Century Greece Research Articles

Redefining family structures: Births out of wedlock in 21st century Greece

AbstractThis study explores Greece's unique position as the country with the lowest nonmarital childbearing rate in Europe. The socio‐demographic profile of mothers is being analysed in three categories of marital status: married, unmarried, and in civil partnership. Unpublished data, custom‐made exclusively for this study from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), have been used, spanning from 2019 to 2021. Key focus areas include maternal age at childbirth, educational attainment, and nationality (Greek, EU27 except for Greek, and non‐EU). Geographical analysis is conducted at the Regional Unit level (Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics [NUTS] 3 classification). Findings reveal that Greek teenage and early twenties mothers, as well as those with low educational level, are more likely to be unwed, implying that maternity might have come because of an unplanned pregnancy. On the other hand, those in civil partnerships resemble married mothers in age and educational attainment. Non‐Greek nationals show a higher prevalence of nonmarital births, and a sociodemographic profile that implies that unwed maternity constitutes a conscious choice for them. This study not only illuminates the characteristics of unwed mothers in Greece but also provides empirical insights for evaluating prevailing theoretical frameworks regarding family dynamics in countries facing low fertility rates.

The medical use of Málaka wine and cola nuts in late 19th/early 20th century Greece

The lands of Malaka in Spain have been renowned for their wine since the 8th century BC. Malaka wine gained popularity among merchants and consumers since the 17th century, becoming one of Europe’s favourites. The seeds (nuts) of the African Cola acuminata trees had been used in daily life as an invigorating and stimulating chewing or eating delicacy. In the late 19th century, Stamatios Krinos, who had opened one of the first (or the first) pharmacies in Athens in 1836, and his son Athanasios, produced an Elixir named Krinos Cola Wine to treat neurasthenia, chlorosis, anaemia, indigestion, gastralgia, chronic diarrhoea, cardiopathies, weakness and infertility. The properties of both the wine and the nuts, along with the chemical compounds of cola, were already known by the mid-19th century and the Krinos family took advantage of this knowledge to introduce a novel herbal drug (cola seeds) to the Hellenic pharmacopeia. The properties attributed to the Krinos elixir are de novo and in depth validated today by a series of modern medical studies. The fact that cola was not included as a therapeutic agent in the Hellenic textbooks of pharmacology of that era suggests that Krinos made an innovative addition to the timelessly popular Hellenic herbal medicine and pharmacopeia.

Geography, landownership inequality, and literacy: historical evidence from Greek regions

AbstractOur work sheds light on the joint role of human capital and geography during the early stages of the transition from stagnation to growth in early twentieth century Greece. We uncover a robust association between geography and literacy. We also show that geography is correlated with land inequality and thus establish that land distribution is a channel through which geography influences literacy. Finally, the impact of geography on human capital formation weakens with industrialization. Our work contributes to the literature on geography and human capital in the transition from stagnation to growth since Greece was at the early stages of the industrial era during the study period.

Stanislavsky and the Russian acting and directing tradition in twenty-first century Greece: the work of Stathis Livathinos

ABSTRACT In this article, the author explores the direct links of the Russian acting and directing tradition to the Greek field as they were introduced through the Experimental Stage of the National Theatre of Greece (2001–07) and the Acting and Directing Workshop of the National Theatre (2001–2004). Both endeavours were under the auspices of the National Theatre, and were inspired, structured, and managed by Stathis Livathinos, who had studied at GITIS and aspired to create an ensemble that worked and experimented together. In this framework, Livathinos gathered a group of approximately 24 actors and 14 actors who aspired to become directors and introduced to them anew Stanislavsky’s ideas and teaching as well as to the recent developments of the Russian directing and acting tradition. The Experimental Stage, during those 3 years, produced more than 10 productions, including a production of Medea in the theatre of Epidaurus. From the Workshop, which was, essentially, an MA educational programme, graduated around 15 actors and six directors – three of whom were women. This Workshop was the preamble of the National Theatre School of Directing established in 2018 by Livathinos, when he was General and Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Greece.

Family Relations and Forensic Medicine in 19th Century Greece

L’article examine les relations dynamiques entre la médecine légale, la famille, l’Etat et l’Eglise développées en Grèce au xix e siècle. En se concentrant sur le discours médicolégal développé dans quatre manuels médicolégaux publiés entre 1846 et 1889, et en analysant les approches sur des sujets tels que l’établissement de la paternité et de la grossesse, ou l’âge approprié pour se marier, l’article soutient que la médecine légale est intervenue dans les affaires familiales alors même qu’elle se constituait comme un domaine juridique et médical distinct. Par cette action conjointe de constitution et d’intervention dans les affaires familiales, la médecine légale a interagi avec le pouvoir de l’Etat, qui s’exprimait à travers le système de justice civile, ainsi qu’avec l’église et la médecine empirique (c’est-à-dire la médecine traditionnelle non universitaire), qui exerçaient un contrôle sur la famille à l’époque ottomane. À cet égard, les relations familiales en Grèce ont connu des changements significatifs lors de la transition de l’Empire ottoman à l’Etat grec, lorsque la frontière entre le privé et le public a été (re)négociée sous l’influence de l’émergence d’un domaine médical lié aux dynamiques politiques qui intervenaient dans la famille et qui la façonnaient.

The Cosmopolitanism of the Early Sophists: The Case of Hippias and Antiphon

An investigation of the emergence of the notion of ‘Cosmopolitanism’ in 5th century Greece. The author focusses on the early sophists, and specifically on Antiphon and Hippias.

When Harvati became Mycenae (1916). Toponyms and nation building in early-20th century Greece

This article examines Greek perceptions and politics related to place names in the early 20th century. Although the tendency to rename places was already strong during the War of Independence in the 1820s, it finally became a systematic process in June 1909, when the “Toponyms of Greece Committee” was established and staffed by distinguished academics. The case of Harvati-Mycenae, though not unique in modern Greek history, presents an indicative example of the interaction between administrative expediency and national aspirations in the reshaping of the map of Greece. The history of this small village in Argolida [Argolída], which in 1916 was renamed from Harvati to Mycenae, is part of the long-lasting practice of changing names and adapting geography to the political and ideological necessities of the state. We argue that this process was an integral part of a ruling ideology that stressed continuity and kinship of the modern Greeks with an alleged glorious national past.

The sabre in 19th century Greece

This article gives a brief overview on Greek sabre sources with a special focus on Philipp Müller’s and Nikolaos Pyrgos’ treatises. The article does not aim to give a complete list of treatises neither to analyze the any of the mentioned books in details – rather it aims to give an insight in those two books which might have had the most important impact on the development of the Greek sabre fencing in the 18th and 19th Centuries.

Ancient Monuments and Modern Identities: A Critical History of Archaeology in 19th and 20th Century Greece

Ancient Monuments and Modern Identities: A Critical History of Archaeology in 19th and 20th Century Greece

FR01-11 KIDNEYS IN THE KITCHEN, TESTES AT THE TABLE: ANCIENT AND MODERN GENITOURINARY DELICACIES

You have accessJournal of UrologyHistory of Urology Forum I (FR01)1 Apr 2020FR01-11 KIDNEYS IN THE KITCHEN, TESTES AT THE TABLE: ANCIENT AND MODERN GENITOURINARY DELICACIES Alexandra L. Tabakin*, Arnav Srivastava, and Ephrem O. Olweny Alexandra L. Tabakin*Alexandra L. Tabakin* More articles by this author , Arnav SrivastavaArnav Srivastava More articles by this author , and Ephrem O. OlwenyEphrem O. Olweny More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000000850.011AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: People have eaten genitourinary offal, or non-muscle meat, since biblical times. We present a brief history of the use of kidneys and testes as food in both ancient and contemporary culture. METHODS: Literature review of primary and secondary sources regarding consumption of kidneys and testes was performed. RESULTS: Usage of kidneys as food was first described in Deuteronomy 32:14 when the Lord fed Jacob “fat of kidneys of wheat”. Centuries later, ancient Greek physician Galen (130-200 AD) described kidneys as fattening and indigestible. He commented that most testes are “difficult to digest;” however, those of a young pig or rooster are “very pleasant and give the body excellent nourishment”. Succeeding Greek physician Oribasius, as well as Byzantine physicians Aetius of Amida and Paulus Aeginita, documented similar opinions in their manuscripts. In 8th century Greece, Olympic athletes ate raw testes to gain muscle and strength in preparation for competitions. In ancient India, Vātsyāyana, in his text Kama Sutra, recommended eating goat or ram testicle mixed with milk and sugar to boost libido. The idea that eating testes may improve strength, libido, and potency still persists in some regions. In China, testes served with penises, are purported to improve impotence if eaten regularly. In American agriculture, harvesting the testes of young lambs, calves, and turkeys has become a yearly spring tradition in many rural areas, as it is custom to not let any part of the animal go to waste. Annual “testicle festivals” are held throughout the United States where attendees eat various animal testes including renowned “Rocky Mountain Oysters”, deep fried and breaded bull testes. Kidneys, regarded for high B12 and iron content, were first incorporated into the American diet in the early 1940s after a meat shortage resulted from shipping meats overseas to troops fighting World War II. Americans incorporated offal into their diets, the consumption of which rose by 50% by 1955. Kidney meat consumption in the US has since declined but is still used commonly in Asia and Europe in stews and “steak and kidney pie”. Moreover, some integrative medicine practitioners recommend glandular orchic tablets and grass-fed beef kidney tablets, pill preparations of animal testes and kidneys, respectively, for low libido and improving kidney health. CONCLUSIONS: Many cultures revere kidney and testis meat as a delicacy. The perceived health benefits of these organ meats continue to influence people today. Source of Funding: None © 2020 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 203Issue Supplement 4April 2020Page: e287-e288 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2020 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Alexandra L. Tabakin* More articles by this author Arnav Srivastava More articles by this author Ephrem O. Olweny More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

프랜시스 C. 펜로즈와 19세기 그리스에서의 고전 고고학의 전개

본 논문은 프랜시스 C. 펜로즈의 『아테네 건축 원리에 대한 조사』(1851)와 아테네 영국 연구소의 설립 및 초기 역사를 중심으로 19세기 후반 고전 고고학의 전환을 고찰한다. 펜로즈의 『원리』는 정확한 측정과 객관성으로 인해서 19세기 중엽까지 지속되어 온 딜레탄티즘의 전통에서 벗어나는 계기가 되었던 반면에 미학적 가치와 수학적 논리성을 중요시하는 신고전주의 건축 세계관에 여전히 머물러 있었다. 이러한 경향은 19세기 후반에 급속히 약화되는데, 당시 그리스 영토에서 발견된 새로운 고고학적 증거들 덕분에 고전 고고학과 미술사학은 과거 문헌학에 의존해 왔던 고전학 연구의 전통으로부터 독립적인 토대를 마련하게 되었으며 유물 자료에 대한 전문적이고 기술적인 접근이 요구되었기 때문이다. 1880년대에 펜로즈와 독일 고고학자 빌헬름 되르펠트 사이에서 벌어졌던 아크로폴리스 관련 논쟁들은 고대 그리스의 ‘실제’ 자료들에 대한 직접적 접근 권한이 고고학 연구에서 얼마나 필수적인 것인지를 증명한다. 1886년 아테네 영국 연구소의 개설과 더불어, 딜레탄트 협회로부터 영국 연구소로의 무게 중심 이동은 이러한 추이에 대한 증거이다. 특히 펜로즈가 초대 소장으로 재직할 당시의 영국 연구소 초기 역사는 서구 학계에서 고전 고고학이 고대 애호 취향으로부터 현장 발굴 중심의 과학적 학문 활동으로 전환되는 과정을 집약적으로 보여준다.

The Architecture of the Emergency Framework of Greece: Inactivity and Second Generation Emergencies

In 20th century Greece, officially Hellenic Republic, which is an independent state from 1830, wars, social unrest, and armed coups informed the drafters of the 1975 Greek Constitution on the issue of emergency. The Constitution of 1975, which established the so-called third Republic, replaced the Constitution of 1952, which was overthrown in 1967 by a military coup that lasted seven years until 1974. The current constitutional document was amended three times in 1986, in 2001 and finally in 2008. The first part of this article will show that de lege lata, the emergency toolbox of Greece, provides policymakers with a plethora of options to address emergency situations. But given the fact that policymakers in Greece have such powerful tools at their disposal to address potential threats to national security before these escalate and cause breakdowns, one may wonder why the constitutional system has been unable to respond promptly and efficiently during recent emergencies — like the economic crisis in 2009 and the emerging refugee crisis that began in 2015. This article will argue that the reason why the Greek constitutional system repeatedly fails to address emergencies in practice is threefold. First and foremost, the emergency framework of Greece is well equipped with numerous provisions, but it still lacks specific provisions on economic emergencies. Suffice to mention here that many newly adopted constitutions contain provisions and regulate economic emergencies explicitly. Second, the imperfect formulation of the separation of powers makes emergencies initiative monopolized by the cabinet, thus, allowing the Prime Minister, head of the cabinet and leader of the majority party in Parliament, to remain inactive during emergencies. Third, despite the fact that the constitutional drafters have foreseen the need to regulate second generation emergencies when there is an official declaration of the state of emergency (de jure), the absence of a specific derivative emergency framework during de facto emergencies creates deadens and inefficiencies. In particular, the occurrence of the refugee crisis amidst the economic crisis is a prime example of an emergency within an emergency. In principle, it is apparent that governments rely on the emergency provisions to face second-generation emergencies as well. But given that emergency provisions are drafted on the assumption that an emergency will occur under normal circumstances, one must wonder if the existing emergency provisions will be good enough to address second-generation emergencies.

Socially Responsible Investment in 19th Century Greece: A Case Study of a Swiss Banker

Altruistically motivated investment has become the subject of economic, psychological and sociological research in recent years. The long tradition of ethical considerations concerning investment behavior has often been mentioned by historians but rarely investigated. This paper presents a case study of the 19th century philhellene banker Jean-Gabriel Eynard, who was philanthropically active in Greece, but also invested part of his capital on the emerging Greek market. Drawing on the methodological approach of the “sociology of morality”, this article examines how Eynard invested in Greece, which norms and values concerning investment behavior he articulated and how far they were comparable with the norms and values of today’s Socially Responsible Investment. What emerges is that the practices and the norms of Socially Responsible and Ethical Investment then and now are remarkably similar, while the “moral background” (G. Abend) has changed considerably in some, but not all points.

On ‘Strategic Frontiers’: Debating the Borders of the Post-Second World War Balkans

This article examines debates between Bulgaria, Greece and Yugoslavia concerning the post-Second World War Balkan borders in preparation for the Paris Peace Conference of 1946. While for most of the twentieth century Greece and Yugoslavia were close allies united in their position against revisionist Bulgaria, after 1944 the communist affiliations of the new Bulgarian and Yugoslav governments determined the rapprochement between the latter two states. As various proposals for border revisions and the possibility of a Balkan Federation were discussed, the Balkans became a prime battlefield in the emerging Cold War split between the Soviet Union, Britain and the United States. By examining a period of extreme political fluidity between 1944 and 1947, this article explores how the legacy of long-standing national tensions combined with the new political realities after the Second World War created the current borders of Bulgaria, Greece and the (former Yugoslav) Republic of Macedonia.

Enlightenment and School History in 19th Century Greece: the Case of Gerostathis by Leon Melas (1862-1901)

Students in present-day Greek schools are taught History as a biography of the Greek nation from the Mycenaean times to the present. Over the course of three millennia, the Greek nation has experienced three periods of cultural flourishing and political autonomy: (i) the period of Antiquity (from the times of legendary King Agamemnon to those of Alexander the Great), (ii) the Byzantine period (from Justinian’s ascension in the 6th century to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453), and (iii) the modern era (from the War of Independence in 1821 to the present day). However, in this article we argue that in the 19th century the history taught in Greek schools differed substantially from the tripartite schema described above. In support of our thesis, we examine the most popular school textbook of the 19th century, O Gerostathis, by Leon Melas. In the Gerostathis, the history of the Greek nation is identified with that of Classical Greece (i.e. from the 6th century BC to the 4th century BC), which is held up as an exemplary era worthy of emulation. In contrast, the rise of Macedon under Philip II signals the cultural decline of the Greeks and the loss of their political autonomy, which was not regained for two millennia, until the 1821 national revolution. In that period, the Greek nation ceased not to exist, but survived as a subjugate of the Macedonians, the Romans, and finally the Ottomans. The Byzantine, on the other hand, is described as an unremarkable period of decadence that is only worth mentioning in relation to its final period, that of the Palaeologus dynasty, which bestowed upon the Greeks a legacy of resistance against the Ottomans. We argue that the above reading of the Greek past owed much to the Enlightenment, which as an intellectual movement still exerted a powerful influence (albeit to a gradually diminishing degree) on Greek intellectuals up to the latter third of the 19th century.

Going East or West? Finnish Travelers in Nineteenth Century Greece

Abstract In this article I will discuss two different attitudes of traveling in mid-nineteenth century Greece, at a crucial time for the “western” or “eastern” orientation of the Greek state. To capture this I will demonstrate aspects of the travel writing of two Finnish travelers in nineteenth century Greece. The first recognized in modern Greece the light of classical antiquity and the importance of its conveying to the west, the second focused on contemporary Greece and its connection with the east. The two travelers, with a common starting point and at about the same time, traveled in a very different way in nineteenth century Greece and with their different skills “opened” different ideological horizons in a place that they both “loved” and “hated” for different reasons. How does the binary “east/west?” relate to the travelers’ expectations and predispositions at a time of the development of modern Greek identities and consciousness?

The once and future language: Communication, terminology and the practice of science in nineteenth and early twentieth century Greece

Science appeared in modern Greece in the first decades after its establishment as a sovereign state in 1828. The University of Athens, the Royal Observatory, the Botanical Garden, and the Natural History Museum were quickly established as spaces of scientific activity. Greek scientists were enthusiastic participants in the emerging Greek public sphere, often not only as science experts, but also as poets, intellectuals and political personae. In a space whose cultural, intellectual and historical boundaries were still being negotiated, the choice of language was not a given but a pressing, sensitive national desideratum. This article examines how Greek scientists used languages to communicate with their peers and with their publics, how they handled terminology and nomenclature, and how the issues surrounding the Greek language in particular affected their practice as scientists. The article aims to show that, in nineteenth-century Greece, languages were not passive, neutral vehicles of communication, but rather integral (though tacit) components of the practice of science.

Reinventing Paradise: the Greek Crisis and contemporary British travel narratives

In the second half of the twentieth century Greece became a subject for travel writers in search of a European ‘Paradise’. But ‘Hell was also to be found in Greece, often in the form of frustrations over allegedly ‘non-European’ standards of living, facilities, and attitudes. A sample of travel narratives published between 2006 and 2014 suggests the extent to which, in the light of the ‘Greek Crisis’, twenty-first-century writers are abandoning these formerly conventional themes. There is now the potential for the realignment of narratives, with Greece becoming the Hell, rather than the Heaven, of Europe.

Reinventing Paradise: the Greek Crisis and contemporary British travel narratives

In the second half of the twentieth century Greece became a subject for travel writers in search of a European ‘Paradise’. But ‘Hell was also to be found in Greece, often in the form of frustrations over allegedly ‘non-European’ standards of living, facilities, and attitudes. A sample of travel narratives published between 2006 and 2014 suggests the extent to which, in the light of the ‘Greek Crisis’, twenty-first-century writers are abandoning these formerly conventional themes. There is now the potential for the realignment of narratives, with Greece becoming the Hell, rather than the Heaven, of Europe.

Forgotten Masterpieces of Art: Reflections of External and Internal Policy in Fifth Century Greece

In his Naturalis Historia (34.68) Pliny the Elder refers to the famous Greek artist Telephanes (dated to the first quarter of the 5th century BC), who came from Phocaea, and has worked not only in Greece (Larisa/Thessaly) but also in Persia, for the Great Kings Darius and Xerxes. He also informs us that none of his glorious works of art has been conserved because they were ʻconcealedʼ (latuerint) in Thessaly. Some modern researchers have assumed that the meaning of this contradictory passage is as follows: because of the disgraceful fact that one of their countrymen has been engaged by the ʻenemyʼ, they decided to hide his works from the eyes of other Greeks and strangers as well. But is such an interpretation possible at all? Is it imaginable that any Greek artist – sculptor, painter or architect – would have been judged as immoral by his own people or even punished as a traitor, just because he offered his services to a hostile patron? The analysis of the ancient text corpus shows that the Greeks distinguished between the sphere of state affairs and arts policy, at least when it was about inner-Greek relations. It seems that artists could work wherever their talent was needed and for whom they wanted to, without limitation. But was the Greekʼs attitude liberal as well when it concerned art-transfer with the enemy par excellence, namely the Barbarians? Modern scholars have interpreted Plinyʼs text passage about the sculptor Telephanes as example for the hostile attitude of the Greeks towards those countrymen who created works for the Persian Kingdom. But, by analyzing Plinyʼs narration on the basis of the historical background of the involved parties (Phocaea, Larisa/Thessaly and the Persian court) it becomes clear that this is not the case at all. The text which appears to be illogical at first glance does make sense when one regards the following connections: the Ionians of Phocaea had tight relations to the Persian kings, shown by their money which was coined in accordance with the Persian standard. Therefor the idea of a Phocaean artist who was commissioned by his cityʼs business partner is not erroneous at all. In addition to it, the relation between the Persian Kingdom and the Thessalian polis of Larisa which existed even before the outbreak of the Persian wars (ca. 500 BC) explains why a Phocaean sculptor should have worked for the