Ancient Greek Laurel Wreath: The origins of a symbol
As we have repeatedly mentioned on CDAlloro, laurel wreaths have very ancient origins, so much so that in classical times they already had the prestige of being a symbol of honor and distinction.
Not everyone knows, in fact, that laurel wreaths in ancient Greece were already signs comparable to modern ones: at the time, the laurel wreath was used as a recognition of merit or to signify wisdom and knowledge. It is no coincidence that the laurel wreath of ancient Greece (and the same applies to the Roman one) was also called the triumphal wreath.
In the Roman Empire, its importance was so high that it was placed on the heads of emperors or triumphant generals, considering that this element was a symbol of strength and wisdom: the laurel plant from which the leaves for its creation were taken was, in fact, consecrated to the god of the Sun and arts.
Click here -> Organize the Perfect Graduation Party with Amazon
The laurel wreath in ancient Greece: a prize for the winners of the Pythian Games
Returning to the laurel wreath of ancient Greece, the symbol was, for example, attributed to those who won the Pythian Games, one of the four Panhellenic Games (i.e., the games that preceded the Olympic Games), held every four years at the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi.
The games were indeed in honor of Apollo and were scheduled after each edition of the Olympic Games, between the Nemean and Isthmian Games. Founded in the 6th century BC, they continued until 384 AD.
A rather well-known peculiarity of these games is that, contrary to what would later happen with only the Olympic Games, musicians and poets could also participate in the Pythian Games, for whom special competitions were reserved.
Well, all the winners of these competitions received a laurel wreath as a gift, the plant consecrated to Apollo.
Click here -> Organize the Perfect Graduation Party with Amazon
Where did the laurel for the wreaths of ancient Greece come from?
The laurel used in the wreaths attributed to the winners of the Pythian Games was not, however, just any laurel: it came from the Vale of Tempe, one of the places that, according to mythology, was among the favorites of Apollo and the Muses. Located north of Thessaly, between Mount Olympus and Mount Ossa, it is a 10 km long valley, 25 meters wide, and full of very deep cliffs. The Peneus River flows through its center, emptying into the Aegean Sea.
Well, in this evocative place, on the right side of the river, there is a temple of Apollo around which the laurel used to crown the winners of the games was gathered.
According to mythology, moreover, the Vale of Tempe was also the place where Aristaeus, son of Apollo and Cyrene, lived. And it was also here that Eurydice, the wife of Orpheus, was bitten by a snake, whose death marked the beginning of the singer's tribulations.