Surviving birth in itself was a great achievement for the children in Hellas. It was only the first hurdle in the growth story of their lives. Growing up to adulthood was a big challenge in ancient Hellas.
Children were subjected to selection which meant only those who were fit in the judgment of their fathers or the state would be kept to be raised and others were abandoned. Even if they survived, there were a lot of hurdles in their lives.
The first few days after their birth were very crucial for a baby. So much so that the children in Hellas were not given any kind of social status or identity. The child was not integrated into the household or oikos, as it was called, for five days after the birth lest they didn’t survive. The reason was the lack of hygiene which could cause infections that could lead to various ailments, and the child could succumb to those ailments. Therefore, it was a pragmatic decision to wait before including the child into the household.
Right after birth, the child was wrapped in cloth from head to toe. These were called swaddling bands. The child remained in these bands for about 60 days and they were not changed at any fixed intervals. The second to third century AD Hellenic gynecologist Soranos, who was the author of the book Gynecology, suggested that clean soft woolen bands be used which were not too worn out and whose width would be three to four fingers. This meant that at least someone was concerned about hygiene and was recommending it to the people.
Since children in Hellas were wrapped in swaddling clothes, they could not indicate what they wanted. So it was difficult to tell whether they were hungry, or thirsty, or wanted to relieve themselves. The baby feeding bottles were made from terracotta and had a hole at the top to fill the milk. A nozzle was provided at the side for drinking. Soranos had suggested that the bottles be provided with an artificial teat, preferably made of leather or cloth to give a feeling of drinking from a real teat. It can be easily assumed that many bottles would be thrown to the ground by the infant in anger and would break.
Once when children in Hellas survived for the first five days, they were formally included in the oikos in a ceremony. This ceremony was called the amphidromia. At least in Athens, this was practiced for quite some time, but we aren't sure about other places.
The amphidromia ceremony was held at home, just like other Hellenic rituals. No priest oversaw it. The name of the ceremony is taken from the ritual itself which involved taking the newborn child around (amphi) a hearth at a run (dromê). The ceremony itself looked quite hilarious with the father running around the hearth carrying the child and the child crying loudly, but it must have had a deep religious significance for the natives of Athens. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have subjected their children to it.
The hearth was the center of the house, both as an actual place as well as symbolically. The Goddess of the hearth, Hestia, was the protector of the home as well as the family life. So effectively, it was a rite of passage. The amphidromia was both a solemn and a joyful occasion, attended by relatives, who would bring gifts for the newborn. They would also give charms to strap around the baby’s body to protect it against bad luck or the evil eye. The amphidromia ended with a sacrifice, followed by feasting, like most Hellenic rituals.
If the child survived up to the tenth day, they were given their names. The tradition was to name the boys after their grandfather. This tradition is still prevalent in Greece. It stressed the importance of continuity in the family.
If the boys in Athens lived up to the age of three, they were brought to the Anthesteria, meaning flower festival. This festival was held in early spring. The children were then given wreaths to put on their heads, small carts, and a small jug known as chous. A very important thing for the ancient Hellenes was wine, which was considered a gift from Dionysus. They took it as a source of release from cares and stress but knew it was dangerous if not used in moderation. The Anthesteria was the children's introduction to one of the most important Gods and their formal inclusion into the Athenian community.
For those children in Hellas who did not survive up to this stage, their parents sometimes put a chous in their graves.
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