament, his attitude to life, his dedication, and his love for the Art, were what made him stand out,” Mendoni said.

“Serious, and highly educated, Ilias collaborated twice with Finos Film, in the famous Papaflessa (1971) and in the special film Thanasis in the Land of Slapping (1976), one of the company’s last films,” said Finos Film, a film production company that dominated the Greek industry from 1943 to 1977.

“We will miss the effortless kindness and tact that characterized this great actor and man of the spirit,” the company said. “Our deepest condolences to his family.”

Supreme Court Will Rule on Trump Immunity Claims

Donald Trump Immunity
Trump claims that, without immunity, “Presidents will always be concerned, and even paralyzed.” Credit: Gage Skidmore. CC BY-2.0/Flickr

The Supreme Court will decide if former President Donald Trump has immunity from prosecution on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election.

The 6-3 conservative majority court decided on Wednesday to hear Trump’s claims that he should be shielded from criminal liability.

A US Court of Appeals panel has already rejected his argument that he enjoys presidential immunity. Trump had claimed in the landmark legal case that he was immune from all criminal charges for acts he said fell within his duties as president.

However, the appeals court ruled unanimously against the 77-year-old, writing that: “We cannot accept former President Trump’s claim that a president has unbounded authority to commit crimes that would neutralize the most fundamental check on executive power – the recognition and implementation of election results.”

He appealed the case to the Supreme Court and asked to put that decision on hold.

On his Truth Social site, Trump welcomed Wednesday’s decision and contended that, without immunity, “Presidents will always be concerned, and even paralyzed, by the prospect of wrongful prosecution and retaliation after they leave office.”

“This could actually lead to the extortion and blackmail of a President,” he wrote.

Trial could be delayed

Trump was charged last year with witness tampering and conspiracy to defraud the US in federal court in Washington DC over his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.

Jack Smith, who was appointed as special counsel in the investigation, brought the charges against him and pushed for the trial to be held this year. The Supreme Court’s decision has the potential to seriously delay the trial, which was originally scheduled for March.

Arguments in the Supreme Court case are scheduled for the week of April 22nd, and any trial will have to wait until after a decision is made.

Although a decision could come swiftly, the justices might rule that the former President is immune from prosecution or issue a decision that further delays legal action.

Justice Department guidelines limit prosecutorial action in politically sensitive investigations from within sixty days of an election, meaning prosecutors face a deadline of early September.

Trump faces several charges

The Republican front-runner candidate for president is facing a host of other federal and state criminal charges.

The former President is facing a trial starting in late March on charges of falsifying business records over hush-money payment he made to a porn star.

The Supreme Court is also hearing arguments in a separate case weighing whether Trump can be disqualified from running for a second term under the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection ban.”

Trump has pleaded not guilty in all cases, frequently referring to them as political “witch hunts.”

Leap Year 2024: Greek Superstitions About Weddings

Leap year 2024
A Greek superstition says the wedding in 2024 may end in divorce. Credit: suendercafe,  CC BY-SA 2.0.

Many Greek couples will wait until 2025 to marry because this year is a leap year. If you believe in ancient superstitions, people should avoid getting married in 2024 because it is considered bad luck to tie the knot during a leap year.

In Greece, couples often choose not to marry during a leap year, because, according to ancient tradition, there is a good chance that the wedding will end in divorce.

As if that’s not bad enough, there’s also a superstition that divorced couples who are separated during a leap year will never find happiness again in their lives.

It has traditionally been believed by some that weddings and even engagements celebrated during a leap year will end badly, either as a result of divorce or even widowhood.

People born on February 29th who are also known as leaplings will finally get to celebrate their birthdays on their exact birthdate. For leap day babies, being born on February 29th may mean four times fewer birthdays. However, some also see it as the key to eternal youth.

Why do we have leap years?

The Earth takes about 365.24 days to revolve around the sun. Before Roman rule, Western peoples used a 355-day calendar with one extra month added every two years to compensate for this irregularity.

During the first century BC, Roman Emperor Julius Caesar ordered that the calendar system be simplified to synchronize the year with the seasons. Hence, the official length of the year was changed to 365 days, plus one extra day every four years.

Pope Gregory XIII later perfected this system in 1582, forming the Gregorian calendar which we still use today.

The origins of leap year superstitions

However, simply adding one more day to February was not considered a good thing at all by superstitious Romans. February was known as the month of the dead, and the Romans believed that Hades would roam the Earth that month.

One extra day of that dreaded month just meant another walk of the god of the underworld on Earth as well as more death and suffering.

After the conquest of Greece by the Romans, this superstition was passed on to Greeks, and leap years are still regarded as “bad luck years” in the culture. If one is married during a leap year, they are seen as connecting the marriage to some kind of misfortune.

The same superstition would apply to the beginning of a relationship, a new job agreement, or a contract signed during a leap year.

Other leap year traditions

An Irish tradition has it that St. Brigid, the patron saint of Kildare, struck a deal with St. Patrick to allow women to propose to men rather than the other way around once every four years on leap years.

One reason for this was reportedly that she believed many men were too shy to propose, and this would allow their lady loves to seal the deal without the young women having to wait forever to give their hand in marriage.

This is also believed to have been introduced to “balance” the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way that a leap day every four years balances the calendar.

However, on the other hand, it was also believed by certain Europeans that if a man refused the proposal of a woman during a leap year, he would then have to buy her twelve pairs of gloves.

In Scotland, there exists a belief that people who are born on a leap day will experience a life filled with hardships. Overall, some even consider leap years bad years for farmers.

Some reports of superstitions linked to the year posit that the number of deaths also suddenly rises, and many people die in that particular year.

The Rise and Fall of Pants in Ancient Rome: From Ban to Commonplace Couture

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Battle Between Romans and Gauls, wearing pants, 1460s.
The Roman empire banned pants because they were seen to be a symbol of barbarism with many conquered tribes having worn them. Credit: failing_angel. CC BY 2.0/flickr

Togas and tunics were the fashion in ancient Rome for both men and women, but the Roman Empire covered a large area of the map. Thus, conquered cultures had their own dress with many wearing pants. Romans hence began associating pants with non-Romans and eventually banned them before the legwear became commonplace.

The Roman Empire encompassed vast swathes of land and many different cultures, spanning around two million square miles at its peak. When Julius Caesar reigned over the extensive Roman Empire, he invaded Gaul and waged war on a number of tribes, including the Aedui, Atrebates, and Viromandui.

When Roman soldiers and administrators encountered tribal peoples, they generally considered them to be uncivilized and referred to them as barbarians. The attire of several of the tribes in Gaul included pants, which were usually made from animal skins. Other Germanic tribes also wore pants, marking a significant difference in dress to the Roman people.

Because the Romans conquered so many tribes who wore the leg-warming garments, pants gradually became associated with the conquered, and Romans came to view anyone who wore them as barbaric, including other Romans.

By 100 AD, the wearing of pants was still considered odd in the Roman world, but Romans did introduce the wearing of a particular type of pants called braccae. This style of legwear had a drawstring. It was made of wool, making the particular type of pants a warm garment. The legwear was useful for the Romans when fighting enemies in colder climates, such as Northern Europe.

Why were pants banned in the Roman Empire?

As it became more common for Roman soldiers to wear pants, it also became more commonplace for the general public to don them. Roman emperors were not in favor of this trend, and, at that time, Rome had two emperors, Honorius and Arcadius. They issued a decree stating that people were not permitted to wear boots or pants. The wearing of pants would result in punishment, including exile.

Enforcing the ban was another challenge altogether. While in Rome and major cities, officials could monitor and penalize those wearing trousers. In the vast stretches of the empire, consistent enforcement was nearly impossible.

The reason for the decree is still debated by historians, with some claiming it was an attempt to keep pants in the sole domain of the military. Others argue the ban aligned with efforts to maintain Roman culture and tradition at a time when Rome was becoming more multicultural. Long hair and luxurious jewelry were also banned around this time.

Despite the efforts of the emperors, attire worn by the Roman people was changing. When Rome fell to Germanic tribes, wearing pants was no longer controversial. The remaining Roman court in Constantinople even began to wear pants, and the legwear generally became commonplace along with long sleeves and fitted tunics.