Inspired by impending summer picnics, Christmas lunch comas and the imitable Carrie Bradshaw, we couldn't help but wonder: why did the ancient Greeks and Romans eat while lying down? Have you ever noticed how many ancient Greek and Roman artworks depict people lying down while eating? Countless pots, vases, frescoes, wine cups and sculptures were decorated with lavish scenes of ancient Greek symposia, Roman convivia and other leisurely banquets. But why exactly did they choose to recline during these feasts, and how did they avoid heartburn before the modern marvel of QuickEze? Lying Down = S ..read more

The use of artificial intelligence is seeing a meteoric rise, with increasingly diverse applications. In this age of Google Translate and ChatGPT, we're accustomed to transforming complex information at the push of a button. So why is this Akkadian translator so revolutionary for our understanding of the ancient world? Translation is a tricky skill. Not only must a translator be a technical master of two or more languages, but they must also understand the way people who use those languages think and frame their sentences. In 1929, influential American linguist Edward Sapir wrote,"the worlds ..read more

The Hellenic Museum speaks with the couple behind the Greek brand giving Melbourne specialty coffee a run for its money. It is a truth universally acknowledged that Melbourne's coffee standards are among the highest in the world. Starting a coffee label can be a gruelling endeavour – let alone a brand based in, and named after, a city full of world-renowned coffee critics! But Thalia and George Dardamanis are onto a good thing. After launching Melvourni in 2022, the couple has already built a name for themselves with stockists across the city and support streaming in from the community. We re ..read more

Perhaps the most famous symbol of Greek Easter, red eggs (kokkina avga) are rich in symbolism and have been a Greek cultural tradition for centuries. Many Greeks will remember dyeing red eggs with their mothers and grandmothers, shining the eggs with olive oil, and cracking them on Easter Sunday with family. These bright eggs also feature in the centre of the sweet Greek Easter bread, tsoureki. The symbolism of eggs In the first century BCE, the Greek philosopher Plutarch first posed the famous question, “Which was first, the bird or the egg?” In Christian traditions, eggs symbolise the tomb o ..read more

Discover the unique traditions of Greek Carnival! This week in Greece, a colourful celebration has begun. Like most Christian denominations, Orthodox Greeks celebrate a version of Carnival – which comes from the Latin carnem levare, or 'without meat’, and is the celebration preceding Lent. Known in Greece as Apokries, this period of celebration begins 10 weeks before Orthodox Easter and ends on the first day of Lent, Clean Monday, which this year falls on 22 February. Although today the celebration is aligned with Carnival/Orthodox traditions, Apokries can be traced back to ancient feasts hel ..read more

Discover a brief history of magic and medicine in ancient Greece, then create your own bath scrub using ancient-inspired ingredients. Magic is just science we don't understand yet. — Arthur C. Clarke Ancient Greece is well known as a culture that gifted the world with medical advancements. A number of ancient Greek physicians such as Hippocrates and Galen are even considered by some as 'fathers' of modern medicine. Of course, their ancient studies and discoveries were very different to the medicine we know today. Early remedial treatments and surgeries were still developing and not always eff ..read more

Try this delicious Greek honey walnut biscuit recipe from Sweet Greek: Simple Food & Sumptuous Feasts, the cookbook by Kathy Tsaples. Melomakarona are a traditional Greek sweet; a nutty, syrup-soaked biscuit that's baked mostly at Easter and Christmas time. However, they can be enjoyed all year round, with a simple cup of coffee or as part of a feast! This recipe has been generously shared by Kathy Tsaples of Sweet Greek, from her book Sweet Greek: Simple Food and Sumptuous Feasts – more details on her website. Ingredients Method Preheat the oven to 180ºC. In a big bowl, combine the oil ..read more

Meet the practicing artist, founder-director of LON Gallery and curator of the new Hellenic Museum contemporary art exhibition The Sun at Midnight. In celebration of the opening of new contemporary art exhibition The Sun at Midnight, we spoke with Adam Stone, the founder-director of Melbourne-based LON Gallery, who curated the exhibition in collaboration with the Hellenic Museum. Housed in an intimate new gallery in the heart of the Hellenic Museum, this exhibition invites you to consider Hellenism's universality. Works from five contemporary artists – Ann Debono, Rob McLeish, Stephen Benwell ..read more

Melbourne is bringing the brrrrr! But it doesn't have to mean being stuck inside. Pop on some layers and join us for a day of coffee, culture and cocktails with a Hellenic twist. (Pssst! Read to the end for a discount at one of Melbourne's hottest cocktail bars.) First things first – coffee, obviously. It wouldn't be a day in Melbourne without an excellent coffee – with the double benefit of a caffeine kick and something warm to keep your fingers defrosted. Coffee lovers are spoiled for choice in the city, but here are a few of our top picks for a morning pit stop. Patricia Coffee Brewers, 49 ..read more

In 338 BCE, over thirty-five thousand men took to the fields of Chaeronea (1) and fought valiantly against King Philip II of Macedon, and his son, Alexander. Of those thirty-five thousand men, in the middle of the battlefield with clashing shields and charging spears, was a small, specialist group of three-hundred warriors: the so-called Sacred Band of Thebes. (2) These men, along with countless others, joined the fight against the conquering Macedonians, in the pursuit of Greek freedom. A band of three-hundred elite men was not an uncommon sight in ancient Greece. Almost one hundred years pri ..read more