What is a symposium? This word is associated with a meeting of pundits who discuss critical science issues. And this association is true. But it turns out that earlier they gathered at the symposium for a completely different reason. What is a "symposium" today and what it was in ancient times, will be discussed in the article.
Dictionary Interpretation
What is a symposium? Definition means a meeting, a scientific conference on any issue. As a rule, this event is held with the participation of representatives of several countries.
A scientific conference is a form of organization of scientific activity where researchers present their work for discussion. However, the participants do not have to be scientists or students. As a rule, the topic of the symposium, the place and time of its holding is announced in advance. Information can be placed in a newsletter or in an announcement on the stand.
After this, the collection of reports set out abstractedly begins. Sometimes organizational contributions are made. The status of a scientific conference is between the congress and the scientific seminar.
Satellite Symposium: what is it?
To answer this question, you should turn to the dictionary and find out the meaning of the adjective included in this phrase. It says that it is interpreted as “connected”, “concomitant”, corresponding in meaning to the noun “satellite”.
The latter has many meanings, among them, for example, the following.
- In ancient Rome - an armed mercenary accompanying the owner.
- Book, rhetorical and ironic: follower, henchman, dependent person, performer of someone else's will.
- In politics, a state that is formally independent, but in fact subordinate to a stronger one.
- In astronomy - a satellite of the planet.
Thus, a satellite symposium is a symposium that is held as part of any other event, which is larger. Examples: satellite conference of allergists as part of an immunological congress, satellite symposium "Clinical consequences of iodine deficiency" in the framework of the Congress "People and Medicines".
Etymology
To understand the original meaning of the "symposium", you should consider the origin of this word, which is not related to scientific topics.
It comes from the Latin noun symposium, the meaning of which is “feast”, “feast”. The latter leads its “pedigree” from the ancient Greek language, where there is the word συμπόσιον, denoting a drink, a feast, a feast.
The word has two parts. The first of them is σύμ, which can be translated as “c”, “together”, “together”, and the second - πόσις in the meaning of “drinking”, “drinking”. This noun came to the ancient Greeks from the pre-Indo-European language, where there is the verb poi, meaning "drink."
In ancient Greece
What is a symposium among the ancient Greeks? This is accompanied by certain rituals and violent fun feast. It was called “symposium” and was an important component of male pastime.
After a meal at the home altar, the participants washed their hands and anointed themselves with incense. Symposiasts decorated with wreaths of flowers, myrtle, ivy and themselves, and vessels with wine. The ornaments were red and white bandages, which symbolized devotion to the god Dionysus.
A bowl of wine went around in circles. The first sip was taken in honor of the demon, who was considered a good spirit. Wine also relied on the gods. To “treat” them, the Greeks splashed it out of cubes, accompanying this action with a cult song dedicated to the god Apollo, and playing the flute.
As cupbearers, young men were used, who were supposed to make wine with water and distribute it to the assembled. At symposia, music sounded on kifar and avlos sounded, singers, acrobats, dancers were invited. The guests, too, sang songs called skolii. Speech contests were held here, riddles were solved, and comparisons were played. Often games were held at symposia, among which the cottab was popular - participants from vessels tried to throw out the remnants of wine, hitting the target.
From among those present, they chose the leader of the revel, who was called the symposiarch. His responsibilities included keeping order and choosing topics for conversation. According to some Greek authors, symposia were practiced as early as the 4th century BC. e. This tradition persisted until the end of ancient times.