How the Greco-Persian Wars changed the way Athenians drank their wine | Curator's Corner S8 Ep4

The British Museum

4 May 202316:07

EducationalLearning

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TLDRJamie Fraser, curator at the British Museum, introduces the 'Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece' exhibition. He explores the concept of luxury and its relationship with power, comparing artifacts from ancient Persia and Greece. The exhibition highlights the cultural interplay between Achaemenid Persia and 5th-century Athens, examining luxury's role in society through objects like a Persian rhyton and a Greek animal-headed drinking cup. Fraser emphasizes the museum's role in connecting disparate cultures and historical perspectives, inviting visitors to gain new insights into ancient civilizations.

Takeaways

🏛️ Jamie Fraser is a curator at the British Museum, focusing on the ancient Levant and Anatolia.
🎨 He is currently working on an exhibition titled 'Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece', hosted at the British Museum.
🌐 The exhibition explores the concept of luxury and its relationship with power across cultures, communities, and time, particularly in the Middle East and Southeast Europe.
🏺 The exhibition features two main cultural groups: Achaemenid Persia and Athens in 5th and 4th centuries BC Greece.
📚 Much of the historical knowledge about this period comes from ancient Greek writers, which may introduce bias due to their adversarial relationship with Persia.
🍷 The role of luxury is central to the exhibition, with objects like a rhyton (a wine pourer) from Achaemenid Iran and a red figure cup from 5th century Athens used to illustrate the concept.
🐉 The Achaemenid rhyton is a symbol of supreme luxury, made of silver and gold, and featuring a griffin, a mythical creature.
🍷 The use of the rhyton in Persian feasts demonstrates the Persian king's authority and prestige, as it is a vessel far beyond necessity.
🏛️ In contrast, the Greek red figure cup represents a transformation of Eastern luxury into a form acceptable in Athenian society, reflecting democratic values and civic-mindedness.
🦅 The bird-headed cup is an example of how Greek potters adapted Eastern luxury items, making them part of communal feasts and affirming Greek identity.
🔄 The relationship between the two objects shows a connection between the cultures, despite historical conflicts, highlighting the influence and interplay between Persian and Greek societies.

Q & A

Who is Jamie Fraser and what is his role at the British Museum?
-Jamie Fraser is the curator for the ancient Levant and Anatolia at the British Museum. He is also working on an exhibition called 'Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece'.
What is the main theme of the 'Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece' exhibition?
-The main theme of the exhibition is to explore the concept of luxury and its relationship with expressions of power across different cultures, specifically focusing on Achaemenid Persia and 5th and 4th century BC Athens, Greece.
How does the exhibition address the historical bias in the sources about the Greek-Persian Wars?
-The exhibition goes beyond historical tropes by examining the role of luxury in these societies through the lens of objects, rather than relying solely on the potentially biased accounts of ancient Greek writers.
What is a rhyton and why is it considered a symbol of luxury?
-A rhyton is a wine pourer, an object of supreme luxury due to its materials, such as silver with gold sheet applied, and its intricate craftsmanship, including mythological creature designs like the griffin.
How was the rhyton used in Persian feasts and what does its use signify?
-The rhyton was used by the Persian king during feasts to pour wine while demonstrating his ability to command the finest resources and the best craftsmen, signifying his authority and prestige.
What is the significance of the red figure cup with a bird head from 5th century Athens?
-The red figure cup represents a transformation of Eastern luxury into a form acceptable in Athenian society, reflecting democratic values and communal identity within the city-state.
How does the bird-headed cup relate to the concept of the symposium in Athens?
-The bird-headed cup was used during the symposium, a drinking and feasting event, where it affirmed the equality of participants and the communal identity of Athenian citizens.
What philosophical and practical problem did the luxury items captured from the Persians present to Athenian society?
-The luxury items presented a problem because they were seen as dangerous and could betray sympathies to the Persians. Practically, they were dealt with by placing them in public repositories, such as temple repositories, for the collective wealth of the city.
How did the Greek potters in the Kerameikos adapt Eastern luxury forms to create something new and acceptable in Athenian society?
-Greek potters adapted Eastern luxury forms by creating animal-headed drinking cups that were used in symposiums, transforming them into objects that did not threaten the political order and reaffirmed democratic values.
What does the transformation of the bird-headed cup from a drinking vessel to a bird perched on a roost signify?
-The transformation signifies the dynamic and animated nature of the vessel, changing perspective and use, and reflecting the influence of Achaemenid luxury objects on Greek pottery.
Why are museums like the British Museum important in understanding the relationship between cultures as depicted in the exhibition?
-Museums like the British Museum are important because they provide a broader perspective by displaying objects from different cultures and times, allowing visitors to understand the interconnectedness and influence between seemingly disparate ancient worlds.

Outlines

00:00

🏺 Introduction to Jamie Fraser and the Exhibition

Jamie Fraser, curator for the ancient Levant and Anatolia at the British Museum, introduces himself and his current project, an exhibition titled 'Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece.' He expresses excitement about exploring how luxury intersects with power across cultures and time, focusing on Achaemenid Persia and 5th-4th century BC Athens. Fraser emphasizes the exhibition's goal of providing new perspectives on historical objects beyond Greek historical biases.

05:18

🦁 Luxury and Power in Persian Feasts

Fraser describes a luxurious Persian rhyton, a silver and gold wine pourer adorned with a griffin. He explains its use in royal feasts, where the Persian king would showcase his wealth and authority. Fraser highlights Coco Chanel's quote, 'Luxury begins where necessity ends,' to illustrate the Persian king's demonstration of power through luxurious objects. The rhyton's use in prestigious gatherings symbolizes the king's supreme authority and the intricate relationship between luxury and power in Persian society.

10:22

🏛️ Greek Response to Persian Luxury

Fraser discusses the Greek perspective on Persian luxury, particularly during the Greek-Persian Wars. He explains how the Greeks, who valued democracy and civic-mindedness, viewed Eastern luxury with suspicion. Despite this, captured Persian luxuries influenced Athenian society. Greek potters adapted Persian luxury items into democratic symbols, like animal-headed drinking cups used in symposiums. These objects, while inspired by Persian luxury, affirmed Greek values of equality and innovation, blending cultural influences in a unique way.

15:30

🔄 Interconnected Cultures Through Objects

Fraser concludes by emphasizing the interconnectedness of cultures through their objects. He illustrates how examining items from different perspectives reveals the cultural exchange between Achaemenid Persia and Athens. Museums like the British Museum play a crucial role in showcasing these connections, offering broader historical insights. The 'Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece' exhibition aims to highlight these intertwined histories, encouraging visitors to appreciate the cultural dialogues reflected in ancient artifacts.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Luxury

Luxury, in the context of the video, refers to items of exceptional quality and high value, often associated with wealth and status. It is central to the theme of the video, as it explores how luxury items are intertwined with expressions of power across different cultures and time periods. The script discusses luxury in relation to both Achaemenid Persia and 5th century Athens, highlighting how luxury objects like the rhyton and the red figure cup symbolize and confer prestige.

💡Power

Power, as discussed in the video, is the ability to influence or control people and events, and it is closely linked with the concept of luxury. The video examines how luxury items can be expressions of power, as seen in the Persian king's use of a rhyton to demonstrate his authority and command over resources. Power is also explored in the context of Athenian democracy, where luxury is repurposed to serve collective civic values rather than individual dominance.

💡Achaemenid Persia

Achaemenid Persia refers to the ancient Persian Empire ruled by the Achaemenid dynasty. The script uses this term to describe one of the two cultural groups central to the exhibition 'Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece.' It highlights the luxurious artifacts from this period, such as the rhyton, to illustrate the opulence and authority of the Persian kings.

💡Greece

Greece, particularly Athens in the 5th and 4th centuries BC, is the other cultural group featured in the exhibition. The script contrasts the democratic ideals of Athens with the monarchical power of Persia, showing how Greek society engaged with and transformed luxury items to fit their cultural and political values.

💡Greek-Persian Wars

The Greek-Persian Wars were a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire and the city-states of ancient Greece, which lasted for about 50 years in the first half of the 5th century BC. The video mentions these wars to provide historical context for the interaction between Greek and Persian cultures and the biases inherent in historical sources due to the adversarial relationship.

💡Rhyton

A rhyton is a type of ancient vessel used for pouring liquids, particularly wine. The script describes a specific rhyton from Achaemenid Iran as an object of supreme luxury, made of silver with gold sheeting and a griffin-shaped attachment. It exemplifies the luxury and power of the Persian court, as it was used in lavish feasts and symbolized the king's ability to command resources and craftsmanship.

💡Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel, a renowned French fashion designer, is quoted in the script with the phrase 'luxury begins where necessity ends,' which encapsulates the idea that luxury transcends basic needs and serves as a marker of excess, status, and power. This quote is used to emphasize the extravagant nature of the rhyton and other luxury items discussed in the video.

💡Symposium

A symposium in ancient Greece was a convivial gathering where men would engage in drinking, discussion, and entertainment. The script contrasts the Persian use of the rhyton with the Greek symposium, where luxury items were adapted to affirm democratic values of equality and civic-mindedness, rather than individual power.

💡Red Figure Cup

The red figure cup, dating between 500-470 BC, is an Athenian pottery object that features an animal head, likely a bird of prey. The script describes how this cup represents a transformation of Eastern luxury items into a form that is acceptable within Athenian society. It serves as an example of how Greek potters innovated upon Eastern influences to create something new and meaningful within their cultural context.

💡Kerameikos

Kerameikos was the pottery district of ancient Athens, mentioned in the script as the location where experimental potters created the red figure cups. This term is significant as it ties the production of these luxury items to a specific place known for its ceramic craftsmanship and innovation.

💡British Museum

The British Museum is the institution hosting the exhibition 'Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece,' as mentioned in the script. It serves as a platform to explore the interconnectedness of cultures through the lens of luxury and power, and to challenge traditional historical narratives by examining the objects left behind by ancient civilizations.

Highlights

Jamie Fraser is a curator for the ancient Levant and Anatolia at the British Museum.

He is currently working on an exhibition called 'Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece'.

The exhibition explores the concept of luxury and its relationship with power across cultures and time.

It focuses on two cultural groups: Achaemenid Persia and Athens in the 5th and 4th centuries BC.

The Greek-Persian Wars provide historical context, with biases from ancient Greek writers.

Luxury is analyzed beyond historical tropes by examining objects within societies.

The role of luxury is central to the exhibition, overlapping with power and political concepts.

A rhyton, a wine pourer from Achaemenid period Iran, is highlighted for its luxury.

The rhyton is made of silver with gold sheet and a griffin-shaped attachment, symbolizing luxury.

The use of the rhyton in Persian feasts demonstrates the king's authority and prestige.

Coco Chanel's quote about luxury is used to illustrate the concept of luxury beyond necessity.

A second object from 5th century Athens contrasts with the Persian rhyton.

Greece's democratic system and its suspicion of Eastern luxury are discussed.

The Greek-Persian Wars influenced the perception of luxury in Athens.

Booty from the wars, including luxurious items, was incorporated into Athenian society.

Athenian potters created animal-headed drinking cups as a response to Eastern luxury.

These cups were made for communal drinking at symposia, affirming Greek identity and equality.

The cups transform in use and perspective, reflecting the dynamic nature of luxury.

The exhibition shows how objects from different cultures can be interconnected.

The British Museum's role in providing a broader perspective on historical objects is emphasized.

Transcripts

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How the Greco-Persian Wars changed the way Athenians drank their wine | Curator's Corner S8 Ep4

Takeaways

Q & A

Who is Jamie Fraser and what is his role at the British Museum?

What is the main theme of the 'Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece' exhibition?

How does the exhibition address the historical bias in the sources about the Greek-Persian Wars?

What is a rhyton and why is it considered a symbol of luxury?

How was the rhyton used in Persian feasts and what does its use signify?

What is the significance of the red figure cup with a bird head from 5th century Athens?

How does the bird-headed cup relate to the concept of the symposium in Athens?

What philosophical and practical problem did the luxury items captured from the Persians present to Athenian society?

How did the Greek potters in the Kerameikos adapt Eastern luxury forms to create something new and acceptable in Athenian society?

What does the transformation of the bird-headed cup from a drinking vessel to a bird perched on a roost signify?

Why are museums like the British Museum important in understanding the relationship between cultures as depicted in the exhibition?