Ancient Greek Athletic Gymnasion & Education

Athletes trained in gymnasion & palaistra (usually collectively referred to as gymnasion) Vitruvius (Roman architect) defined the ideal palaistra as: 1) large central courtyard (open to the sky; surrounded by roofed colonnades) [known as PERISTYLE (surrounded by columns) -> area was used for boxers, wrestlers, pankration Single colonnades found on three sides; double colonnade on…

Plotinus: the One, the Intellect, and the Soul

Plotinus was born in Upper Egypt, more specifically in Lycopolis in 204 CE. When he was twenty-eight he moved to Alexandria to study philosophy. While in Alexandria, he was tremendously influenced by Plato and Aristotle and therefore studied their works immensely. Subsequent to working under Ammonius for approximately ten years, he joined the Emperor Gordian’s…

The Greek Orthodox Church: History & Overview

The Greek Orthodox Church is one of the three major branches of Christianity, which “stands in today’s society as one of the communities created by the apostles of Jesus in the region of the eastern Mediterranean, and which spread by missionary activity throughout Eastern Europe” (Meyendorff 5).The word orthodox comes from Greek, meaning right-believing. Currently…

College Fraternities: History & Overview

A fraternity, as defined by the The American Heritage Dictionary is “a chiefly social organization of male college students, usually designated by Greek letters.”(pg. 523) This definition, however, is very limited and leaves plenty of space for short sighted people to believe the stereotype conveyed by the popular media, where fraternity members are depicted as…