079 - Old Age, Death, and Burial

In this episode, we discuss what life was like for the elderly in ancient Greece, the liminal stage between life and death, the rituals and importance of the funeral and burial, the archaeology of the Kerameikos in Athens and its significance in our understanding of Greek funerary practices, the importance of the demosion sema and epitaphios logos in Athenian democracy, and the evolution of Greek funerary monuments from the archaic into the Hellenistic period

Supplementary Resources (Videos, Photos, Other Podcasts)

Photo/Kerameikos of Athens

Photo/Inner Kerameikos (View from Northwest)

Photo/Eridanos River Flowing through the Kerameikos

Photo/Remains of the Dipylon Gate

Photo/Layout of the Gate Complex of the Kerameikos (c. 300 BC)

Photo/Part of Themistocles' Wall in Kerameikos

Photo/Fragment of a Grave Relief of a Boxer found in Themistocles' Wall

Photo/Reconstruction of Grave Relief of a Boxer

Video/Death and Burial in Greece (Greek Myth Comix)

Photo/Pinax with a Prothesis Scene

Photo/Geometric Krater Depicting an Ekphora Scene

Photo/Orphic Gold Tablet

Photo/Lekythos of Woman Decking a Gravestone with Garlands

Video/War Dead in Archaic Athens (Classical Wisdom)

Photo/Ancient Road from Kerameikos to Plato's Academy

Photo/Funerary Monuments Situated in Kerameikos

Photo/Replica (in situ) of Funerary Monument in Kerameikos

Photo/Original (in Kerameikos Museum) of Funerary Monument

Photo/Funerary Stelai in Kerameikos

Photo/Grave Relief of Dexileos (in Kerameikos Museum)

Photo/Grave Stele for Pathane and Polykrates (in Keremeikos Museum)

Recommended Podcast Episodes:

***Greek Myth Files - Mythical Plagues

***Greek Myth Files - Death, Dying and Healing in Greek Myth and Religion

***Greek Myth Files - The World Is Out To Get You, Human

***Peopling the Past - Golden Years and Silver Hair: The Greek Art of Aging