kottabos

The kottabos was an ancient Greek drinking game popular from the 7th to the 5th centuries BC. It was played at symposia, or drinking parties, and involved skill and a bit of luck. The primary objective of the kottabos was to throw a certain amount of wine lees, the residue left at the bottom of a wine cup, into a target.

The game typically involved two players. The first player would drink their wine, and then attempt to flick the remaining wine lees from their cup, often called a kylix, towards a designated target. The most common target was a bronze disk, called a plastinx, balanced precariously on a stand. Another popular target was a small terracotta vessel called a manes.

Success in the kottabos was judged by whether the wine lees hit the target. Hitting the plastinx would cause it to fall with a clatter, a desirable outcome. The manes was sometimes filled with water, and hitting it would cause it to sink. Beyond the simple act of hitting the target, the kottabos also had a romantic or social element. Players would often dedicate their throws to a lover or friend, and a successful throw was seen as a sign of favor.

The game required a steady hand and good aim. The angle and force of the throw were crucial. It was a social activity, often accompanied by music and conversation. Illustrations of kottabos players are frequently found on ancient Greek pottery, demonstrating its prevalence in ancient Greek social life. While its exact origins are debated, it was clearly a significant part of the symposion culture.