5 facts you need to know about music in Ancient Greece

·

From establishing the first music school in Crete to religious celebrations, these are 5 facts you need to know about music in Ancient Greece.

1. Music as a gift of the gods:

In Ancient Greece, music was seen as a gift of the gods and they considered that music could have a valuable effect on both body and mind of the listener.

The invention of musical instruments was attributed to specific deities including the lyre to Hermes, the flute to Athena and the panpipes to Pan.

2. Music and Education:

According to historical evidence, Greeks started studying the theory of music from the 6th century BC. The earliest surviving text on music is the Harmonic Elements of Aristoxenos, which was written in the 4th century BC.

Music was strongly tied to education in Ancient Greece.

Music developed into an important element in the studies of philosophy by the followers of Pythagoras, the Greek philosopher and mathematician, who supposed that music was a mathematical expression.

3. The first school of musical education:

According to Plato, the first school of musical education was founded from the people of Crete followed by the music schools of Athens, where students were taught to sing and play the lyre. In Ancient Greece, they believed that music taught order and discipline while allowing the educated to appreciate better the musical performance.

4. Music and Religion:

Music and religion in Ancient Greece.

Music was associated with religious occasions in Greek cities including the Panathenaia and the Dionysia festivals in Athens.

Music contests in athletic competitions had a religious nature in honour of the gods and the earliest such competitions were held in Argos, Paros and Sparta.

5. Musicians and Social Class:

The musicians of Greece, also known as the makers of songs or melopoioi, were often regarded as composers and lyricists of the music they performed.

In Ancient Greece, musicians had an elevated society status, indicated from robes and their presence on the lists of the royal household.

Source: mysteriousgreece.com.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Greek film festival turns 30 with a Stellar Line-Up of Award-Winning films

The Greek Film Festival is celebrating a major anniversary this year - 30 years of bringing Greek stories to Australian screens.

Summer School for Greek Language teachers in Australia

For the first time in Australia, a specialized online summer school will be held for teachers of the Greek language in the diaspora.

Children’s week at the Greek Community of Melbourne

As part of Children’s Week the Greek Community of Melbourne Schools are taking part in the celebrations organised by the Victorian Government

Get Online Week at the Greek Community of Melbourne

As part of Get Online Week 2025, the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria will proudly join Good Things Foundation’s national campaign.

St Benedict School in Mt Torrens rejects screens, embraces ancient Greek philosophy

Established in early 2024 by members of the Catholic Church of the Holy Name, St Benedict has grown to around 50 students.

You May Also Like

Hotels in Greece ordered shut as all passenger flights expected to be grounded

Greece’s Tourism Ministry on Thursday announced the closure of the Greece's year-round hotels through end-April, which will be effective as of March 23.

Papaflessas Social Club’s internal revolution celebrated at annual March 25 dance

Papaflessas Social Club's internal revolution celebrated at annual March 25 dance in Victoria on Saturday night.

Greek Community of Tasmania hosts 2023 Welfare Christmas Lunch

The Greek Community of Tasmania hosted a Welfare Christmas Lunch in North Hobart on Saturday, December 16.