The meaning of the word Symposium in Greek means gathering of people who drink together. This gathering was for friends and colleagues, who participate to the cost of the meal with money or food. The served drinks were accompanied by appetizers such maroons, broad beans, roasted wheat seeds or honey based sweets. The appetizers' purpose was to help the stomach absorb the alcohol and to prolong the drinking pleasure.
While on private meals people were eating seated on chairs, on Symposiums people used to drink and eat stretched out on lounges. This position was necessary due to the big duration of the event and the enormous consumption of alcohol. On ancient Greece, for respect to the Olympian Gods, who were the only to have the privilege to drink pure, undistorted wine, common mortals were only allowed to drink their wine mixed with water (Οίνος κεκαρμένος = distorted wine). On Symposiums, a guest was picked honourably, as "the King of Symposium" to order the servants for the right wine/water mixture ratio.Along with the participants, there were present entertainers such as musicians. The presence of women were not allowed on Symposiums, except the dancers and female companies.
These feasts were pictured on a lot pottery and are saved until today.
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