Kottabos

A game of skill in ancient Greece that was especially popular in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. It was played exclusively by men at symposia (drinking parties). It was described by Aeschylus, Antiphanes, Aristophanes, Euripides and Sophocles, who also played it themselves. Scenes from this period are shown on vases. Lying on the sofa, a few drops of wine had to be hurled in as high an arc as possible at a bowl (kottabeion) serving as a target. The target had to be hit with an audible clap without spilling a drop. The last sip left in the kantharos after drinking was used for this purpose. There were many variations with different targets such as figures that had to be hit or floating bowls that had to be sunk. Depending on success, it was also associated with a love oracle. Other customs related to wine drinking that were common in ancient Greece and Rome are described under Dionysus, Satyricon and Drinking Culture. See also under Wine customs.

Kottabos - zwei Weingefäße mit Bildern

The picture on the left shows a wine drinker playing kottabos on a kylix, a flat drinking bowl used in ancient Greece in 510 BC. The picture on the right on a krater (bulbous wine vessel) shows kottabos playing banquet guests while a girl plays the aulos (reed instrument similar to a flute).

Image left: By Μαρσύας - Own work, CC BY 2.5, link.
Image right: Nikias Painter - Marie-Lan Nguyen(User:Jastrow), CC BY 2.5, Link

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Kottabos

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