TEXT: Age of Heroes 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  Chapter 1 
   
  BACKGROUND 
   
  Timeline: 2200 B.C. to 394B.C. 
  Many of the dates given below are approximate and represent the generally accepted time in which 
  these events occurred. 
   
  2200 B.C.: Minoan civilization flourishes. 
   
  1500 B.C.: Mycenaean’s become dominant. 
   
  1250 B.C.: The Trojan War is fought. 
   
  1100 B.C.: The Dorian Invasion occurs. Though barbaric in other ways, the Dorians bring iron 
  weapons into Greece. Knowledge of writing is lost. The Greek "Dark Ages" lasts nearly 300 years. 
   
  1000 B.C.: Ionians fleeing invaders establish cities on the west coast of Asia Minor. 
   
  800 B.C.: City-states arise. 
   
  776 B.C.: First recorded Olympic Games. 
   
  750 B.C.: Greek script, based on Phoenician characters, is created. The Iliad and The Odyssey are 
  written. 
   
  730 B.C.: The First Messenian War. Sparta dominates the south-western Peloponnese. 
   
  640 B.C.: The Second Messenian War is fought. Sparta becomes pre-eminent, crushing the native 
  population. 
   
  594 B.C.: Solon reforms the laws of Athens. 
   
  560 B.C.: Peisistratus becomes the first Athenian Tyrant. 
   
  532 B.C.: City Dionysia introduced in Athens, and first tragedies performed. 
   
  510 B.C.: Tyranny in Athens is overthrown. 
   
  508 B.C.: Cleisthenes introduces sweeping democratic reforms in Athens. 
   
  490 B.C.: Persian Wars begin. Persians are defeated at Marathon by Athenian hoplites. 
   
  483 B.C.: Themistocles builds the Athenian navy. 
   
  480 B.C.: Spartans defeated at Thermopylae. Persians burn Athens. Athenians destroy the Persian fleet 
  at the Battle of Salamis. 
   
  479 B.C.: Remaining Persian troops defeated at Plataea. The Delian League forms. 
   
  477 B.C.: Athens becomes ascendant. 
   
  465 B.C.: Sparta suffers a series of disastrous earthquakes and helot uprisings. 
   
  462 B.C.: Pericles begins his rise to power in Athens. Radical democracy is introduced. 
   
  431 B.C.: Start of the Peloponnesian War. 
  
   
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  405-404 B.C.: The Athenian navy is destroyed. Athens is starved into surrender. End of the 
  Peloponnesian War. Sparta imposes the rule of the Thirty Tyrants on Athens. 
   
  403 B.C.: The Tyrants are expelled and democracy restored in Athens. 
   
  400 B.C.: Retreat of the Ten Thousand under Xenophon. Sparta is at war with Persia. 
   
  394 B.C.: Coalition of Athens, Thebes, Corinth, and Argos defeated by Sparta at Coronea. 
   
  The Minoan Period 
  2200-1450 B.C: The Minoan civilization was founded by people who emigrated from Asia Minor to 
  the Aegean islands around 3,000 B.C. during the Neolithic era. Their culture flourished most notably 
  on the island of Crete, where they built communities cantered around huge, multi-level palaces. The 
  palace of Minos, the king for whom the culture was named, was built at Knossos. Its labyrinthine 
  passages, twisting corridors, and hundreds of rooms may have given rise to the legend of Theseus and 
  the Minotaur. The tale of Theseus may have been a mythologized version of the story of Athens’ 
  emancipation from Minoan overlordship. 
   
  Good climate but limited agricultural areas led the Minoans to become great seafarers and traders (a 
  practice which would later be successfully imitated by the Greeks). The king was a trader and 
  administrator rather than a warlord. Accounts of imports, exports, and agricultural production were 
  meticulously kept by his scribes, and his palace, which could house up to 80,000 people, was a centre 
  for commerce and religious rites. Food and metal were the most common imports, while wine, olive 
  oil, pottery, gems, and knives made up the bulk of Minoan exported goods. 
   
  Aside from their accomplishments in artisanship and literacy, the Minoans excelled as artists and 
  engineers. They took pride in using art to enhance even the humblest item and were noted for their 
  expertise in mural paintings (frescoes), miniature sculptures, and gem carvings. They built roads which 
  averaged 11 feet wide, and the palace at Knossos boasted both indoor running water and a light well 
  which lit the Grand Staircase that connected the different levels. Interestingly, they felt no need to build 
  defensive fortifications or walls around their cities. 
   
  Women where considered the equals of men (a unique notion at the time) where allowed to enter any 
  profession or participate in any sport they chose, even boxing! The Minoans engaged in dancing, foot 
  races, and boxing, and built theatres to house their musical spectacles and processions. A particular 
  sport, known as bull leaping, in which young male and female acrobats attempted to somersault over 
  the backs of charging bulls, may have been part of their religious observances. 
   
  Minoan religion centred around a goddess who was both good and evil. The Minoans may also have 
  worshiped certain animals and birds (bulls, snakes, and doves) and sacred trees. Rites were held in 
  shrines inside the palace, in the open air, and in sacred caves. Priestesses performed the sacrifices. 
  There were no male priests. 
   
  Later Cretan myth tells that the infant Zeus was hidden from his father Cronus in a cave on Crete and 
  was fed by the animals there. The Cretan Zeus was an agrarian deity who died and was born again 
  annually, much like Dionysus in the later Greek pantheon. He is also associated with bulls. 
   
  Around 1450 B.C., the geologically unstable region was rocked by earthquakes and a great tsunami, 
  which decimated the island of Thera and caused terrible destruction among the Minoan palaces. 
  Weakened by the disaster, and without defensive structures, the Minoans were supplanted by the 
  Mycenaean’s, a more warlike mainland culture. 
   
  The Mycenaeans 
  1600-1100 B.C.: Around 1900 B.C., Indo-Europeans (also known as Pelasgir), who spoke an early 
  form of Greek, invaded the peninsula. By 1600 B.C., these people had formed communities which 
  were influenced by the Minoans, with whom they established trade. A warlike people, the Mycenaeans 
  became the dominant power of the region, ruling from their mainland cities of Mycenae, Tiryns, 
  Athens, and Iolkos. Each city and its territory was ruled by a king, called a wanax. Mycenaean cities 
  were built on hilltops and heavily fortified because they warred among each other and had a slave 
  system based upon war captives. Bronze spears, swords, and daggers were the usual weapons 
  
   
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  employed by Mycenaean warriors. They wore heavy, somewhat rigid and clumsy banded armour and 
  helmets and carried shields shaped like a figure eight. Later, these were superseded by smaller round 
  shields and less body armour (breastplates). 
   
  Though they adopted much of the Minoan culture into their own, their art was stiffer and less refined, 
  except for their inlaid bronze daggers which showed exquisite artisanship. The warlike nature of the 
  Mycenaeans also found expression in their art, much of which depicted fighting, hunting, and soldiers 
  with spears and swords. Though they used chariots for hunting, there is no evidence that these were 
  used in warfare except for the references to such by Homer in The Iliad. 
   
  The Mycenaeans became seafarers, and their distinctive pottery became familiar as far away as Syria 
  and Palestine. By 1500 B.C., they had supplanted the Minoans as rulers of much of the Aegean. Fifty 
  years later, after earthquakes and tidal waves had weakened the Minoans too much for them to resist; 
  the Mycenaeans took control of Crete as well. 
   
  Though Mycenaeans helped the Minoans rebuild Knossos and ruled them peacefully for a time, around 
  1400 B.C. other Greek invaders came to Crete and destroyed the city, ending Minoan civilization. 
  Mainland Greece became the central power of the Aegean. 
   
  Mycenaean religion cantered around the worship of a pantheon of deities. Among these were Zeus, 
  Hera, Hermes, and Poseidon. Later Greeks adopted these gods and goddesses, but altered their places 
  in the pantheon. The Mycenaean interest in sports led to competitions which were held in honour of the 
  gods and at funerals (where the deceased persons belongings if still in use, would be given to the 
  winners as prizes) 
   
  About 1250 B.C., the Mycenaeans waged war against a city in Asia Minor known as Troy. This war, 
  which lasted 10 years, is the source for the great epic poems the Iliad and The Odyssey. Many of the 
  characters appear to have been real people, but they have been mythologized, and it’s not known if 
  Helen’s abduction or the battle for the Black Sea was the real cause for the war.  
   
  Between 1200 and 1100 B.C., the Mycenaean invaders succumbed to internal decadence and invaders. 
  They were overrun by the Dorians, barbaric northern Greeks whose iron weapons allowed them to 
  overcome the Mycenaeans. Only a few areas managed to resist the influx of Dorians (notably Athens) 
  and retain their prior degree of civilisation.  
   
  The Greek Dark Ages 
  1100-800 B.C.: The Dorians conquered the central and southern areas of the Greek mainland, plunging 
  the area into a Dark Age. Written records and the art of writing itself was  lost during this time, and the 
  prior cultures  were known only through the chance survival  of a few written fragments and the ballads 
  and short epics, sung embellished and handed down orally by wandering bards. The more primitive 
  Dorians managed to overcome the Mycenaeans by using iron weapons. These weapons were not better 
  made than the Mycenaeans’ bronze ones, but were cheaper, easier to fashion, and easier to replace. 
   
  Each Dorian community was independent and was overseen by a basileus, a ruler who was little more 
  than a tribal leader. His duties included commanding the army during wartime and acting as the 
  community priest. The basileus’ chief responsibility was to offer sacrifices to gain the gods’ favour for 
  his people. He had no power to make laws or enforce them or to settle issues and impose justice. 
   
  Each community had both a council of nobles and a warriors’ assembly, but these were more signs of 
  social rank than legislative bodies. They had no power except socially. Custom was used to decide 
  issues, and any justice was private, paving the way for feuds between families as one sought justice 
  from another only to again be attacked in retaliation for their “justice-taking.” 
   
  There was no conception of the “idle rich”, as nobles oversaw their own lands and acted as war 
  captains. Workers who laboured on the nobles’ lands also served them as warriors when the need arose. 
  Known artisans included wagon makers, goldsmiths, potters, and swordsmiths; agriculture, herding, 
  and warfare were the chief occupations of free men. Slaves were mostly women, usually war captives, 
  who became servants, wool-processors, or concubines. Each household wove its own clothing, raised 
  its own food, and even made its own tools. Coinage and large trading ventures were unknown, with 
  barter being the only type of exchange practiced among the Dorians. 
  
   
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  Their deities were much like themselves on a larger scale. They had human bodies, weaknesses, 
  jealousies, and quarrels. They appeared in person or in some other form to interact with mortals. They 
  often produced offspring, and they could be bargained with to bestow their favour. They ate ambrosia 
  and drank nectar, which made them immortal. They lived atop Mount Olympus, a mountain in northern 
  Greece which is the tallest peak in the region, about 10,000 feet high, and their power outstripped that 
  of mortals. 
   
  No one god was considered to be above the others. Zeus, sky god, wielder of the thunderbolt and father 
  of gods and men; Aphrodite, goddess of love; Athena, goddess of wisdom and war and the patroness of 
  fine crafts; and Poseidon, god of the sea and earthquakes, were all honoured equally.  Their temples 
  were not places of worship, but shrines built to house the gods when they wished to visit. Aside from 
  the basileus, there were no priests. 
   
  The Dorians believed that after death, people went to the realm of Hades, a land beneath the earth 
  where they would continue a shadowy form of their previous life until finally fading away. Though the 
  Dorians admired the virtues of bravery, loyalty, self-control, love of friends, hatred of enemies, and 
  cunning, Hades did not serve as a heaven for those who exemplified these behaviours, nor was it a hell 
  for the punishment of those who failed to do so. It was simply a continuation after life and had no 
  connection with reward or punishment. Another realm near Hades was the Elysian Plain, where some 
  lucky persons chosen by the gods passed on to comfort and ease. Tartarus, which has sometimes been 
  mistaken for a kind of hell, was not a place for the dead at all, but rather a prison for the rebellious 
  deities known as Titans. Late in this period, the classic form of the Greek pantheon took shape, which 
  was passed down to the Dorians’ descendants. 
   
  During the Dorians’ rule, migrations from the mainland to Asia Minor (particularly the area known as 
  Ionia) and the eastern Aegean islands occurred. The people who departed did so to avoid more warfare 
  and to find better farmlands. Asia Minor and the islands nearby would later become noted for their 
  wealth of poets, philosophers, and artists, perhaps because they managed to preserve more of the 
  Minoan and Mycenaean culture than the areas under Dorian domination. 
   
  During the final years of the “dark ages’’, the Phoenicians began a westward expansion, and the art of 
  writing was rediscovered in Greece with the creation of a Greek script based on Phoenician characters. 
  Attica, the region where Athens is situated, united under the Athenian Kings. The nobility of Attica 
  settled in the city and trade began to once more become a major part of Greek life. 
   
  The Rise of the City-States 
  800-500 B.C.: The geographic features of mainland Greece helped to determine the development of 
  city-states rather than a unified country under a central ruler. Much of Greece was covered by 
  volcanically active mountain ranges which divided the land into narrow coastal plains cut off like 
  separate little pockets, and fertile areas around rivers. Plains regions were found in the northern 
  (Macedonia and Thessaly), central (Boeotia), and western parts (Peloponnesia and the plains of Sparta) 
  of Greece, but these too were separated by mountains. These features had already made it easier for 
  each tribal community to remain autonomous, and they were once again instrumental in keeping the 
  Greek poleis (singular is polis) or city-states separate. 
   
  Out of a need for more trade and for defence, cities grew up around a central marketplace and a place 
  which could serve as a defensive fortification (such as the Acropolis of Athens). The city-states 
  included all the agricultural land surrounding the cities that they could oversee and control. Though 
  Sparta eventually controlled more than 3,000 square miles of territory, and Athens about 1,600, the 
  other city-states were tiny, averaging control of about 100 square miles. At the peak of their power, 
  Sparta and Athens each had a population of approximately 400,000 people, but the other cities had only 
  about a quarter as many, meaning that Athens and Sparta could usually field armies which were three 
  times the size of any of the others. 
   
  In general, the Greek city-states underwent certain patterns in government. Most started as monarchies 
  (rule by a king), since the king or tribal leader was already the established leader of the community. As 
  time went by, however, the kings came under increasing pressure from their nobles, wealthy 
  landowners who began concentrating more and more land, wealth and power into their own hands. 
  These nobles, who usually formed councils, eventually became so powerful that they were able to 
  
   
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  abolish the monarchy and set themselves up to rule instead. These were known as digarchies (rule by 
  the few). 
   
  Because the common people then found themselves dispossessed from their lands and under debt to the 
  nobles, many colonies were founded, trade increased, and the urban population swelled, as farmers, 
  artisans, and merchants attempted to earn a livelihood. Urged on by demagogues who promised reform 
  and relief, they joined together to attack the landholders. These “rabble rousers” then usurped power 
  because they had gained enough support from the people, and became dictators. Called tyrants, since 
  they had unlawfully assumed control of the government, many of them ruled benevolently and well, 
  but others simply replaced the excesses of the oligarchies with their own whims. 
   
  Eventually, the common people realized that they held economic and social power. They ousted the 
  Tyrants, formulated new laws and constitutions, and became democracies. Athens best demonstrated 
  democracy, though Athenian democracy was unlike modern democracy in several important ways. 
   
  The city-state of Sparta never moved beyond a double monarchy which was overseen and controlled by 
  a military council. The cities varied in their cultural evolution as well, with Corinth and Argos the 
  leaders in literature and the arts during the eighth century B.C. (Sparta was the most noted during the 
  seventh), and the Greek-speaking cities of Asia Minor and the Aegean Islands pre-eminent in 
  philosophy and science in the sixth century B.C.-all before the glory of Athens, which would rise to 
  such heights that its fame would last throughout the centuries. 
   
  During this period, the poet Homer composed the great epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey which 
  told of the siege of Troy by the Greeks (called Achaeans in the Deems) under King Agamemnon, the 
  Mycenaean, and the 10-year journey homeward of one hero of the Trojan War, Odysseus. These 
  became the focus of education for most Greek cities, serving to teach reading, writing, and poetry; 
  emphasize the need to practice sports and warfare; and give the Greeks (who called themselves 
  Hellenes) a common heritage, philosophy of personal honour and worth, devotion to the gods, and 
  civic pride. Though he drew upon the oral accounts of travelling bards, Homer was probably also 
  influenced by the trade expansions and new colonisations which ranged from the Black Sea coast to 
  what would become Italy, France, and Spain. 
   
  Because of the new emphasis on expansion and trade, the Greeks became embroiled in skirmishes with 
  the Phoenicians; the region’s other seafaring power. Conflicts over trade routes and lucrative careers as 
  go-betweens for trade with Egypt and Arabia caused wars between Phoenician Carthage and Greek 
  Syracuse. This led to Greek domination of the northern Mediterranean and Phoenician concentration on 
  the southern routes, which stretched from Tyre through the Straits of Gibraltar. Later conflicts with the 
  Etruscans, their western neighbours in Italy, secured the Hellenes against Etruscan aggression as well. 
   
  Sparta’s defeat and subjugation of Messeania in the First and Second Messenian Wars led Sparta to 
  create the only professional army in Greece at that time, in order to deal with malcontents and handle 
  uprisings by those they conquered. In contrast, Athenians were granted a great deal of liberty when in 
  594 B.C. the laws were reformed and an Athenian constitution was written by Solon. These divergent 
  paths were to later prove too great a difference for the two city-states to overcome, and the 
  conservatism of Sparta would meet and battle the liberality of Athens in the Peloponnesian War. 
  Before that came to pass, however, the two would be allies in the wars against Persia. 
   
  The Golden Age 
  500-338 B.C.: The various Greek city-states were seldom at peace. Though they shared common 
  cultural influences such as language, gods, knowledge of Homer’s epics, appreciation of the arts and 
  sports, and civic pride, their differences led to constant bickering between one state and another. 
  Various cities also fought against foreign enemies, either alone or in concert with other states. 
   
  The Persian War 
  The Persian War began due to Athens’ expansion into the eastern Mediterranean. The mainland 
  Hellenic cities found common cause with the Greek-speaking cities of Asia Minor which were under 
  Persian rule. In 499 B.C., these Ionian cities rose in revolt against Persia, and Athens sent ships to aid 
  them. The revolt was crushed, and Darius, the king of Persia, decided that the Greeks should be 
  punished for their actions. He was also well aware of the gains to be made should he manage to add the 
  
   
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  Greek poleis to his empire. He sent envoys demanding tribute of earth and water, which symbolized 
  their surrender. Though some cities agreed, Athens, Sparta, and Eretria refused. 
   
  Accordingly, in 490 B.C., King Darius sailed with a fleet of 600 ships to attack the Greeks. They began 
  their campaign by assaulting Eretria, which fell within a week and was looted. Next, the Persians 
  turned their attention to Athens. A force of 20,000 men landed at the Bay of Marathon and began the 
  overland march toward the city. The Athenians, having noted the Persian advance, sent messengers to 
  Sparta asking for help, then mobilized 10,000 hoplites (heavily armed infantrymen) and marched to 
  meet the Persian force. 
   
  The Persian elite infantrymen were known as Immortals. They carried wicker shields with a leather 
  covering and wore a metal scale shirt covered by a tunic. They wore no helmets, preferring a cloth 
  headdress similar to a kaffiyeh, and their legs were protected only by cloth. Their armament consisted 
  of bows and arrows, spears, and long daggers. They were supported by cavalry and archers. 
   
  The Greek hoplite wore a cuirass of layered linen (this would later be replaced by a moulded bronze 
  breast plate), bronze greaves on his legs, and a bronze helmet which covered most of his face. His 
  shield (called a hoplon) was smaller and heavier, and made of wood with a bronze rim that could 
  deflect arrows, spears, and daggers. It was also equipped with an innovation. Rather than one strap, the 
  Greek shields had two. One was a metal bar under which the soldier passed his arm. It spanned the 
  centre of the shield. A leather strap near the rim provided a grip for the hand, giving the hoplite both a 
  better grasp on his shield and the ability to be far more flexible in moving it as needed. Hoplites carried 
  a short slashing sword and a long spear meant for thrusting. They fought in a phalanx, marching in 
  close formation, hoplons raised and spears thrust forward to fill the gap between each man. 
   
  Realizing that they could not wait for help from Sparta to arrive, General Miltiades, one of the 
  Athenian commanders, called for an attack. The Athenians charged the Persian lines in an apparently 
  suicidal assault. However, it effectively nullified the advantage of the Persian cavalry and archers, as 
  they could not attack without harming their own troops. Additionally, Miltiades had thinned the central 
  ranks and extended his line to protect against flank attacks, and when the Persian infantry broke 
  through the centre, the phalanxes to left and right wheeled and attacked the Persian flanks, surrounding 
  them. 
   
  Those who were not killed fled to their ships and escaped. The Spartan force arrived the next day. 
  Though they were too late to help, they combed the battlefield, noticing the details, learning how 
  Athens had triumphed, and paying honour to the Athenian dead. The Greek hoplites had won their first 
  great victory, meeting a force which was twice their size, killing over 6,000 Persians and losing less 
  than 200 Athenians. 
   
  Legend tells of the runner who, after fighting all day against the Persians, ran from the plain of 
  Marathon to Athens, a distance of 26 miles. His news was essential to keep the people from a panic and 
  avert the abandonment of the city. He is said to have gasped out the good news of Athens’ victory and 
  then died. The modern Marathon race was formed to honour this gallant feat, though it was never a part 
  of the ancient Olympics. 
   
  Darius refused to give up and made plans for a larger expedition against Greece. He died before he 
  could implement it, and his son Xerxes was occupied with putting down rebellions in Egypt and 
  Babylon. Finally, in 481 B.C., Xerxes turned his attention to the Greek campaign. He summoned the 
  greatest force ever assembled until that time -a quarter of a million men- and in 480 B.C. his thousands 
  of vessels set sail for Greece. 
   
  Themistocles, a charismatic politician, persuaded the Athenian assembly to build 200 new warships to 
  meet the threat of the Persians and to build their own sea power. Sparta gathered the other Greek states 
  into the Hellenic League, which comprised some 30 states. Many others, fearing a Persian victory and 
  reprisals, refused to fight. 
   
  Consultations with the Oracle at Delphi revealed slight hope for the Greeks. Sparta was told that Zeus 
  favoured the Persians, while Athens was told that the city would be taken, the buildings levelled, and 
  blood would flow in the streets. They were counselled to flee before the might of the Persians. The 
  
   
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  oracle added a strange piece of advice, telling them that they would be safe behind the wooden wall, an 
  assertion which made no sense to the Athenians, since their walls were stone. 
   
  As Xerxes carved his way through Thrace and Macedonia, the Hellenes decided to make their stand at 
  Thermopylae, a slender strip of land where the mountains came within fifty feet of the shore. The 
  Persians would have to cross through the narrow area, which was so constricting that a much smaller 
  force could stop them. King Leonidas of Sparta, commanding 7,000 advance troops, took up position in 
  the pass. The combined Greek navy, which consisted of 270 warships, lay in wait for the Persian fleet 
  in the narrow waters off the coast. 
   
  In early August, King Xerxes reached Thermopylae and was stopped at the pass by the Spartans. Three 
  brutal attacks were turned back before the Spartans were betrayed by a greedy local farmer who led the 
  Persians around the Greek force. Leonidas discovered the danger just in time to order the main body of 
  his army to withdraw, but he himself and 300 of his countrymen battled the Persians, first with 
  weapons, then when those were gone, with bare hands until every one of the 300 fell. They had bought 
  the rest of the Greek army the time it needed to withdraw safely. 
   
  Xerxes rampaged through Attica, burning and looting. As his army approached Athens, the citizens 
  fled to the island of Salamis, seeking sanctuary. Xerxes took Athens, burned it, and destroyed the 
  Acropolis. 
   
  Helped by a storm which smashed over 400 Persian ships, the Greeks enacted a wily strategy. They 
  lured the Persians into a narrow channel between the island of Salamis and the coast of Attica, negating 
  the Persians’ numerical advantage. As the Persian ships entered the channel, Greek triremes moving in 
  disciplined ranks smashed into the hulls of the enemy ships, crushing and driving the attackers into 
  each other. The words of the oracle became clear. The wooden wall which would save the people was 
  the fleet of ships which Themistocles had persuaded them to build. 
   
  Fleeing the debacle, Xerxes sailed home with his remaining ships. He left a large ground force, under 
  the command of his brother-in-law Mardonius, to winter over in Greece. The final battle took place at 
  Plataea the next year. The Greek force numbered only 40,000 men against a Persian force of 100,000. 
   
  Skirmishes lasted three weeks before the Persian commander, mistaking the movement of one of the 
  Greek lines for a retreat, ordered an all-out assault. Once again, the Hellenes' superior armaments and 
  weapons proved their worth, and when Mardonius was slain, the now-leaderless Persian forces broke 
  and ran. Along with the defeat of the remains of the Persian fleet, the victory at Plataea ended Persian 
  aggression against Greece. 
   
  In 477 B.C., in the wake of the Persian War, Sparta retained its supremacy on land, but Athens rose to 
  new prominence at sea. Joining with the Ionian states and the Aegean island states, Athens formed the 
  Delian League. The states met on the island of Delos, and each freely gave money or ships to keep the 
  Persians out of their territories and to free other Ionian states which were still under Persian rulership. 
   
  As the Persian threat abated, however, member states began to resent the dominant role Athens had 
  assumed in the League. Several tried to withdraw or refuse payment, only to be overcome by Athens 
  and forced to contribute. Athenian garrisons spread throughout the Aegean and Athens forced disputes 
  to be tried in Athenian courts. The other member states had, in effect, become vassal states paying 
  tribute to Athens. One sixth of the treasury of the Delian League was set aside for the goddess Athena, 
  and it was used to begin a program of public works which beautified and glorified Athens. More 
  League funds were used to pay citizens for time spent performing public duties and to pay the oarsmen 
  who rowed the triremes of Athens' fleet. 
   
  In 464 B.C., Sparta suffered a series of disastrous earthquakes. This was followed by an exhaustive 
  war, as the Messenian helots rose in revolt. Sensing Sparta's weakness, several states withdrew from 
  the Peloponnesian League. These factors, coupled with Athenian expansionism, led to the 
  Peloponnesian War, the great conflict between Sparta and Athens. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  The Peloponnesian War 
  The Peloponnesian War was fought between Athens and Sparta from 431 to 404 B.C. To understand 
  the factors which led up to the Peloponnesian War, it is necessary to examine the divergent histories of 
  the two city-states involved. 
   
  Sparta 
  The Spartans were originally Dorians and came to the eastern Peloponnese as invaders. By the ninth 
  century B.C., they had gained all of Laconia, but they wanted the fertile plain of Messenia to assure 
  themselves of enough farmland. Following their usual practices, they conquered it and made it part of 
  their domain. In 640 B.C., the Messenians, aided by the city of Argos, revolted. The war turned against 
  the Spartans and reached into Laconia. If not for the death of the Argive commander and the patriotic 
  fervour incited by the Spartan poet Tyrtaeus, Sparta might have been defeated. They rallied and won, 
  but this time they confiscated all Messenian lands, killed or exiled all their leaders, and turned the 
  people of Messenia into serfs, called helots. 
   
  Living in fear of another uprising, the Spartans devoted themselves to defending the territories they 
  already possessed rather than expanding further. To maintain their dominance over a huge population 
  of serfs, they resorted to discipline and to the subordination of the individual to the good of the state. 
  Sparta became a state which was run as a military regime, with each segment fitting into the whole to 
  work as efficiently as possible. 
   
  The Spartans rejected anything which might weaken their system. Afraid that new ideas would 
  encourage rebellion, they discouraged travel and prohibited almost all trade with the outside world. To 
  remain strong, their constitution preserved the forms of government left over from the Dark Ages, 
  though they had two kings-each a representative from a different family of high rank. These retained 
  those military and priestly powers which their ancestors had practiced. The Council, made up of the 
  two kings and 28 nobles aged 60 or more, administered the law, preparing submissions for the 
  consideration of the Assembly and serving as the highest court for criminal cases. 
   
  The Assembly consisted of all adult male citizens. They rejected or approved the proposals of the 
  Council and elected all the public officials except the kings. The highest authority belonged to five men 
  known as the ephorate. They decided how property should be distributed, made all the decisions 
  regarding the educational system, had veto power over all proposals, and decided whether a king 
  should be deposed or not. 
   
  Approximately one-twentieth of the population was the ruling class, descendants of the 
  Dorian conquerors known as spartiates or “equals”. These were the only Spartans with political 
  privileges. People who had once been allies of Sparta or from vassal states were known as perioeci or 
  “dwellers around”. They were the only ones allowed to practice manufacturing and carry on trade. The 
  helots were bound to the soil. Though they were allowed to keep for themselves part of what they 
  raised for their Spartan overlords, they were treated like slaves. 
   
  Young spartiates were sometimes sent to live among the helots in disguise. They acted as spies or like 
  secret police to avert another uprising. These young men had been given permission to kill anyone they 
  deemed necessary to maintain Sparta’s control over the Messenians. Though they were the ruling class, 
  the spartiates underwent rigorous and brutal training and were almost slaves to the state themselves. 
   
  At birth, they were all examined to determine if they would be weaklings. If so, they were taken into 
  the hills to die. Males began their schooling at age seven, but their education was limited almost 
  exclusively to military training. Girls had greater freedom than in many other Greek states, as they 
  were encouraged to exercise to make themselves fit to be the mates and mothers of the Spartan men. 
  Hardship was encouraged to inure both men and women to the pains and deprivations of war. Men 
  between the ages of 20 and 60 had to spend most of their time in state service. 
   
  Marriage was expected, though young men lived in barracks and ate in military mess halls. For her 
  part, a wife was expected to produce healthy offspring, though if they were male, they were taken away 
  to be educated as soldiers when they reached age seven. Male or female, the spartiates all took fierce 
  pride in their status as the ruling class. 
   
  
   
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  The state claimed the best land and divided it into estates which were given to the spartiates as equally 
  as possible. The helots who worked the land were also state property and were assigned to their master 
  along with the land. The spartiates were forbidden to engage in any business except agriculture, so the 
  helots’ labour supported the entire ruling class. Spartan law forbade selling a helot outside the country 
  or awarding a helot his freedom. Politically and socially, then, the Spartans were insular and 
  conservative. Their greatest rival was a study in opposites. 
   
  Athens 
  Attica, the region in which Athens lay, did not suffer the Dorian invasion. The city prospered from 
  silver mines nearby and enough farmland to raise some grain, grapes, and olives. The harbour at 
  Peiraeas opened the city to a future in trade. In the eighth century B.C., Athens began to import large 
  quantities of grain to feed her populace. Olive oil, marble, pottery, and finished products were 
  exported. 
   
  Though originally under a monarchy, over time the large land owners formed the Council of the 
  Areopagus, which quickly became the dominant power. Once in power, they abolished the monarchy. 
  Because the council members were wealthy, they were able to survive the relatively long time it took 
  for olive orchards and vineyards to produce usable crops. Imported grain was quite costly, and most 
  people could not afford it. Small farmers were forced into debt, into serfdom, or into outright slavery 
  when they could not repay the debts they had incurred. 
   
  The urban middle class sided with the peasants and called for governmental reform. Aside from the 
  Council, the senior officials of Athens were called archons. They served as magistrates, administering 
  the law. In 594 B.C., to address the concerns of the people, an aristocrat named Solon was appointed 
  chief magistrate and empowered to make reforms. Solon changed the laws written by Draco over a 
  century before, and wrote a constitution for Athens. Among the alterations was the establishment of a 
  council known as the Four Hundred, which admitted the middle class as members. The lower classes 
  were given the right to serve in the Assembly. A final court of appeals for criminal cases was created 
  which was open to everyone and elected by popular vote of all free adult males. 
   
  Some of Solon’s most significant reforms were to cancel existing debts of poor farmers and to outlaw 
  enslavement for debt from that point on. The amount of land which an individual could own was 
  restricted, and a new system of coinage was introduced. Athenian citizenship privileges were offered to 
  any foreign craftsmen who would set up permanent residence in Athens, and all men were instructed to 
  teach their sons a craft or trade. 
   
  Though they were accepted, Solon’s reforms failed to please everyone. The nobles complained that 
  their powers had been reduced, while the middle and lower classes complained because the Council of 
  Areopagus still held power. Public outcry and discontent eventually led to the takeover by Athens’ first 
  tyrant, Peisistratus, who promised stable government and enrichment of the city. In 560 B.C., 
  Peisistratus, backed by a great many citizens, usurped the government of Athens. Called a tyrant 
  because he had acted illegally in taking control, Peisistratus ruled as a benevolent dictator. Under his 
  rule, the City Dionysia was begun and the power of the nobles was further reduced. His son Hippias 
  was cruel, however, and in 510 B.C., he was overthrown by a group of nobles who received aid from 
  Sparta. 
   
  A noble named Cleisthenes emerged as the leader, and two years later he presented his reforms to the 
  people. Cleisthenes has been called the ”father of Athenian democracy” because his reforms granted 
  full citizenship rights to all free men living in Athens. A new council was formed to act as the main 
  governmental power, with control over the administrative portions of government and the power to 
  prepare proposals to the Assembly. 
   
  Members of the Council were chosen by lot, and any male citizen over 30 was eligible. The authority 
  of the Assembly was also expanded. It could request money for certain projects, reject or approve 
  proposals made by the council, and declare war. 
   
  More reforms continued as the common people found themselves in control of their own lives for the 
  first time. In 487 B.C., they instituted ostracism, which allowed a popular vote to exile anyone deemed 
  dangerous to the state for 10 years. In 462 B.C., the man who was to guide Athens through her golden 
  age rose to power. 
  
   
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  Pericles was elected Chief Strategus (president or chief general) of the Board of Ten Generals chosen 
  by the Assembly. These were the commanders of the army and the chief legislators for Athens. Under 
  Pericles, the Assembly was given the right to initiate proposals as well as approving or rejecting those 
  of the Council. Magistrates’ powers were reduced to simply officiating over trials rather than acting as 
  the judge. Instead, at the start of a new year, a list of 6,000 citizens was chosen by lot. From this, juries 
  were formed to hear cases, though unlike modern juries, these ranged in size from 201 to 1,001 men 
  who met to hear a particular trial. Majority vote decided the final verdict. 
   
  Despite the many new freedoms given to the citizens of Athens, many were disenfranchised. The 
  citizen population of Athens was a minority which consisted only of free males. Women, foreign 
  residents, and slaves were all excluded. At this time in its history, Athens, birthplace of democracy, had 
  about 50,000 citizens and 100,000 slaves. It has been argued that without slaves to perform the manual 
  labour of the city, Athenians would never have had the leisure time to develop the arts, theories of 
  government, and philosophies which became their crowning achievements. Regardless of how many 
  slaves Athens possessed, however, Sparta was suspicious of Athenian ideas of freedom. 
   
  In 445 B.C., Sparta and Athens agreed to a 30-year truce. Athens continued with her empire-building, 
  however, and Sparta came to distrust about Athenian intentions. Where Athens was progressive and 
  expansionist, with an advanced urban culture, Sparta was conservative, inclined to protection rather 
  than expansion, and still tied to agriculture. Athenians revelled in their freedoms, while Sparta proudly 
  continued its policy of self-denial and sacrifice. To Athenians, Sparta was old-fashioned, barbaric, and 
  reactionary; Sparta saw Athens as wanting control over the Peloponnesian states and inciting the helots 
  to rebellion with their dangerous new ideas. The spark which lit the Peloponnesian War, however, was 
  not a direct result of their cultural differences, but Athens’ attempt to control the Corinthian Gulf, the 
  main trade route to Sicily and Italy. 
   
  Corinth, Sparta’s chief ally, contested the attempt, and playing on Sparta’s fears of Athenian 
  imperialism persuaded Sparta to make war on Athens. In 431 B.C., Sparta’s army invaded Attica, 
  prepared to do battle. Pericles persuaded Athenians not to join battle, but to withdraw behind Athens’ 
  walls. Knowing they could not defeat Sparta’s army in a land battle, they resolved to meet them at sea 
  and provide for the city by importing grain from the Black Sea region and Egypt. The Spartans 
  devastated the land, then left. They continued forays for six years. 
   
  From 430 to 423 B.C., plague came to Athens probably brought aboard the grain ships from Egypt. A 
  quarter of the population of Athens died cooped up behind their walls, among them Pericles who had 
  guided Athens for over 30 years. He was succeeded by Cleon and Nicias. They continued Pericles’ 
  plan, refusing to meet the Spartans on land while winning several battles at sea, and refused to accept 
  Sparta’s suit for peace. 
   
  After a series of inconclusive battles, the Peace of Nicias between Athens and Sparta was made in 421 
  B.C. It was to last for 50 years. Apparently believing itself free to resume its expansion, Athens 
  invaded Sicily and lay siege to Syracuse. Sicily appealed to Sparta for help, and in 415 B.C., the war 
  resumed. The next year, the Athenian army in Sicily was destroyed, and its general Nicias was 
  executed for his incompetence. 
   
  Wishing to punish Athens for earlier insults and interferences, and seeking to regain power in Asia 
  Minor, Persia offered to finance Sparta’s fleet in return for recognition of Persia’s claim to the Ionian 
  states of Asia Minor. Since these states had traditionally been allied with Athens, Sparta quickly 
  agreed. With Athens’ army demolished, Sparta now looked to vanquish her at sea. With military 
  precision, Sparta set about cutting off Athens’ shipments and forcing naval battles. 
   
  The Spartans extended a final offer, which was rejected. At Aegospotami, the Spartans destroyed 
  Athens’ navy in 405 B.C. A year later, its grain supplies cut off, left without an army or navy, its 
  trading empire in ruins, starving Athens surrendered unconditionally. 
   
  Athens was placed under the rule of a group of pro-Spartans known as the Thirty Tyrants, her 
  fortifications were destroyed, and she was made a subject state of Sparta. Sparta now held sway over 
  all of Greece and set up oligarchies which were supported by Spartan troops in place of democracies. 
  They confiscated property and executed those who opposed them. Though Athens overthrew the Thirty 
  Tyrants within a year and re-established their democracy, most of the rest of Greece was dominated by 
  
   
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  Sparta for 30 years. Athens would never recover her political power, but continued as a centre for 
  intellectual and artistic achievement. 
   
  In 400 B.C., Sparta sent mercenaries to aid the King of Persia’s brother Cyrus in his bid for the throne. 
  Defeated at Cunaxa, the Greek army of 10,000 managed an epic retreat under General Xenophon. 
  Nevertheless, this signalled war with Persia. In 395 B.C., a coalition of Athens, Thebes, Corinth, and 
  Argos, reacting to years of Spartan abuse, was formed. Funded by Persia, the coalition met Sparta in 
  battle the next year at Coronea. Sparta’s great general Agesilaus barely managed to defeat the coalition 
  troops. Persia, beset elsewhere, eventually let the war wane. 
   
  In 371 B.C., the Theban army under their great general Epaminondas defeated Sparta at the Battle of 
  Leuctra. This signalled a decline in Sparta’s fortunes from which it never recovered. Thebes briefly 
  gained ascendancy, and began the same sorts of abuses as the Spartans. Once again the other states rose 
  to battle, and in 362 B.C., they fought at Mantinea. The battle was inconclusive, with both sides 
  claiming victory, but Epaminondas was killed; left leaderless, the Thebans were unable to hold onto 
  their gains 
   
  All the bickering and constant warfare had left the great city-states exhausted and weak, however, and 
  by 350 B.C., they began to feel the shadow of the power looming to the north, as Philip of Macedon, 
  father of Alexander the Great, began his bid to rule Greece.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  LIFE IN ANCIENT GREECE 
   
  The world of the ancient Greeks was a small one. The area which they inhabited was seen as the centre 
  of the earth, and their knowledge of other lands encompassed those areas which faced upon the 
  Mediterranean, Black, Caspian, and Aegean Seas, the northern shores of the Indian Ocean, and Nubia. 
  Legend told of other lands to the north which were inhabited by those the Hellenes called the 
  Hyperboreans, a happy race who dwelt always in light. The Greeks’ whole world was less than a tenth 
  of the globe. 
   
  Travel and communications were slow and hazardous. The mountainous terrain which covered much of 
  the Greek mainland made travel overland at best arduous and at worst impossible. Like the Minoans 
  and Mycenaeans, the Greeks had to rely on watercraft if they wished to travel very far from home. 
  Since the Hellenes lacked the navigational instruments to allow them to sail straight to a destination 
  across the sea, they hugged the coast whenever possible and depended on landmarks and islands to find 
  their bearings. Still, travel from Peiraeus harbour to Egypt only took two days.  
   
  Climate 
  Greece was blessed with an abundance of clear, sunny days and warm weather tempered by sea 
  breezes. Rainfall was minimal, resulting in much land that was stony and almost barren and rivers 
  which dried up in the hot summer months. This severely limited the crops which could be raised in the 
  more mountainous areas, such as Attica. 
   
  On the other hand, such an agreeable climate meant that from early spring until mid-December, the 
  Greeks spent most of their time outdoors. This allowed the Hellenes to develop themselves physically, 
  through regular exercise, and mentally and politically from their ability to meet together in large 
  numbers and spend time outside the confines of their own houses. 
   
  Much of their grace and many of their accomplishments were made possible by the balmy climate. The 
  graceful lines of their clothing and sandals were possible because they did not have to wear bulky 
  garments to protect them from the cold. In like manner, they could attend day-long outdoor dramas 
  without freezing from cold or boiling in the sun. Even their simple architecture focused on a central 
  open court, a design particularly suited to a warm and sunny country. 
   
  Greek Houses 
  Most Greek houses were built along a similar pattern, which varied according to the wealth of the 
  owner and whether or not the house was in the city or country. In general, city houses were smaller 
  than those in the country because space in the city was more limited, and orchards and livestock were 
  not kept within the confines of the house. 
   
  City houses presented a plain front. Most were one-story rectangles with no external windows and a 
  plain, solid front door. Usually, the narrower side faced the street. Carved on the lintel above the door, 
  there was always an inscription such as “Let no evil enter here!” In wealthier homes, the door was 
  guarded by a porter and his dog, both of whom gave scant greetings to unwelcome visitors. 
   
  A short hallway led out to the central portion of the house, the courtyard. In wealthier houses, there 
  were usually two courts (aulae), one for the men folk, known as the andronitis (the court of the men), 
  and one for the women called the gynaeconifis (hall of the women). The andronitis served as a sort of 
  living room for the house. Around the open space was a line of columns, and on very hot days, an 
  awning covered the area. In the centre of the area was a small altar and statue to Zeus Herkeios (Zeus 
  the Protector) upon which the father of the house would make offerings. The walls of the courtyard 
  were washed with a light tint, and the floor was made of plaster or, in poorer homes, of hard-packed 
  earth. 
   
  Around the sides were rooms, often little more than cells where the older sons of the house and the 
  male slaves slept. Some were also used for storage. These chambers were very small and usually were 
  lit only by their doors which opened onto the court. The master of the house received visitors in the 
  andronitis, and the male slaves worked there. In some households, women joined their men folk for 
  company in the andronitis, though in later times, women were not allowed to be present when visitors 
  called. 
  
   
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  Directly beyond the andronitis was a large room known as the andron, the dining hall. In this area was 
  a small altar sacred to Hestia, the hearth goddess. At each meal, offerings of a little of the food and 
  drink were sacrificed to her. The master of the house would entertain guests for dinner or for symposia 
  (elaborate dinners followed by discussions, stories, and entertainment, usually held as a celebration). 
  Wives, daughters, and female slaves of the household were not allowed to attend meals or 
  entertainments which included guests who were not members of the family. 
   
  In the rear wall of the andron was set a solid door which led to the women’s quarters. In a larger house, 
  this consisted of the gynaeconitis, the courtyard in which much of the spinning and weaving took place 
  and in which the younger children played. Small rooms also surrounded the gynaeconitis and served to 
  house the female slaves and the younger children. At the very rear was the kitchen. On the side nearest 
  the front of the house was found a larger room called the thalamos, the great bedroom of the master 
  and mistress. Adult unmarried daughters slept in a similar nearby bedroom known as the antithalameq. 
   
  In very wealthy homes, there might be a small fenced-in garden in the rear. In poorer houses, the 
  women’s quarters had no court, but would simply be a screened-off back portion of the house or might 
  even be on a second story which was reached by a staircase ascending from the andron. Those of even 
  poorer means might simply have an entry door set in the street wall between two shops. These led to a 
  very small court which opened onto a few tiny rooms. 
   
  Though constructed along much the same pattern, country houses were usually larger, since there was 
  more space and more need for room, since the land served as a farm. Around the basic design were 
  ranged barns, pigsties, granaries, stables, and housing for the slaves and hands who worked the farm. 
  Around these stretched the fields, vineyards, and orchards. Further off were small huts and enclosures 
  which served as housing for shepherds and for the livestock in bad weather. 
   
  Furnishings 
  Most of the furnishings of the Greek house were simple and elegant in design. Carved beds, couches, 
  backless chairs and stools, and tables comprised the majority of the home’s furnishings, with large 
  carved chests serving in lieu of dressers and closets. Pegs along the walls served to hold everyday 
  clothing. 
   
  Placed among these were terra cotta oil lamps, beautiful pottery and serving dishes and silver cups. 
  Oriental carpets were used as wall hangings or bed coverings, and on festival days, brilliant tapestries 
  were hung. In the andron, there was at least one finely carved dining couch inlaid with silver or with 
  gold, and in some grander houses the walls were decorated with brightly coloured frescoes. 
   
  Though the home was gracious, the master paid little attention to it, as he was rarely at home other than 
  to eat or sleep. It was the woman who oversaw all domestic tasks. 
   
  Greek Clothing 
  All Greek clothing was wrapped around the body and held in place by pins called fibulae, which were 
  like safety pins. Most clothes were made of very finely woven wool, though some linen was also in 
  use. Men and women both wore chitons, single pieces of cloth woven to the proper length, folded in the 
  centre, wrapped around the body, and secured at the shoulders and sides by fibulae. Some were worn 
  without sleeves; others had either short or long sleeves. These too were fastened down their length by 
  fibulae. 
   
  Men’s chitons tended to be shorter than women’s, though Spartan girls wore the short chiton. They 
  were worn straight (as in Sparta) or with a belt which allowed the wearer to pull some of the chiton up 
  over the belt to form a bloused effect and to drape the folds created by the belt artfully. Craftsmen and 
  farmers usually wore only a short chiton which would not interfere with their work. 
   
  Over the chiton, a himation, a sort of long mantle, could be worn. Women were expected to wear one 
  for reasons of modesty, but they also provided extra warmth during the short winter. The himation was 
  also wrapped around the body and either tucked over the shoulder and secured or held in one hand (a 
  mark of nobility, since this implied the wearers had nothing more important to do with their hands, 
  such as work). Women sometimes pulled their himations up over their heads to form a hood. Round-
  brimmed hats were added in inclement weather. 
   
  
   
  - 15 -
  Young men and travellers often wore the chlamys, a semicircular cape which was open down one side 
  and had an armhole on the other. Daring young men wore nothing but the chlamys, though others used 
  it as a cloak to ward off the effects of foul weather. 
   
  The modern assumption helped on by countless Hollywood films, black and white pictures in history 
  books, and by the pristine white marble sculptures left from that time, is that all Greeks wore white. 
  Though white was a favoured colour, the Hellenes’ usual clothing featured many colours. Blue, purple, 
  yellow, red, rust, brown, black, green, and a sort of magenta were all known and used. 
   
  Furthermore, most people could afford to have their clothes embroidered and even white items were 
  decorated with colourful designs along the sides or bottom. Nor were their statues originally so 
  colourless. They were painted in lifelike colours, and the statue of Athena on the Acropolis was gifted 
  with a beautifully embroidered new chiton and himation woven each year by the noblewomen of 
  Athens specifically to fit the statue. 
   
  Footwear 
  Footwear consisted of leather sandals with a sole and straps or thongs which laced up the leg. Most 
  people went barefoot in the house and wore sandals only when they went out. The widespread use of 
  sandals rather than shoes is reputed to be the reason why Hellenes had such shapely feet and ankles, 
  and why that was considered a sign of beauty. 
   
  Boots were used in very cold weather, when travelling, or occasionally when engaged in warfare. They 
  were made of strips of leather attached to a leather sole. The laces fastened over the leather, and the 
  toes were left open. 
   
  Hair 
  Hairstyles for both men and women changed over time. In Minoan and Mycenaean times, men and 
  women both wore their hair in long elaborate curls. All the men wore curled beards. The Dorians also 
  wore long hair, and their descendants, the Spartans, always combed out their long hair before going 
  into battle to show their disdain for their enemies. Most other Greek males clipped their hair short as 
  soon as they were accorded the status of being men, so as to give enemy soldiers nothing to grab in 
  battle. 
   
  Throughout the time period, women wore their hair long. Several styles were developed which 
  depended upon tying the hair up off the neck with ribbons. Most hairstyles stayed in vogue and could 
  be seen in use from the eighth to the fourth century B.C. Both men and women’s hair was regularly 
  treated with scented oil. 
   
  Though dark hair predominated, there were some blond Greeks as well. Auburn hair was thought to be 
  very beautiful and desirable, and several darker-haired men and women arranged to give themselves 
  auburn or blond hair through having their hair bleached and dyed! Men took care to keep their beards 
  curled, short, and neat. 
   
  Jewellery 
  Men usually confined themselves to wearing gold or silver chains, silver, gold or electrum armbands, 
  and pins made of precious metals and jewels. Some wore rings. Wealthy women adorned themselves 
  with gold, silver, or electrum bracelets, necklaces, earrings, anklets, armbands, clasps, pins, and 
  diadems. These usually showcased gemstones, but might have faience or lesser stones such as Egyptian 
  lapis lazuli. Even poorer women might have a bronze diadem or copper bracelet which would be 
  lovingly kept and polished to be worn at public festivals or when making important sacrifices. 
   
  A young boy might be given a copper or bronze armband, and a girl might have some small jewels 
  sewn into her sandal laces or be given a small, stoneless ring. 
   
  Daily Life 
  The daily life of Greeks differed greatly depending on the time period, location, and the social station 
  and sex of the person in question. The life led by the Spartans has already been mentioned, and the 
  description of Greek houses includes clues as to the limited opportunities for women. It is impossible in 
  a short gaming reference to cover all the possible lifestyles, though a few are represented here. 
   
  
   
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  Women 
  Tradeswomen and slaves had to work for a living. Those of the poorer classes usually had booths or 
  corners in the agora (marketplace) where they sold their wares. Slaves did domestic chores, were 
  concubines, and worked wool. Free women grew up with the expectation of marriage and were trained 
  to manage a household. To them fell the task of overseeing all the slaves of the household, acting as 
  peacemaker in any of their disputes, and making sure the day-to-day arrangements for comfort were 
  made. 
   
  The women had to care for and educate the young and instruct their daughters in the duties of a wife. 
  Not least among their tasks were weaving cloth and embroidering clothing for the family. Most women 
  were at least literate, and many had some rudimentary knowledge of numbers as well. They were 
  expected to act as stewards of the house, keeping track of supplies and accounting for expenditures. 
   
  Women were not allowed to go to the agora nor, at one time, could they participate in or observe the 
  athletic games, though they were encouraged to fully participate in public processions. Several 
  religious rites and observances throughout the year were reserved exclusively for them. Though they 
  were not allowed to attend the bawdy comedies, their presence at the tragedies was not questioned. 
   
  The Helots 
  There were actually two kinds of helots (serfs) to be found under Spartan rule: the ones of Laconia, the 
  home state of Sparta, and those of Messenia. The former, though tied to the land, had privileges which 
  recompensed them. They were required to turn over a fixed amount of their crop to their overlord, 
  which usually amounted to about one-third of the harvest. Though this made life difficult in poorer 
  years, they still had to turn over only the fixed amount in abundant ones, and could sell any extra for 
  profit for themselves. They could improve the property and even raise their own goats or sheep along 
  with their master’s herds. Further, their tie to the land was as much for their protection as for Spartan 
  convenience. They couldn’t be ousted from land. It was their hereditary right to farm. Further, they 
  often served as auxiliaries in war, and particular bravery or talent in warfare might win them freedom 
  and a place among the citizenry. 
   
  Messenian helots were treated far more harshly. Conquered by the Spartans, they rose in revolt, were 
  crushed, and were forced into a terrible servitude as a result. They were slaves of the state and were 
  assigned to their masters along with the land they were to work. Their labour provided the sole support 
  for their overlords, which amounted to at least half the crop. As some land had to lie fallow each year, 
  their portion of the crop yield might become smaller and smaller. 
   
  They couldn’t be sold outside the country or freed, and they had no rights. They arose long before 
  dawn, went to the fields, and laboured until dark. Any who were suspected of posing a threat to the 
  state could be summarily executed by any Spartan. The helots’ lives were harsh and brutal, consisting 
  of backbreaking work, poor rations, and no chance for betterment. Nor could their children look 
  forward to any other way of life. It is little wonder they were always ripe for revolt. 
   
  Artisans, Craftsmen, and Merchants 
  Many types of craftsmen were found in ancient Greece. Blacksmiths, goldsmiths, potters, leather 
  workers, armourers, chariot makers, and carpenters were either citizens or mastics (resident foreigners) 
  in Athens or were like the pevioeci in Sparta. They formed a middle class between the aristocrats and 
  the peasants. To their number were added the small merchants, sellers of grain, produce, bread, wine, 
  oil, charcoal, fish, myrtles (flowers), and slaves. All of these spent their mornings in the agora selling 
  their wares. As many of the Athenians were full citizens, those who could do so usually spent their 
  mornings attending the assembly or sitting in judgment at a trial while their slaves, junior workers, or 
  children watched their booths. Some had the leisure to spend their afternoons at a gymnasium. Those 
  who were less affluent worked at their craft or oversaw junior workers or slaves who did all the labour 
  except for the most exacting details. 
   
  The produce sellers were farmers who arose before dawn to bring their wares to the market and who 
  returned to work their fields once their business in the agora was concluded (sometime before noon). 
  The fishermen were awake and working long before dawn. They usually fished with nets strung 
  between two boats, but some line fishing was done as well. They brought their catch up to the market. 
  When the morning crowds had thinned and the fishermen had sold their wares, they usually returned to 
  make repairs to their boats and nets. 
  
   
  - 17 -
  Of all the sellers in the agora, the bread makers, the fish sellers, and the flower girls commanded the 
  most popularity. Everyone needed bread and fish daily, and a supply of garlands was considered to be 
  absolutely indispensable. Garlands were used to honour the altar of Zeus Herkeios in the home and for 
  other statues and altars throughout the city. No social function, from the birth of a child to a wedding to 
  a symposium to a great festival, took place without garlands for the guests and celebrants. These were 
  usually made of myrtle or ivy and entwined with various flowers such as white violets, narcissi, lilies, 
  crocuses, blue hyacinths, or roses, though oak leaves were considered proper for honouring Zeus, and 
  laurel was used for Apollo. 
   
  In the agora, the wares were found in circles, small areas reserved for one particular type of craft or 
  goods. Those who could afford more permanent businesses or who needed more substantial spaces to 
  practice their trade might be found along particular streets where all of the businesses of that type were 
  located. Barbers’ shops, smithies, tanneries, and physicians’ offices were among these. Some had 
  booths in the agora as well as their regular shops. Most craftsmen kept only a few readymade items on 
  hand to show the quality of their wares. Almost all work was done to order. 
   
  Children 
  Both female and male children lived in the women’s quarters until they were seven years old. They 
  were educated by their mothers and by nursemaids whose sole duty was to oversee them and teach 
  them civilized behaviour. Spartan nursemaids were considered superior for raising young boys, as they 
  did the best job of instilling discipline in the children. At the age of seven, the boys’ lives changed 
  dramatically. While the girls stayed at home and learned weaving, sewing, embroidering, and house 
  management, the boys were sent to school. 
   
  In Sparta, this meant their first assignment to a barracks, where they spent most of the rest of their 
  lives. The boys were given a little more schooling in reading, writing, poetry, numbers, and the sacred 
  warrior songs and group dances, but most of their education was focused on making them fit for 
  military duty. The emphasis in Sparta was on exercise and games which inured them to hardship and 
  suffering. Flogging was frequent and thought to be important in toughening them for the hardships they 
  would face throughout their lives. 
   
  When he reached the age of 19, a Spartan boy was initiated in the rite known as the cryptogam. He was 
  sent out naked and weaponless to live for a year in the wilderness. During this time, he was not 
  supposed to be seen by anyone, but was to learn self-sufficiency, cunning, and survival. When he 
  returned, he was considered a man, accorded a place in the army, and endowed with the privileges of 
  citizenship. Originally, the crypfos (the one undergoing the crypteia) was not allowed to return until he 
  had killed an enemy. This may have taken the form of executing a helot considered dangerous to the 
  state. Eventually, this practice ceased. 
   
  Boys in Athens received a more well-rounded education. Though attention was given to reading, 
  writing, poetry, music, and gymnastics, it was considered far more important to teach young men 
  morals and good character. 
   
  Each boy was given a pedagogue, a slave or old family servant whose job it was to accompany the boy 
  whenever he went out, go with him to school, carry his books, help him with lessons, and administer 
  punishments as needed. The school master, the pedagogue, the harp master, and the gymnastics master 
  all tried to instil in the boy an appreciation of harmony and beauty, patriotism, dignity, loyalty, and 
  modesty. Development of mind and body were considered equally important. 
   
  Mornings were spent at the school, where the emphasis was on learning the poetry of Homer. The Iliad 
  and The Odyssey served as primers and moral guidance references as well as historical and 
  geographical texts for the boys. Those whose fathers wished them to study philosophy were taught 
  more than elementary arithmetic, learning geometry. As they grew older, they began more complex 
  studies with the philosophers or orators. Later in the morning, the boys ate a quick meal, and then went 
  to the harp master where they learned music, choral singing, instrument playing, the group dances 
  which were part of religious festivals, and the basics of public speaking. 
   
  Afternoons belonged to gymnastics. The boys went to the palaestrus (wrestling grounds) found near 
  the outskirts of the city, where they were trained in wrestling, running, jumping, boxing, discus 
  throwing, and javelin tossing. Additionally, they were given training in simple military manoeuvres. 
  
   
  - 18 -
  Those whose athletic prowess hinted that they might be victorious in the games usually specialized in 
  one area, though training in all the gymnastic arts was still required. At the close of this instruction, it 
  was time to return home for the large meal of the day and to bed. 
   
  Once these civilizing influences had their effect on him, the boy's father began taking him along to 
  public gatherings to teach him the workings of the government. By age 18, the boy had learned what 
  his place in the life of the city would be and readied himself to assume that position. He was then 
  enrolled in his father's deme (a petty township or precinct of the city), his hair was clipped short, and he 
  allowed his beard to grow. The final training for him came in the form of military service. He went to 
  the temple with the other boys of his age and took an oath of loyalty to the city and its laws. For the 
  next year, he served as a guard at the Peiraeus (the port and guarded harbour for Athens), was given 
  military training, and was called an ephebus. The next year, the state presented him with a shield and 
  spear and assigned him to garrison duty on the border of his state's territory. After that year, he was 
  freed from state military service, though he might still be called up for duty whenever there was need. 
  He was now considered to be a full citizen of his state, with all the rights and responsibilities accorded 
  a free man. 
   
  Slaves 
  The slaves of Sparta were the Messenian helots, who have already been discussed. Other cities’ slaves 
  were more like those of Athens, which provide the model given here. Slaves provided much of the 
  work done during the time of the city-states. They worked the mines, loaded and unloaded cargo from 
  the ships, cultivated the fields, performed household chores, rowed many of the galleys, served as 
  junior craftsmen to many of the artisans, acted as personal attendants, and performed as entertainers. It 
  has been estimated that Athens had twice the number of male slaves as free men and even more slave 
  women. Though the women did not perform the heavier physical labour, they served as craft assistants, 
  entertainers, attendants, and cloth makers. Many slaves were trusted enough to run small shops for their 
  masters. 
   
  The majority of slaves were non-Greeks from Asia Minor or the Black Sea region. Wars there provided 
  many war captives, and piracy and raiding kept the supply coming during peacetime. Other sources for 
  slaves were Greek war captives, abandoned children, and at one point the families of bankrupt debtors. 
  The slaves that brought the highest prices were children and young adults who had marketable skills. 
  Able-bodied men who were trained to fight were usually sent to work in the mines or on the galleys 
  where they could cause the least trouble. 
   
  Depending upon his placement, the slave’s life was either truly miserable or fairly comfortable. Work 
  on the galleys and in the mines usually meant poor rations, hard work, and an early death. Placement 
  with a craftsman or farmer meant long hours, but better rations and a degree of respect for the slave’s 
  skills. Best of all was to be sold as a household or state-owned slave. 
   
  Most moderately wealthy Athenians had somewhere between 10 and 20 house slaves who often served 
  as stewards, porters, bakers, cooks, nurses, pedagogues, weavers, personal attendants, and maids. 
  Though slaves could be whipped, no master was allowed to put one to death. The slaves were counted 
  as part of the family and allowed to participate in the family’s sacrifices to the gods. They were also 
  allowed to visit the temples, though they were barred from the gymnasia and the assembly. Usually, 
  they dressed no differently from poorer Athenians and had no outward sign that they were slaves rather 
  than free men. Faithful service was rewarded with freedom often enough that most slaves tried to be 
  loyal and helpful to their masters. Once freed, they were not given citizenship, but were accounted as 
  metics (resident foreigners). As such, the former slave had his former master or other citizen represent 
  him in all legal business. 
   
  Some of the more unpleasant aspects of life for slaves were that they had no right to marry, and though 
  their testimony was acceptable in court, they were allowed to give it only under torture, as it was 
  assumed slaves could not be trusted to tell the truth otherwise. Though society frowned on mistreating 
  slaves, there were enough cruel masters that a law was enacted which allowed slaves to flee to the 
  Temple of Theseus when grievously wronged. Once there, slaves could claim the privilege of being 
  sold to a different master. 
   
  Some slaves also served the city directly and were considered the property of the state rather than of an 
  individual. The first “public servants’’, they were clerks in the treasury office, executioners, coin 
  
   
  - 19 -
  makers in Athens mint, and keepers of the rolls and provider: of payment to those citizens attending the 
  assembly or working as jurists. 
   
  Most interestingly, the Scythian bowmen who acted as the police force for Athens and who numbered 
  1,200 were all slaves. Their duties included patrolling the city at night keeping the peace, making 
  arrests, apprehending criminals, overseeing the agora to make certain laws were kept, and acting to 
  keep order in the assembly and the courts. The safety of the city was in their hands, and they also 
  served as auxiliaries in wartime. 
   
  Aristocrats 
  Spartan aristocrats spent their days in military training and service to the city. Though they formed the 
  aristocracy, the spartiate were, for all practical purposes, slaves to the state. In the other cities, the 
  pattern followed that of Athens more closely. A typical day for a moderately wealthy Athenian began 
  before dawn with a light breakfast of bread, wine, and perhaps a few figs. Following this, the women 
  retired to their part of the house and began the day’s chores. The master of the house, accompanied by 
  his market slave(s), visited the agora. There, the flimsy booths which could be torn down every night 
  were erected again, and craftsmen’s wares or produce were displayed. 
   
  Other aristocrats mingled with the farmers and their laden donkeys, slave girls fetching water, flower 
  girls selling newly woven garlands, and fishermen up from the Peiraeus harbour with their fresh 
  catches. Schoolboys, followed by their pedagogues, pushed quickly through on their way to their 
  lessons, and peddlers moved smoothly among the booths selling medicinal remedies from trays or 
  baskets hung around their necks. 
   
  The Boule (the council of 500 which aided the magistrates), the Jury Courts, and the Public Assembly 
  all met at sunrise when they were needed. If he was to serve in one of these, the aristocrat went to the 
  appointed place to fulfil his public duties. If he was not serving or if the sessions were not meeting, the 
  Athenian gentleman took his place in one of the stoa (covered walkways) found on the sides of the 
  agora. Everyone knew everyone else, and he met with friends, heard news, exchanged gossip, pondered 
  philosophies, and discussed pleasantries with his friends while the day’s shopping was done by his 
  slave(s). 
   
  If planning a celebration or a symposium for that evening, he invited those whom he wished to attend 
  and would oversee the buying of the foodstuffs and the hiring of entertainers for the party himself. 
  Almost no women were found in the agora. Slaves went where they were told, but respectable women 
  in Athens, even those of modest means, avoided the agora and did not do the shopping for the 
  household. 
   
  Most men went to the barber shops near the agora to have their hair and beard trimmed and shaped, and 
  many went daily to have sweet smelling oil or perfume worked into their hair. Another attraction was 
  the barber himself and his other customers, many of whom knew rumours which the aristocrat’s other 
  friends had yet to hear. This was also true of the physician’s establishment, and many men included it 
  in their daily circuit as well. Finally, replete with the latest news and gossip, the man of means made 
  his way home. It was almost noon, and time for his midday meal. 
   
  The wealthy Athenian had several diversions in the afternoon. He and his family might stay at his farm 
  in the country for a few days, where he would oversee the harvest. He might go down to Peiraeus to 
  watch repairs being made on the ships there, to watch the city’s galleys go through their manoeuvres, 
  or even to take a swim. 
   
  If he was responsible for the upkeep of one of the city’s ships that year, he might go aboard or speak 
  with the captain about the needs of the ship and the crew. To fail to maintain the ship and crew in 
  perfect condition would not only cause him shame and sully his reputation, but he would also be held 
  responsible for any losses due to shoddy upkeep and might be forced to pay to rebuild the whole ship! 
   
  On days when a review was called, he spent his afternoon armed and armoured, practicing manoeuvres 
  with the other hoplites and cavalry. Failing the need to fulfil that obligation, he might opt for an 
  afternoon of exercise at the gymnasium. Like the boys, the men preferred to spend their afternoons 
  keeping themselves fit. Even the older men, whose physical prowess was not what it once was, might 
  engage in wrestling or footraces, though they took care not to lose their dignity while doing so. The 
  
   
  - 20 -
  gymnasium also provided a place where once again the aristocrat might find pleasant conversation as 
  well as physical challenges. As darkness neared, he started for home and the dinner which awaited him. 
   
  If he had not planned a dinner party or symposium for that evening, or if he himself had not been 
  invited out to one, he ate the large meal for the day in the company of his wife and children and then 
  retired to his bedchamber. If a symposium had been planned, he returned early from the gymnasium to 
  oversee the arrangements and to be on hand to greet the gests when they arrived at his home. 
   
  Dinner was followed by stories, dances, songs, discussions of the news and gossip, and entertainments 
  which included flute girls and acrobats or jugglers. Though all Greek wine was watered, enough was 
  served to assure that all the diners would feel talkative and jocular. All attendees except for the 
  entertainers were male, as women could not attend dinner parties which included other than family 
  members. After an evening of entertainment and a hearty dinner, the host saw his guests to the door 
  and then retired. 
   
  Though this was the usual pattern for the man of leisure, it was occasionally varied by calls to arms, 
  religious holidays and processions, and festival days spent attending either the games or the great 
  tragedies and comedies at the theatre. 
   
  Law Courts and Juries 
  The laws of most Hellenic cities were specific to each particular city. What was law in Athens might be 
  merely custom in Argos or illegal in Sparta. In Athens, where most of the populace was literate, the 
  laws were carved in stone in the agora for all to see. When new laws were proposed, the assembly 
  voted to accept or reject them, and ordinary citizens formed the juries which heard all but the most 
  serious criminal cases. Jurors took an oath before the proceedings in which they agreed to uphold the 
  laws and hear each side of the argument impartially before rendering a verdict. 
   
  Any full citizen had the right to prosecute anyone else, for everything from broken agreements up to 
  murder. Each man was responsible for stating his own case or making his own defence, though those 
  who had no talent in oration often hired a professional orator to speak for them or write their speeches. 
   
  Though there were penalties for spurious cases and perjury, a whole breed of false accusers called 
  sycophants arose who would prosecute anyone they thought was rich enough to make it worth their 
  while. If they won the case, they would be awarded some payment from the defendant. Even if they 
  barely had a case, they could sometimes reap a profit. Many practiced blackmail and took payments to 
  keep an embarrassing or potentially costly case out of court. 
   
  Each side was given the chance to speak and make their points in the case. They had to limit their 
  orations to the time allotted by the clepsydra (a water clock which functioned much like an hour glass). 
  When both sides had spoken, two urns with narrow mouths were passed among the members of the 
  jury. One was wood, the other bronze. Each juror had two round bronze disks, one of which was solid 
  and one which had a hole bored through the centre of it. 
   
  The solid one was used to vote for the innocence of the defendant, while the one with the hole was used 
  to denote a guilty verdict. The juror dropped the disk to be counted into the bronze urn and placed the 
  other in the wooden one. The bronze urn was then carried to the archon, and the votes were counted. 
   
  If there was no set penalty for a guilty verdict, the second part of the trial would proceed with each side 
  making counter-proposals as to the amount of the fine or the penalty to be paid. The jurors would then 
  vote for whichever one they believed was fairer, and that would be the penalty. The jury could not 
  choose to alter the amounts or penalty imposed; they could only vote for one proposal or the other. The 
  verdict was final, and there was no appeal. When the verdict had been rendered, each juror would be 
  paid his daily jury fee of three obols. 
   
  Trials for murder or manslaughter were the business of the Areopagus. If the death penalty was given 
  and the offender was a slave or barbarian, he would be killed in a painful and gruesome manner and his 
  corpse thrown into a pit on the outskirts of the city. Should the offender be an Athenian, however, he 
  was given a cup of hemlock juice to drink while sitting and conversing with his friends. The poison 
  slowly numbed him and he slipped painlessly into death, after which his friends and family could 
  decently bury him. 
  
   
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  The Ecclesia (Public Assembly) 
  The Public assembly met four times in every 35 days to conduct regular business. At least five days 
  notice was given of impending meetings, and a notice of the proposals to be discussed would be posted 
  in the agora. In an emergency, heralds would go through the streets crying out notice that the assembly 
  was meeting and a flag would be raised above the pynx (the assembly place). Soon thereafter, the 
  Scythian bowmen would march through the agora, sweeping up those who were tardy and putting them 
  on the road to the pynx. All the citizens of Athens who were at least 20 years old could attend. 
   
  Once the meeting was called to order, the proposal would be read and all those who wished to speak 
  for or against it would be given the chance to speak. To keep order, people were allowed to speak only 
  one at a time and had to go to the front to the speakers’ platform, where they were handed a wreath 
  which granted them the right to be the sole speaker. When that person was through, the president of the 
  assembly would call for others until all who wished to speak had done so. When this was finished, the 
  president called for a simple yes or no vote. If candidates were being selected, ballots would be handed 
  out. Once the vote was concluded, the assembly adjourned. 
   
  It is important to note that only full citizens could attend. Full citizens were defined as adult males 
  whose parents were themselves Athenian citizens (for this purpose, legitimate daughters of Athenian 
  citizens who were legally married to an Athenian citizen counted as “full citizens”). Resident aliens, 
  slaves, those with mixed parentage (one a citizen, one not), and women could not attend and had no 
  vote. 
   
  Customs 
  Several Greek customs arose from their superstitions and belief in the literal and immediate presence of 
  the gods. One custom, which has survived to the present day in the form of the saying “putting your 
  best foot forward”, was to always enter a house or other building with the right foot first. To enter “left-
  footed” was considered unlucky and a sign that disaster would soon follow. Another custom was to 
  take a goat, revile it, and imbue it through ritual with the sins of the community, then sacrifice it to the 
  gods, thus making it the scapegoat and diverting any due punishment to the animal rather than the 
  people. 
   
  The extending of hospitality was due as much to the lack of inns for travellers and the dangers of the 
  road as to the belief that one might be entertaining a god in disguise. Though in later days hospitality 
  was not offered as often as in the past, certain rules for behaviour were recognized in the host/guest 
  relationship. 
   
  When visitors came to the door seeking hospitality, even if they were unknown to the occupants of the 
  house, it was the custom to invite them inside. Before inquiring who the visitors might be or what 
  business they had, the host was obligated to have a servant or a daughter of the house bathe the visitors' 
  hands and feet with clean, scented water. Food and drink would then be offered-the best which the 
  house had to offer. 
   
  Only when the guests were settled and fed were they asked their names and business. The guests were 
  not obliged to tell the host this if they felt disinclined, though it was considered somewhat rude not to 
  answer civil questions. Usually, the guests told their names and their reason for seeking shelter when 
  first invited in, and would reward the host with news or stories or even fine wine and other gifts. 
   
  While the visitors remained guests, both host and visitors were constrained from doing anything which 
  would harm or hurt the other. When the guests were ready to leave (and thoughtful guests stayed no 
  longer than two nights unless expressly invited to do so), they usually received gifts from the host or 
  assistance on the next leg of their journey. In return, they might make a gift to the host or carry letters 
  or presents to distant relatives. 
   
  These customs were sacred, and to break them was to earn a reputation as a barbarian, one whose word 
  could not be trusted and who mocked the gods. Paris, the prince of Troy, broke this sacred trust when 
  he abducted Helen from the house of Menelaus, who had offered him shelter in his home. Even one's 
  worst enemies could claim shelter in this way, and host and guest were constrained to refrain from 
  hostilities during the hosting and for two days afterwards. 
   
  
   
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  The ideas of the scapegoat and of hospitality combined to produce a unique viewpoint of beggars. 
  Many beggars travelled from one city to another seeking a livelihood. Most kept a tame crow, which 
  was considered a child of Apollo and the excuse for feeding the beggar, was that people were giving 
  grain or bread to feed the “sacred” crow. The beggar himself was just a sort of tithe collector who 
  allowed people the chance to propitiate the god, a lucky occurrence. 
   
  Other beggars made themselves at home in only one city by fulfilling a public duty through inviting 
  themselves to dinner at various households. When a beggar, who was clad in rags as the symbol of his 
  office, presented himself at the door, he would be invited in. The other diners might throw a stool at 
  him or make fun of him (thus making him a kind of scapegoat). Once he had endured this, he was 
  allowed to share in the dinner and conversation. In return, the beggar was expected to call upon Zeus, 
  protector of those seeking hospitality, and implore him to fulfil the desires of such a good and generous 
  host. Thus did Odysseus disguise himself when he returned home from the Trojan War and his 
  wanderings. 
   
  Festivals 
  The Greeks had well over 30 important religious festivals, several of which extended over more than 
  one day. These were spent in processions, dancing, singing, spectacles (such as the great dramas), 
  making special sacrifices to the gods, and in athletic competitions. Two of particular note were the City 
  Dionysia of Athens and the Olympic games. 
   
  The City Dionysia 
  The City Dionysia was instituted during the reign of Peisitratus, the first Tyrant of Athens. In honour of 
  the wine god Dionysus, this festival attracted visitors from all over Greece. Held in the spring, it was 
  one of the most colourful festivals because of the enormous quantities of brightly coloured flowers 
  woven into wreaths and garlands for everyone. Great amounts of wine were consumed, and many 
  dancers, jugglers, and acrobats performed throughout the city. 
   
  The great attraction of this festival, however, was the competition in tragedies and comedies. On the 
  third day of the festival, everyone in Athens who could afford a seat attended the theatre. On the days 
  tragedies were performed, women were allowed to attend the theatre, as it was considered an uplifting 
  and educational experience. They were not allowed to attend the comedies, which were usually crude 
  and vulgar. 
   
  The theatre of Dionysus consisted of a series of wooden benches set around the southern slope of the 
  Acropolis. It held about 15,000 people. Below this was a large semicircular “dancing floor” about 90 
  feet in diameter, known as the orchestra. It was the place where the chorus and actors danced, sang, 
  and recited their lines. Behind the orchestra rose a low building or booth in which the actors changed 
  their costumes and stored their props. Called a skene, it usually had a simple scene painted on it to 
  represent a temple, palace, or countryside. The whole came together to fashion a remarkable place in 
  which the acoustics were so good that whispers from the orchestra could be heard clearly even in the 
  two obol seats! 
   
  The actors wore long robes (the colours of which were symbolic), shoes called cothurnus boots which 
  made them taller, and representative masks for the roles they were assuming. Prizes were awarded to 
  the winning playwright and to the choregus, the wealthy citizen who funded the chorus for the play 
   
  The Olympic Games 
  In the year 776 B.C., a great footrace was held in a field at Olympia. Though this was the first recorded 
  Olympic games, the custom of holding such an athletic contest stretched back much further. Legend 
  states that Zeus and Cronus wrestled on the peaks above that spot for possession of the earth, and 
  games were held there to honour Zeus’ victory. 
   
  Another legend tells the story of Pelops, the wily suitor of the beautiful Hippodamia, daughter of King 
  Oenomaus. It was the king’s custom to invite suitors to take his daughter into a chariot and flee. The 
  king would pursue in another chariot, and when he caught the unlucky suitor (who’s double-burdened 
  chariot could not move as fast as the king’s), Oenomaus would kill the man by thrusting a spear 
  through him. 
   
  
   
  - 23 -
  Thirteen suitors were killed in this manner before Pelops presented himself and bribed the king’s 
  charioteer to sabotage the king’s chariot. During the pursuit, the back wheels of the king’s chariot came 
  off, throwing the king out and breaking his neck. It was said that Pelops instituted the games to 
  commemorate his victory and give thanks to the gods. This legend may explain the enthusiasm which 
  greeted the chariot races which became part of the Olympic Games. 
   
  In 776 B.C., the footrace was the only competition, but the Greeks believed it an important enough 
  festival that they began reckoning their dates by the four-year intervals between the games. Eventually, 
  other games were added, including javelin hurling, discus throwing, high and broad jumping, horse and 
  chariot racing, the pancration (a brutal combination of boxing and wrestling), and the pentathlon (five 
  events, all of which counted toward the overall winner). The stadium and hippodrome were built, the 
  tiers of which held about 50,000 people, and free-born Greeks who swore that they had committed no 
  sacrilege against the gods and had trained for at least 10 months prior to the games flocked to compete. 
  The prizes were wreaths and a certain kind of immortality, as many Olympic winners were celebrated 
  in poetry and sculpture and became national heroes. 
   
  Throughout the competition, the Hellenes never lost sight of its religious aspects. Thanks were given to 
  Zeus for victories, many shrines were placed throughout the grounds, and eternal flames were kept lit 
  in honour of the gods, and the grounds were built around temples and altars to Zeus and Hera. The 
  games were a religious festival for all of Greece, and all hostilities were suspended during Heirorneniu, 
  the sacred month in which the competitors and spectators travelled to and from the games. 
   
  Though women were barred from the early games, when the disguised mother of one competitor was 
  discovered in the stands and was not killed for her daring and “sacrilege”, other women began 
  attending. Eventually they were allowed as competitors as well as spectators. The Greeks had finally 
  learned what the Minoans had known so long before. 
   
  Trade 
  Even the isolationist Spartans engaged in trade and founded colonies. The rest of Greece found glory in 
  dominating the trade routes of the Mediterranean, the Aegean, and the Black Seas. Athens was well-
  suited to become a great trading port due to her fine harbour at Peiraeus and her need to import large 
  quantities of grain for her populace. The city was so dependent on grain shipments that it enacted a law 
  which stated that no ship owned by an Athenian citizen or by the state could use the port at Peiraeus 
  without bringing in grain. Other laws made it illegal for anyone in Attica to lend money to a ship which 
  was not bringing grain to Athens. Another law made it illegal for any person in Attica to transport grain 
  to any harbour but the Peiraeus. Other desirable imports were wood, tin, and specialty items: fine 
  woollens from Miletos, spices and perfumes from Syria, carpets from Babylonia, papyrus from Egypt, 
  and slaves. Most trade was carried on by sea. Land routes were slow and often dangerous. 
   
  In return, such items as olive oil, wine, pottery, and Hymettus honey comprised the bulk of Athen’s 
  exports along with slabs of white, grey, black, and blue marble. Other areas specialized in articles as 
  varied as chariots (from Boeotia) and easy chairs (from Thessaly). 
   
  Banking 
  At first, barter was the general mode of trade, but as trade increased, coins came into general usage. 
  With the advent of coinage came the moneychanger. There was no standard coinage used throughout 
  Greece or the other nations with whom it traded. Though Athens issued coins which were widely 
  accepted and which they refused to devalue, others used their own coins. In the Peiraeus and the agora, 
  money changers set up tables to exchange coins for travellers. They usually charged about a 5% 
  commission for such simple transactions. 
   
  Eventually, they began accepting letters of credit and loaning sums to others. These would bring 
  interest, which meant a profit both to the money changer and to the wealthy client who had loaned out 
  the money. In addition, the money changer became a speculator, loaning out his own money to 
  merchants and traders against their future earnings. Despite the difficulty in collecting bad debts, these 
  bankers could usually turn a fair profit, and if they lost their money to bad investments, they could 
  always just disappear for a while. This was somewhat euphemistically referred to as a “rearrangement 
  of the tables.” 
   
   
  
   
  - 24 -
  Ships 
  The ships which were used for merchant ventures were more rounded than those used for war and 
  depended on sail power rather than oarsmen. Many were open ships with a small forecastle and poop 
  deck and a single square sail. The cargo was carried in the centre of the ship where it was open to the 
  elements. Others had more decking; more sails, and even cabins. The average ship was only 30 or so 
  tons and could be hauled up on shore at night to allow the crew to sleep on land. 
   
  Warships were longer and narrower than those used by merchants. The first ones were pentecontevs, 
  literally a “fifty-oar ship”, which had a narrow open hull, raised cabins in the prow and stern and 25 
  oars to a side. More oars were needed to give the ships power, but the craft could not be lengthened 
  without sacrificing speed and making the vessel too heavy to be dragged up on shore at night. This 
  problem was solved by the invention of the bireme (two banker), which featured two banks of oars, one 
  atop the other in a staggered formation. These were soon surpassed by the trireme (three banker), 
  which quickly became the standard warship of all Greek city-states. 
   
  Despite the number of oars, the hull of the trireme was only about 14 feet wide. The upper deck of 
  oarsmen (thranites) was a little over 10 feet from the waterline, and the rowers pulled oars which were 
  13 1/2 feet long. The middle tier (zygites) was situated about 5 1/2 feet above the water, with each 
  man’s rowing bench and stool in front of and lower than the thranites, but higher and behind the lowest 
  tier of oarsmen (thalamites), which was raised only 3 feet. Though sails were used for normal 
  movement (supplemented by one bank of oars), in battle, the sails were not used. 
   
  The greatest weapon of the trireme was its “beak”, a three-pronged ram set in the front of the prow and 
  close to the waterline, above which glared the orange or red painted eyes which were standard on all 
  Greek ships. In battle, the oarsmen were commanded by the foixarchoi (oar masters), the keleusfes 
  (flute timer), and the frieraules (voice timer), who guided them to row in time to a beat set by the flute. 
  Pulling together, the oarsmen would send the craft flying forward into an enemy vessel, holing it, and 
  crushing its timbers with their beak. Then the ship filled with water, and the vessel sank. Few aboard 
  survived. 
   
  The second favourite attack, shearing, involved precision timing. In this manoeuvre, one ship ran 
  headlong at another. Just before contact, the kybernafes (the “governor’’ or pilot in charge of the ship) 
  adjusted the huge steering paddles, and the men were instructed to draw in their oars while the other 
  ship’s rowers were still working theirs. The vessel then scraped down the whole of the other ship’s oar 
  bank, breaking them and leaving the ship crippled and easy prey for a ramming attack. 
   
  Aside from the 174 oarsmen (usually free men) and the ship’s officers, a typical trireme carried 17 to 
  20 common sailors whose job it was to maintain and work the rigging and sails, and 10 marines in 
  hoplite armour, who were there to harass the enemy with javelin or arrow fire and to repel boarders. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  - 25 -
  The Olympian Pantheon  
   
  When talking about the gods as a whole, we usually refer to them as a pantheon. The term means “all 
  religion,” or all the related deities worshipped in an area or culture. For the Greeks, this means Zeus, 
  his siblings, and their collective children. 
   
  The Greek gods resided on mist-shrouded Mount Olympus, the tallest mountain in Greece. From there, 
  the gods could look out over the world and watch the activities of mortal men. And watch they did, 
  because the Greek gods took profound interest in mortal affairs, often lending a hand to favourites or 
  creating obstacles for those earning their enmity. 
   
  Of the various deities in mythology, the Greek gods perhaps acted the most “human” of any pantheon. 
  Not only did they all look completely human—taller, stronger, and more attractive, though—they also 
  exhibited a variety of human flaws, arrogance being the most common, but also carelessness, rage, and 
  lust. The Greek gods, particularly the males but occasionally the goddesses as well, selected lovers 
  from among the mortals, and the children produced from these unions became the foremost heroes of 
  the age, inheriting their mortal lifespan from their human parents but increased physical beauty and 
  prowess from their divine blood. 
   
  The gods were by no means a harmonious family, either. They feuded amongst themselves, and 
  humans became pawns in their arguments. A god might attack a mortal because another god favoured 
  him, while a mortal earning a god’s hatred gain another god assistance just to spite the other. Zeus 
  ruled the deities completely, and accepted no debate about his decrees, though the other gods found 
  loopholes in his statements, or undermined his plans by attacking peripheral characters—or they simply 
  broke his commandments when he was not looking. 
   
  Part of their behaviour stemmed from their origins. Before the gods came the Titans, mammoth beings 
  of immense power. The king of these was Chronos, who ruled with his wife Rhea. A prophecy told that 
  one of Chronos’ children would best him and usurp the throne. So, Chronos swallowed all of his 
  children to protect himself. His wife, angry at losing her children, finally tricked him by giving him a 
  rock wrapped in swaddling cloths. She hid the real child, and had him was raised in secrecy. He 
  returned as a young man to slay his father and free his brothers and sisters, who had lived all this time 
  in the Titan’s stomach. The conquering son was Zeus, and his brothers and sisters were the gods Hades, 
  Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia. 
   
  That was not the end of the conflict. The other Titans refused to bow to this upstart, and a war began 
  between the two groups. Eventually the gods won, and threw most of the Titans down into a dark pit. 
  The gods divided the world between them. Zeus, as the strongest, claimed the air, and became the 
  overlord of the others taking Hera as his wife. Poseidon claimed sovereignty over the oceans and seas. 
  Hades became lord of the Underworld and master of the dead. 
   
  That they had spent so many years fighting close kin may account for the gods’ short tempers and their 
  willingness to argue with each other. Once they defeated the Titans, though, their lives became much 
  easier. In fact, their lives became too easy, and they grew bored. To amuse themselves, they toyed with 
  the lives of mortal men, rearranging their fates at whim just to see what would happen. 
   
  Aphrodite 
  The goddess of love, Aphrodite appears as a beautiful woman with perfect skin, shining blond hair, and 
  an ideal body. She is seductive and used to getting her way. Aphrodite was once married to 
  Hephaestus, but he caught her having an affair with Ares, and sent her away, replacing her with a less 
  beautiful but more amiable bride. 
   
  Aphrodite is very confident when dealing with matters of love or beauty, but she knows nothing of war 
  or weapons. She has few favourites, but lavishes attention upon the ones she does. 
   
  Portfolio: Love, emotion, beauty, and seduction. 
   
  Holy Symbol: A seashell 
   
  
   
  - 26 -
  Clerical Training: Aphrodite’s priests arrange marriages, dispense advice to the lovelorn, train both 
  men and women in the arts of seduction, and generally meddle in other people’s personal lives. Her 
  priests train in seduction, acting, and art, and, being hedonistic, seek pleasure at every opportunity. 
   
  Clerical Practices: Aphrodite sends her priests out into the world to find hidden beauty, taste new 
  pleasures, and to observe scandalous affairs. They train powerful young women in the ways of love. 
   
  Prayers: Both men and women pray to Aphrodite when trying to seduce someone. Actors often pray to 
  her as well, asking for the power to sway the audience. People enjoying luxuries or sensual pleasures 
  offer her thanks before partaking, hoping to receive the greatest enjoyment possible. 
   
  Shrines: Aphrodite’s temples and shrines are always beautifully crafted and decorated, made of 
  expensive materials like marble and gold leaf. Silks drape across doorways, and rich rugs cover the 
  floors making the temples feel like extravagant bedrooms. Many women keep small shrines to 
  Aphrodite in their private chambers, so they can pray to her before bed. 
   
  Main Temples: Her cult centre is on the island of Cythera and Paphos on Cyprus. The Spartans 
  worship her as Aphrodite the Warrior. She is also worshipped fervently at Corinth on the precipitous 
  Acrocorinth. 
   
  Rites: The rites of Aphrodite involve sensual massages, delicately scented oils, fine silks, and flower 
  petals. To an outsider, they seem more like a ritualized orgy, which is not far from the truth. 
   
  Herald and Allies: Doves act as messengers for this goddess, as do lovebirds. Her strongest ally is her 
  lover Ares. 
   
  Apollo 
  The archer god Apollo (also called Phoebus Apollo) appears as a tall, well-built young man with 
  golden curls and a golden tan. As a master archer, he can hit any target with his bow, and as a master 
  musician, his lyre sways even the gods. Additionally, he rules over prophecy and medicine. 
   
  Apollo is swift to anger, just like his father Zeus, but also quick to forgive. He loves to laugh and sing. 
  Apollo does not often enter battle directly; he prefers to loose arrows from high above. 
   
  Portfolio: Music, poetry, archery, prophecy, medicine, and the sun. 
   
  Holy Symbol: A golden lyre. 
   
  Clerical Training: Apollo’s priests are advisors, teachers, diplomats, and healers. They prefer peaceful 
  solutions to conflict, and mediate disputes. They train in music, and can play instruments, sing, and 
  recite poetry. They also train with the bow, for Apollo requires them to be good hunters. 
   
  Clerical Practices: Apollo may send his priests on quests to carry prophecies to people. They also 
  bring joy, laughter, and song to troubled regions easing the people’s burdens with their music. 
  Whenever someone claims to be a prophet, Apollo sends his priests to test him. If the person does have 
  a genuine gift, he offers him a position within his priesthood, but if he is a false prophet, his priests 
  denounce him publicly, and punish him for his presumption. 
   
  Prayers: Apollo receives prayers at dawn each day. Archers pray to him before every shot, and 
  musicians and bards pray to him before each performance. Healers pray to him before working on a 
  patient, and most prophets (though not seers) pray to him for guidance and prophetic vision. 
   
  Shrines: Apollo’s temples are bright, sunny places with open courtyards and fountains. In rural areas, 
  they stand near to small streams or natural hot springs. His temples have sickrooms for patients and a 
  divination chamber where his priests and oracles meditate upon the future. 
   
  Main Temples: The greatest cult centre is Delphi, home of the oracle. The island of Delos is also 
  sacred to Apollo and houses an extensive sanctuary. 
   
   
  
   
  - 27 -
  Rites: As the god of poetry, music, and songs, his priest always plays a lyre to accompany the god’s 
  rites. His priests perform his rituals outside in the sunlight, but the ceremonies are short, simple, and 
  poetically worded. 
   
  Herald and Allies: The sun is Apollo’s ally; it burns anyone who offends him. The phoenix is also an 
  ally, and it sometimes carries messages for him. All songbirds answer to Apollo. 
   
  Ares 
  The war god, famed for his red hair and hot temper, Ares is a pure fighter—bold, brash, a bit crude, and 
  not terribly bright. He and Athena are rivals, but where she is careful and precise, he is rash and rough. 
  Ares loves battle, and favours warriors who show strength and courage. He wanders battlefields, 
  watching the fighters and encouraging them toward acts of reckless daring, and then wades in himself 
  to crush entire armies with a single blow. Ares and Aphrodite are lovers. 
   
  Portfolio: War, destruction, strength. 
   
  Holy Symbol: A red-tipped spear. 
   
  Clerical Training: Ares’ priests train extensively for combat, and are rough and blunt. They rarely 
  train warriors, but they do encourage them to compete against each other. His priests may become 
  commanders of the local forces, and if so, they attack their neighbours frequently. They also spend time 
  drinking and performing feats of strength, or participating in sports like boxing and wrestling.  
   
  Clerical Practices: Ares sends his priests out to demonstrate their strength and to encourage conflict. 
  Whenever two cities, towns, or nations think about fighting, one of his priests arrive on each side to 
  ensure tempers flare. When a war occurs, Ares’ priests flock to it, cheering on those men who show 
  strength, daring, and recklessness. They insult anyone who hesitates in battle, and taunt those who flee. 
   
  Prayers: Ares presides over any act of brute strength or destruction and over the more violent aspects 
  of combat. People pray to him before battle and participating in aggressive sports. 
   
  Shrines: Ares few temples look more like fortresses than they look like religious sanctuaries. Most 
  armies have a shrine to the war god and erect trophies before it to demonstrate their strength. 
   
  Main Temples: He has a temple at Athens, Sparta and Olympia. He has a spring and a shrine at 
  Thebes. 
   
  Rites: Rituals for Ares are short, blunt, and filled with dark liquid, sometimes wine and sometimes 
  blood. 
   
  Herald and Allies: Ares’ major ally is his lover Aphrodite. The bull is his creature, and it obeys his 
  commands, as do great cats. 
   
  Artemis 
  Apollo’s twin sister Artemis appears as a lovely young woman, with a fit body and tanned skin of 
  someone who spends all her time outdoors. She is shy when compared to her brother, and prefers the 
  wilds to the company of others. Artemis is a hunter rather than a warrior—she is an expert archer, but 
  cannot handle a sword, and is uncomfortable dealing with men in armour. Her favourites are young 
  women, hunters, and animals. 
   
  Portfolio: Hunting, the moon, maidens, wilderness. 
   
  Holy Symbol: A bow and arrow silhouetted against a full moon. 
   
  Clerical Training: Artemis has only priestesses who take vows of chastity and never marry. These 
  women retreat from civilization, living in the woods where they can tend to the plants and animals. 
  They train in hunting and animal husbandry as well as in herbalism. 
   
  
   
  - 28 -
  Clerical Practices: Artemis sends her priestesses to protect wildlife and forested areas threatened by 
  human hunters or supernatural creatures. She occasionally sends them to protect a young woman whose 
  life and honour men threaten. 
   
  Prayers: Hunters pray to Artemis, as do herbalists. Young women pray to her if independent and do 
  not want to be confined by marriage.  
   
  Shrines: Artemis has small, simple shrines scattered throughout the wilderness. These shrines are 
  located in sacred groves or beside pure streams. She also shares several temples with of her brother, 
  Apollo. 
   
  Main Temples: Sparta, Delos, Aegina and Caryae in Laconia. Artemis also has a fabulous sanctuary at 
  Ephesus in Ionia. 
   
  Rites: Artemis does not care for elaborate rituals. Her ceremonies are short and direct, always taking 
  place in the wild. 
   
  Herald and Allies: Woodland creatures answer Artemis’ call, particularly stags, foxes, and bears. Her 
  twin brother Apollo is her greatest ally. 
   
  Athena 
  Zeus’ shield-maiden, Athena (also called Pallas Athene) is a tall, striking woman with strong features 
  and a powerful physique. Her grey eyes, one of her most impressive features, shift from light to dark to 
  reflect her mood. A warrior and master of both weapons and strategies, Athena appears on the 
  battlefield beside her chosen warriors. Athena is bold and decisive, though fear of incurring her father’s 
  wrath keeps her in check. She shows no mercy toward those who anger her, but protects her favourites 
  and suggests ways for them to win fame and fortune. 
   
  Portfolio: Combat, wisdom, knowledge. 
   
  Holy Symbol: A snowy owl. 
   
  Clerical Training: Athena’s priests serve as teachers and judges in many communities. They learn to 
  fight, teaching villagers enough combat to defend themselves. Most nobles learn swordplay and the use 
  of a spear from a priest of Athena. Her priests also dabble in or support the arts, encouraging their 
  neighbours to decorate their homes and their wares. As Athena and Ares despise one another, their 
  priests do not get along. 
   
  Clerical Practices: Athena may send her priests on quests to discover new lands or to perfect their 
  artistic or combat-oriented skills. A priest of Athena will aid anyone in need, even if the aid delays his 
  quest. 
   
  Prayers: Warriors pray to Athena before battle, seeking strength and strategy. Explorers pray to her 
  when they start a new voyage or a hike. Judges and kings pray to her before reaching a decision in a 
  case, and orators often include her in their prayers before a debate. 
   
  Shrines: Most large towns and cities have temples to Athena. These buildings are always large, solid, 
  and easily defended. In smaller settlements, she might have only a shrine, though carefully placed so 
  that in case of attack, the villagers can use it for defence. 
   
  Main Temples: Her cult centre is the city of Athens, and she has a splendid temple, the Parthenon, 
  atop the Acropolis there. 
   
  Rites: Athena does not stand on ceremony. Her rituals are short, simple, and elegant, with simple 
  phrases and gestures. 
   
  Herald and Allies: The owls serve Athena, and carry her messages and omens. She can also request 
  aid from any intelligent warrior. Hera is an ally as well. 
   
   
  
   
  - 29 -
  Dionysus 
  A god of wine, pleasure and revelry often invoked at bars, banquets and orgies. Since he is associated 
  with wine cultivation he represents both the pleasures of wine and its darker side of mad passions and 
  abuse. His favourite method of punishing wrong-doers is through madness. His cult throws wild orgies 
  at which respectable women dance wildly in the countryside to the sound of raucous music. 
   
  Dionysus is an atypical Greek deity. While the Olympian deities are bright beings of sunlight, 
  Dionysus is a creature of mystery, his very essence an enigma. His realm is shadowy and his followers 
  flirt with madness, drunkenness and death. He is the god who brings wine, but also an intoxication that 
  merges the drinker with the deity. And, perhaps most significantly, his connection with a certain type 
  of cult activity, known as a “mystery” separates him from his fellow Olympians (with the exception of 
  the goddess Demeter, who inspired her own mystery cult). It is through these mystery cults, the secrets 
  of which were so well guarded that we know but a few essential details that we come into contact with 
  a unique characteristic of Dionysus; for according to the legends of one of the cults, the god himself 
  dies. That a god should die seems an oxymoron - by definition, a deity is immortal. And yet some of 
  his followers believed that he was slain, and then reborn. Something which is unthinkable in the case of 
  the other Olympian gods.  
   
  Portfolio: Wine, intoxication, madness and vegetation 
   
  Holy Symbol: Grape vine and ivy 
   
  Clerical Training: The majority of Dionysian priests are female. They are hedonists without equal. 
  They are knowledgeable of many forms of intoxication not only through wine, but through the 
  preparation of select plants. They are also skilled in the art of wine making, as it is said that Dionysus 
  discovered this art.   
   
  Clerical Practices: Dionysus’s priests are charged with observing and celebrating the sacred festivals 
  of their god. They also strive to find new forms of intoxication to bring themselves closer to 
  Dionysus’s divinity. They also guard the secrets of his mystery cult and initiate new applicants. 
   
  Prayers: Prayers are made to Dionysus at every large feast or festival. Wine is also blessed in his 
  name, and he is often invoked in prays by wine makers.  
   
  Shrines: Dionysus temples are closely guarded by his priests, as they hold the secrets of his mystery 
  cult. They can be large sprawling affairs in big cities to humble anonymous buildings in smaller towns. 
  The main requirement of a Dionysian temple is that it has an inner sanctum where the secret and sacred 
  rites of the mystery cult can be performed. They often have a cellar were vast quantities of wine are 
  held. Smaller shrines to the god can be found in the wilderness and secluded areas. 
   
  Main Temples: Orchomenus, Athens, Lesbos, Naxos. 
   
  Rites: The festivals of Dionysus are very famous: the Great Dionysia, the Little or Rustic Dionysia, the 
  Oschophoria, and the Anthesteria. They usually involve in wine drinking, sexual orgies and choral 
  singing. The fathers and husbands are often distressed by the women’s participation in those rites, but 
  they don’t interfere because of fear for the god or for the violence the intoxicated women followers 
  would commit.  
   
  Herald and Allies: Bulls and goats are the messengers and heralds of Dionysus. 
   
  Demeter 
  This gentle goddess presides over agriculture, fertility and the earth. She played an important role in 
  ancient Ionian society. The Ionians, like most ancient cultures, relied upon agriculture for their 
  sustenance. As the patron deity of agriculture, Demeter is accordingly worshipped with festivals (such 
  as the Thesmophoria) and other honours. Likewise her association with grain also translates into a 
  close relationship with human fertility, as this was another crucial part in the continuing survival of 
  mankind. Her sister Persephone spends six months of the year with Hades, symbolising the changing 
  seasons. Demeter also has a mystery cult known as the Eleusinian mysteries.   
   
  Portfolio: Agriculture, Grain & Fertility 
  
   
  - 30 -
   
  Holy Symbol: Sceptre and Sheaf of corn 
   
  Clerical Training: Priests of Demeter are both men and women who believe in the cycle of the 
  seasons, and therefore also in the cycle of life and death. The priests and priestesses of the cult are held 
  in high esteem among farmers, and “women with child”. They are schooled in the knowledge of 
  farming and herb lore, and are also trained to be midwives.  
   
  Clerical Practices: The priests of Demeter can be found giving advice to farmers and ensuring that 
  their crops are healthy. They are also consulted by women who wish to have healthy children.  
   
  Prayers: Farmers prays to Demeter in order to ensure a bountiful harvest. Mothers also pray to 
  Demeter for healthy children. 
   
  Shrines: Shrines to Demeter are often located in forests or other wilderness areas, and are known as 
  megara. 
   
  Main Temples: Eleusis, where a great mystery festival is held each year for initiates, other centres 
  include Arcadia, Argos and Attica. Demeter also has her own mystery cult situated in the city of 
  Eleusis in Attica. 
   
  Rites: Priests of Demeter celebrate life and growth in their rituals and rites, and often coincide with 
  seasonal changes. They are often accompanied by orgies.  
   
  Several festivals are held in honour of Demeter and Persephone, the most important being the 
  Thesmophoria. This lasts as many as ten days, although in Athens it is held only for three days in the 
  month of October (Pyanopsion). The festival involves mainly married women and involves the re-
  enactment of the abduction of Persephone.  
   
  Herald and Allies: Serpents are heralds and messengers of Demeter. Dionysus is Demeter’s ally. 
   
  Hades 
  Zeus’ second brother, Hades, is a dark, brooding man with handsome but heavy features and a stern 
  appearance. He spends most of his time in the Underworld, ruling over the ghosts and spirits, and 
  rarely joins the other gods on Mount Olympus. Hades resents the freedom of his two brothers, who 
  wander the world at will, but takes his duties very seriously, rarely ever leaving his kingdom. 
   
  Portfolio: Death, ghosts, the Underworld. 
   
  Holy Symbol: A black ram. 
   
  Clerical Training: The priests of Hades study death and the dead, learning how men die and what 
  happens to the body during the process. They also study ghosts, learning to see and speak to these 
  unquiet spirits. His priests learn something about healing and about herbs, but focus on ending 
  suffering quickly. 
   
  Clerical Practices: Despite what people think, priests of Hades do not deliver plagues and illnesses to 
  communities. Rather, they visit the communities to observe the disease process and to help comfort the 
  afflicted. Hades also sends them to stop grave desecrations. 
   
  Prayers: Hades is the first god invoked at a funeral because he claims the soul and guides it down to 
  his kingdom. When the sick tire of fighting their illnesses, they pray to him to leave their world and 
  pain behind. 
   
  Shrines: Hades temples lie underground or in caves. When this is not possible, temple floors are sunk 
  below ground level. The buildings never have windows; the priests like to keep them dark and cool like 
  the Underworld their lord rules. 
   
  Main Temples: His cult was restricted to Pylos.  
   
  
   
  - 31 -
  Rites: Hades’ priests officiate at funerals and annual rites in honour of departed ancestors. These are 
  serious events, and treated with great respect and dignity. 
   
  Herald and Allies: Ghosts are Hades’ heralds and allies. He has no great friends among the other gods, 
  though they do respect his responsibilities. 
   
  Hephaestus 
  One of the only gods who can claim both Hera and Zeus as parents, Hephaestus is the master smith of 
  Mount Olympus. He creates Zeus’ thunderbolts and any other metal items the gods want. He is a tall, 
  powerfully built man, but his features are rough, with a hunched back, and one leg twisted—he was 
  injured when he got between Zeus and Hera during a fight; Zeus threw him from the top of Mount 
  Olympus. Hephaestus is surprisingly calm and rational considering both his appearance and his affinity 
  for fire. Many times, he plays the peacemaker. He is devoted to his mother, and does anything she asks 
  of him. 
   
  Portfolio: Metalworking, fire, creation. 
   
  Holy Symbol: Hammer and anvil. 
   
  Clerical Training: Hephaestus’ priests handle the forge and train village blacksmiths. They also help 
  train warriors, and generally encourage crafts, particularly those involving stone or metal. Hephaestus’ 
  priests are trained in several crafts, and mediate disputes. 
   
  Clerical Practices: Hephaestus often requires his priests to forge their own armour and weapons from 
  raw ore they themselves dug from the earth. He also sends his priests to carry metal goods to those who 
  need them and to bring fire and comfort to smaller villages in times of trouble. 
   
  Prayers: Blacksmiths, stone carvers, and other craftsmen pray to Hephaestus before beginning work 
  on an item. Mortals offer him homage before lighting a fire, whether the fire emanates from a torch, 
  pyre, or hearth. Some people pray to Hephaestus to settle an argument or protect them from bullies and 
  tyrants. 
   
  Shrines: Hephaestus’ stone temples are small, simple, and solidly made. A forge lies at the centre of 
  the structure, and his priests work at the forge by day, crafting weapons, armour, and other non-martial 
  objects. His temples have sleeping areas open to anyone; beggars know they can stay at his temples for 
  as long as they need. 
   
  Main Temples: Lemnos, various sites on Sicily (his forge is within Mt. Etna) 
   
  Rites: Hephaestus favours direct words and actions, but he also loves beauty. His rituals involve a 
  hammer beating against the forge, and always include fire of some sort. Small, delicately made items 
  are sacrificed to the flames as a sign of respect. 
   
  Herald and Allies: Hephaestus is the gods’ master craftsmen and he has made many wondrous items 
  for them. Chief among these are the golden automata, life-sized golden statues with mobility and 
  intelligence. These are his heralds, servants, and allies.  
   
  Hera 
  Zeus’ wife-consort and the queen of the gods, Hera is a tall, well-built woman of maturity, whose 
  handsome features have the strength and wisdom of age, while retaining the smooth skin of youth. She 
  is a jealous wife, and hunts and kills Zeus’ lovers. She also despises the children of these affairs, 
  nursing vendettas for years. Hera, unlike the other gods, openly defies Zeus, and though she fears him, 
  she refuses to let her unease stop her from following her own interests. She staunchly protects those she 
  favours, but she invests her interest in cities and nations rather than individuals. Hera is not a fighter, so 
  she rarely appears on the battlefield. She sends others as her messengers. 
   
  Portfolio: Marriage, childbirth, loyalty, revenge. 
   
  Holy Symbol: A fan of peacock feathers. 
   
  
   
  - 32 -
  Clerical Training: Hera is one of the only deities to have both priests and priestesses. As the goddess 
  of marriage, she understands the value of both genders. Her priests live with large families while 
  training, learning how to relate to other people. If her priests are not already married, they find a mate 
  while in training, and married by their mentor. Hera’s priests do not move often, staying in places 
  where they know the people and can build strong ties with their neighbours and parishioners. 
   
  Clerical Practices: Hera sends priests to oversee important weddings. She also sends them to exact or 
  witness revenge for some deed against family and old friends. Finally, when families move to a new 
  area, Hera might send the local priest to accompany them to ensure their safe arrival. 
   
  Prayers: Hera presides over weddings, births, and naming rituals. She is also the first deity called upon 
  when enacting revenge; she approves of deeds bringing villains to justice. 
   
  Shrines: Hera has grand temples located in major cities. In small towns and villages, her priests farm 
  or herd sheep like everyone else, but they build small shrines to Hera in the front of their homes, 
  spending afternoons there consulting those in need. 
   
  Main Temples: At Argos Hera has six temples! The greatest of her temples is on Samos and was built 
  by the Argonauts. 
   
  Rites: Hera’s priests officiate weddings, naming rituals, and coronations. Her ceremonies are short and 
  emphasize loyalty and responsibility. 
   
  Herald and Allies: Hera calls upon peacocks as messengers. She can also summon any pair of animals 
  to serve her. Her strongest ally is her son Hephaestus. 
   
  Hermes 
  Hermes appears as a handsome, slender, and graceful youth with smooth cheeks and a winning smile. 
  He is a trickster, loves playing jokes on mortals and gods. These pranks are rarely dangerous, and 
  Hermes rewards mortals who take them with good grace and good humour. He is very quick and sly, 
  and likes to show how clever he is by thinking up complicated strategies. The other gods, particularly 
  Zeus, often employ Hermes as a messenger or spy. 
  Portfolio: Travel, thieves, diplomacy, speed. 
   
  Holy Symbol: The Caduceus. 
   
  Clerical Training: The priests of Hermes are travellers, messengers, and an odd combination of 
  trickster and diplomat. They train in running and in recitation, and they learn the lineages of every 
  noble in their nation. They also travel across the countryside, and are expert guides because they know 
  every route in the region. His priests also learn stealth and agility, and play frequent pranks on one 
  another while training. 
   
  Clerical Practices: Hermes sends his priests all over the lands, so they learn the region. He also sends 
  them to carry messages from one nation to another or to play tricks on specific people—to shake up 
  their dull lives and to remind them life should not be serious all the time. 
   
  Prayers: Runners always pray to Hermes before a competition, and messengers pray to him when they 
  start a mission. Thieves also pray to him, as do tricksters, and travellers ask his aid in reaching their 
  destination quickly and safely. 
   
  Shrines: Hermes has few temples, as he prefers stealth to ostentation. Instead, small shrines appear 
  along roadways and hidden deep within cities. Often thieves use these city shrines as meeting points to 
  discuss activities or sell off their acquisitions. Travellers and priests leave small objects from their 
  travels at the shrines; these are not valuable, but show respect and an interest in other lands. 
   
  Main Temples: Strong in Arcadia, but there are no temples, only statues and images - most temple 
  priests of Hermes are permanent travellers, much like their god. 
   
  Rites: Hermes’ rituals often involve speed, both physical and verbal. His priests employ complicated 
  phrases and tongue twisters in their ceremonies. 
  
   
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  Herald and Allies: Rats and raccoons, both animals known for stealth and trickery, answer to Hermes. 
  So do ferrets and their kin. Hermes has no herald, as he is the herald of the gods. His strongest allies 
  are his father Zeus and his brother Apollo, both of whom find his jokes amusing. 
   
  Poseidon 
  One of Zeus’ two brothers, Poseidon rules the seas and is master of horses. He appears as a large, 
  powerful man with dark green hair and a beard. He carries his great trident in one hand and either his 
  sword or his horsewhip in the other. Poseidon resents Zeus’ authority, frequently undermining his 
  brother or simply defying his edicts. Zeus always catches on and punishes him. Poseidon is rash, 
  particularly when angered, and once someone earns his enmity, the god holds a grudge for years. 
   
  Portfolio: Water, earth, horses 
   
  Holy Symbol: A trident. 
   
  Clerical Training: Poseidon’s priests are sailors and seamen. They learn to handle any boat, and 
  become expert swimmers, divers, and fishermen. They craft nets, fishhooks, and other fishing 
  implements, and become extremely familiar with a particular coastline. Poseidon also insists his priests 
  master horses, and many of his followers are charioteers or horsemen. 
   
  Clerical Practices: Poseidon sends his priests sailing about the world, visiting every community they 
  can reach by sea. Most long sea voyages have one of his priests onboard. He also has his priests find 
  and tame herds of wild horses, or dive into the sea in search of rare shells and lost ruins. 
   
  Prayers: Horsemen and charioteers always pray to Poseidon before a race, and sailors always offer 
  him libations before a voyage. Fishermen pray to him every morning as they take their boat out onto 
  the water, and divers pray before they search for snails, molluscs, and fish. Horse trainers also call 
  upon his aid, as do shipwrights. 
   
  Shrines: Poseidon’s temples are open structures located along coastlines, and the salt air constantly 
  blows through them. The walls are covered in frescoes of either of the sea scenes or horses. Many of 
  his temples have corrals in back to hold the horses his priests train and ride. 
   
  Main Temples: Corinth is the site of his greatest cult, but he is also revered at Rhodes and Taenarus. 
   
  Rites: Prayers to Poseidon are slow and rhythmic, and often accompanied by a deep drumbeat. His 
  priests sprinkle seawater about as they call upon him, and they wave whips and riding crops made from 
  horsehair. 
   
  Herald and Allies: Dolphins and sea nymphs carry messages for Poseidon, or they accompany him on 
  his travels. On land, horses do his bidding for Poseidon created them. 
   
  Zeus 
  The king of the gods, Zeus is a powerful man in his prime. He has thick white hair, a beard, and 
  piercing eyes. He can be benevolent to his followers, but his mood shifts as rapidly as a summer storm, 
  and one minute he may seem kindly, and the next his brow furrows with rage. 
   
  A bully, Zeus lords his power over the other gods, who are all his siblings or children. He does favour 
  boldness, however, and he admires a certain amount of arrogance. He punishes anyone who dares to 
  compare himself to the gods, however. Zeus also has an eye for beautiful women and chases after any 
  beauty he sees. He rarely takes no for an answer and takes by force any woman who does not succumb 
  to his advances. Many divine off spring have resulted from his insatiable libido. Zeus never personally 
  takes part in battle, but sends his children and siblings to carry out his wishes, or hurls his thunderbolts 
  from Mount Olympus. 
   
  Portfolio: Air, weather, knowledge, justice 
   
  Holy Symbol: A fist holding a thunderbolt. 
   
  
   
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  Clerical Training: Zeus likes his priests to understand politics and diplomacy. He encourages them to 
  mediate disputes and observe kings holding court, to get a feel for negotiations and a sense of justice. 
  Zeus’ priests often consider themselves more important than priests of other gods—after all, their deity 
  is the king of the gods—and they visit other temples frequently. During such visits, they inspect the 
  temple and its priests, criticize its shortcomings, and suggest improvements. 
   
  Clerical Practices: Zeus sends his priests to gather knowledge about new lands and new people, and 
  teach the people they encounter about the gods. He also sends his priests to places where tyrants rule. 
  In such places, his priests organize rebellions to overthrow the ruler and install someone more just. 
   
  Prayers: Zeus controls oratory and debate, and at the start of court and before any formal debates, the 
  participants give a prayer. As the king of the gods, he is also the first prayed to in any general prayer, 
  followed by the worshipper’s chosen god. 
   
  Shrines: Zeus has temples in every settlement where the Olympians are worshipped, and these 
  structures are the grandest buildings in the settlement. Even small villages have a large, well-built hut 
  set aside for his shrine. 
   
  Main Temples: He has a shrine at Dodonna in Epirus, but his greatest sanctuary is the magnificent 
  temple of Zeus at Olympia in Elis, home of the Olympic Games. 
   
  Rites: Zeus prefers gifts of wine, blood, and fresh meat, though grain and gold are also acceptable. His 
  ceremonies are short but grand, and priests deliver prayers to him in a loud voice. 
   
  Herald and Allies: Zeus uses eagles as omens and as messengers. An eagle remains at his side or 
  nearby. 
   
  When Gods War 
  Bitter rivalries exist among the gods, and arguments often occur on Mount Olympus. Unfortunately for 
  mortals, since Zeus forbids actual warfare among gods, the gods use humans as tools to settle their 
  differences. 
   
  Many of the bitterest arguments occur between Zeus and his wife Hera over his roving eye and 
  perpetual infidelity. Hera does her best to kill or ruin as many of his lovers as possible, tormenting the 
  bastard children he fathers. Zeus, in turn, defends his children, making Hera hate them even more, 
  forcing her to find subtler ways of attacking them. As a result, she has become a master of subterfuge. 
  Hephaestus often finds himself in the middle of their conflicts, since he always takes his mother’s side. 
   
  Ares and Athena also feud constantly. They both claim dominion over war, but they handle very 
  different aspects of it. Ares specializes in brute strength, raw rage, and mindless destruction; Athena 
  specializes in wise tactics and graceful, intelligent combat. Ares is also jealous of Athena’s favoured 
  position with their father Zeus. Ares does his best to attack Athena’s favourites when possible, but he is 
  not terribly bright, so Athena always gets the better of him. 
   
  Ares has earned the enmity of another god as well. Hephaestus was once married to Aphrodite, the 
  goddess of love, but she and Ares became lovers behind his back. When Hephaestus found out, he 
  trapped the two of them in a net, and invited all the other gods to witness them caught in bed before 
  sending Aphrodite away and selecting a new wife. Ares never forgave him for that insult, while 
  Hephaestus has never forgiven Ares for seducing his wife. The two have a second reason to hate one 
  another: both consider fire part of their domain. Ares uses fire to destroy, burning everything to ash; 
  Hephaestus, the blacksmith, uses fire to purify, strengthen, and to create, rather than destroy. Poseidon 
  and Hades both hold grudges against Zeus because he claimed the largest domain, the heavens, and 
  became king of the gods, even though they are both older. Hades never defies Zeus openly but he 
  makes trouble for Zeus’ favourites when possible. Poseidon is more direct, opposing Zeus’ plans 
  including attacking his champions. 
   
  Of course, the gods find it demeaning to attack humans directly. Most gods stay on Mount Olympus to 
  demonstrate their superiority to mortals and to keep an eye on their rivals. So the gods send messengers 
  instead, usually in the form of their own mortal champions—and such favoured men often find 
  
   
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  themselves challenged by the favourites of other deities. The gods also use natural disasters as 
  weapons, sending earthquakes, floods, and devastating thunderstorms to destroy ships, crush homes, 
  and kill men who displease them. 
   
  Most men think it a blessing to have one of the gods look upon them with favour. Yet those who have 
  experienced it know this is rarely true. The favour of a god is wonderful, truly, but that attention makes 
  them a target for other gods, who attack them and destroy their lives just to annoy the god favouring 
  them. Sadly, there is no easy way out of the dilemma. Losing the favour of the first god may make him 
  an enemy as well, and is no guarantee the others will cease their attacks. Appealing to the other gods 
  may also anger the first god, since it suggests he is not strong enough to combat them. And no mortal 
  can mediate between feuding deities—claiming ability to do is a death sentence. The best a man can 
  hope for, if he does gain the favour of a god, is for it to pass quickly, and the gods soon forget him. In 
  the meantime, he need make offerings not only to his chosen god, but to that god’s rivals to appease 
  them and soften their rage. He must make certain the first offering is larger and grander, demonstrating 
  his own god is still the foremost in his heart and thoughts. 
   
  Offerings 
  The Greek gods demand constant attention and frequent proof of devotion in the form of libations, 
  sacrifices, and other offerings. Priests or nobles generally proffer these offerings. 
   
  Libations 
  A libation consists of the mortal pouring wine out onto the ground in the gods’ name. It symbolizes 
  offering the god the first taste of wine (spilled because the gods do not physically arrive to accept it), 
  which is a great honour. A full libation spills wine to each of the gods in turn, starting with Zeus, and 
  then the mortal’s favoured god, and then to each of the others in order of age or rank. Libations are 
  simple matters, and performed quickly, hence they are the most common of sacrifices. They do not cost 
  a great deal—only half a cup of wine is spilled in the ritual. Yet it pleases the gods because it shows 
  proper respect. 
   
  In some cases, a libation is made only to the individual’s favoured god. This usually occurs when 
  someone else already offers libations to each god in turn, or when that god has clear dominance for the 
  situation. For example, a blacksmith at work might pause to make libations only to Hephaestus, since 
  he rules supreme in matters of the forge. When eating dinner, however, the blacksmith would offer 
  libations to each of the gods, starting with Zeus, then Hephaestus, and then the rest. The quality of the 
  wine does not matter for a libation, but it must be the same wine drunk by the hosts and guests. 
  Offering a lesser wine to the gods insults them, just as offering a lesser wine to the guest’s insults to 
  them. 
   
  If wine is not available, the individual should offer libations of whatever he is drinking. Milk and 
  honey are good substitutes. Even water is acceptable, if offered humbly. 
   
  Meat 
  After wine, the most common offering is meat. Offerings of meat are made to the gods before meals, 
  giving them the first taste of meat just as the libation presents them with the first taste of wine. Just as 
  with libations, these offerings do not have to be large. The most common technique is to take slices of 
  thigh meat from the animal being cooked (usually a hog, a steer, or a sheep), fold them within layers of 
  fat, and toss each wrapped morsel into the fire. If the flames consume the meat, the gods have accepted 
  the offering and the meal can begin. As with libations, this offering is expected at every meal and 
  should be the same meat as the host and guests eat. 
   
  Sacrifices 
  For larger events, and to win more favour from the gods, a mortal may sacrifice an entire animal. The 
  method is similar to the one used above, but the entire carcass is tossed into the fire to show respect, 
  including the animal’s skin and bones. Sheep and goats are most often used. Larger animals, like oxen 
  and hogs, serve as well, but more often when those creatures are offered, the worshippers sacrifice only 
  the thigh meat to the flames, and the worshippers eat the rest. 
   
  For truly massive undertakings, like the sailing of a fleet or the launching of an army, hecatombs are 
  offered. These are sacrifices of 100 sheep or oxen—in Greek it is written “hekatombe,” from 
  
   
  - 36 -
  “hekaton,” or “one hundred” and “bous,” which means “oxen.” Hecatombs are reserved for the most 
  momentous events, however, as when Odysseus offered them to the gods after his return to Ithaca to 
  appease Poseidon’s rage and make amends for killing the suitors in his own home. 
   
  Nor are animals the only beasts sacrificed. For extreme insults, human lives are also spent. 
  Agamemnon sacrificed his own daughter Iphigenia to satisfy Artemis and convince her to let the fleet 
  leave the harbour and begin its trip to Troy. Achilles captured a dozen Trojan youths and sacrificed 
  them over Patroclus’ grave to honour his fallen kinsman and to demonstrate the high regard he had 
  earned among the Achaean army. Human blood is potent, and should not be spilled in offering unless 
  the life and death of thousands lies in the balance; the gods can be insulted if the offering overshadows 
  the request it accompanies. 
   
  Other Offerings 
  In other cases, neither blood nor meat nor wine is required. Some sacrifices, particularly those made to 
  the goddesses and those requesting love and happiness rather than power and success in battle, involve 
  other materials. Hecuba, Priam’s wife and the Queen of Troy, selected her most expensive robe and 
  laid it upon Athena’s altar, hoping the goddess would find the gift suitable to spare Troy. Grain also 
  serves, either as part of an offering or as the offering itself; it was gathered while still in long stalks, 
  and then tossed into the flames. 
   
  Purity was an important part of an offering. Heifers never having calves, sheep never shorn, and lambs 
  not yet with horns were all considered better than their older, more experienced counterparts, because 
  by sacrificing these animals, who had not yet reached their prime, the worshipper gave up the animal as 
  well as its potential. Item sacrifice is the same way. A costly robe never worn was better than one that 
  had, just as grain that had not been cut was offered instead of grain that had already been threshed. 
   
  Of course, not every offering was tangible. Warriors often dedicated victories to a particular god, just 
  as bards might offer songs. Anything of value to the worshipper could be used to show respect to the 
  gods. And if the gods considered the off erring attractive and valuable, they might smile upon the 
  worshipper, granting him gifts in return, such as victory, wealth, or happiness. 
   
  Religious Services 
  Although the Greeks were very religious, they did not have numerous large temples, nor did they 
  gather often for services. Religion remained a private matter rather than a social one, and most prayers 
  and offerings were conducted at home with only the family present. 
   
  This does not mean the Greeks lacked temples—some of the most famous structures in the world are 
  ruins of these majestic buildings. Temples, however, honoured the gods and provided a place where 
  people could go and worship to be closer to them, and not to hold large gatherings. 
   
  A typical ancient Greek family offered libations to the gods in the morning before breaking their fast. 
  Then they would offer one at the noonday meal and another at dusk before supper. Thigh meat would 
  accompany the libations every time they butchered a hog, ox, or steer for their meal. They made 
  additional offerings just before a harvest or a hunt and before every major family event, such as 
  weddings, births, and so on. 
   
  What, then, did the priests do in this setting? They offered guidance for the commoners, both in prayer 
  and in daily life. Priests officiated at weddings and funerals, attended births and blessed the newborn in 
  the name of the gods, and served as witnesses and advisors during important business transactions. 
  More importantly, priests tended the temples and shrines, counselling those seeking them out. People 
  experiencing troubling dreams or seeing strange sights came to the priests, asking them to interpret 
  these signs. Those who suffered a string of bad luck asked if they had angered a particular god, and if 
  so, what they could do to make amends. And those who had experienced good fortune donated money 
  and goods for the priest to offer to the gods in their name, thanking them for their divine favour. 
   
  Priests were a central part of life, particularly in smaller communities. They were the voice of the gods, 
  but also the voice of experience, reason, and wisdom. Sometimes they were the only source of 
  objective history in the area, keeping track of each family line and remembering who owned what land, 
  how much they had purchased it for, and they memorized dowry amounts. Priests knew everyone, and 
  
   
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  served as mediators and judges. They owned no land, even their temples and shrines belonged to the 
  community, and so they remained objective during disputes over property. They also had no interest in 
  fame or wealth, the two other things that made men act irrationally. And, of course, they spoke for the 
  gods, giving them considerable authority. When a farmer said it was going to storm soon, his 
  neighbours demanded to know why he thought so. When a priest said the same thing, everyone began 
  took their clothing off the drying lines and made sure their roofs were tight. 
   
  During a war, religious services were more common and much larger. Priests held prayers before each 
  major battle, and performed funeral rites for the dead afterward. The bodies were often collected and 
  buried or cremated en masse, and the entire army attended the services together, noble and commoner 
  alike. During these events, the army commander often assisted the priest, showing both that he was also 
  religious and that he recognized the priests’ superior authority in these spiritual matters. Priests could 
  also serve as mediators and ambassadors between the warring sides, since they had no interest beyond 
  the wishes of the gods and the well being of all mankind. Priests were ideal wartime envoys for another 
  reason: no one in their right mind attacked a priest for doing so invited the wrath of their god. 
   
  Divination 
   
  Divination is an important and widely practiced art in ancient Greece with strong ties to religion. 
  Practitioners of this art (called seers or soothsayers) traditionally observe the events and phenomenon 
  around them and interpret these events to predict the future.  
   
  Types of Divination 
  The various divination techniques are: 
   
  • 
  Astrology - Divination by charting the motion of the stars, planets, comets and other celestial 
  phenomena in the night sky. After the conquests of Alexander astrology has swept in from 
  Chaldea to assume great importance in religious cults. Used in the divination of health and 
  disease. 
  • 
  Cleromancy - Divination by drawing lots, usually stones or beans from a jar or from a bag, 
  rolling dice or knucklebones or drawing straws. Used in the divination of cities and buildings. 
  • 
  Dendromancy - Divination by listening to the sounds of leaves in wind-blown trees, or by 
  studying the rings in a freshly snapped branch. Used in the divination regarding the 
  wilderness. 
  • 
  Haruspication - Divination by examining the entrails (especially the liver) of sacrificed 
  animals. Used in the divination regarding work. 
  • 
  Hydromancy - Oil is dripped onto water and the patterns it makes tells the diviner about 
  events in the future. Used in the divination of travel 
  • 
  Meteromancy - Divination by watching the weather, cloud formations, the direction of the 
  wind, sun on the clouds etc. Used in the divination regarding animals 
  • 
  Ornithomancy - Divination by observing the behaviour of birds, the different species, their 
  calls and flight patterns. Used in the divination of encounters 
  • 
  Pyromancy - Fire-divination, through the smoke of incense burning on a charcoal brazier, or 
  of flour and laurel leaves on a fire. The smoke reveals patterns of future events to the diviner. 
  Used in the divination of conflict and competition.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  RACES 
   
  Amphictyonic 
  Unsophisticated, hardy and enduring, surrounded by wilderness. 
  Bonus: +1 Strength 
  Dialect of Greek: Western 
   
  Arcadian 
  Primitive and uncultured mountain-dwellers, close to nature 
  Bonus: +1 Spirit 
  Dialect of Greek: Arcadian 
   
  Argive 
  Believers of 'Nothing in Excess' and able horse-breeders 
  Bonus: +1 Spirit 
  Dialect of Greek: Doric 
   
  Athenian 
  Enterprising, cosmopolitan, artistic thinkers 
  Bonus: +1 Smarts 
  Dialect of Greek: Ionian 
   
  Boeotian 
  Rural-people, hard-working, hardy, and athletic 
  Bonus: +1 Strength 
  Dialect of Greek: Aetolian 
   
  Corinthian 
  Mercantile-minded, enterprising and industrious 
  Bonus: +1 Strength 
  Dialect of Greek: Doric 
   
  Cretan 
  Untrustworthy and sly 
  Bonus: +1 Agility 
  Dialect of Greek: Doric 
   
  Ionian 
  Intelligent, thoughtful and lovers of pleasure and relaxation 
  Bonus: +1 Smarts 
  Dialect of Greek: Ionic 
   
  Macedonian 
  Hardy northerners with a sense of spirit and fierce loyalty 
  Bonus: +1 Vigour 
  Dialect of Greek: Koine (‘Common’) 
   
  Spartan 
  Hard, brutal, fierce with a militant culture 
  Bonus: +1 Vigour 
  Dialect of Greek: Doric 
   
  Thessalian 
  Lovers of open spaces and horses 
  Bonus: +1 Agility 
  Dialect of Greek: Aetolian 
   
   
   
  
   
  - 39 -
  From Other Cultures 
  There many human cultures that inhabit the known world. Many Egyptians, Persians, Syrians and so-
  forth have severed their ancient roots to explore the wider world.  
   
  Arabian 
  Desert nomads concerned with sheep-herding, camel caravans, trade and survival! 
  Bonus: +1 Agility 
  Language: Speak Arabic 
   
  Cappadocian 
  Tough mountain folk with an exotic Persian-influenced culture. 
  Bonus: +1 Strength 
  Language: Speak Cappadocian, Read & Write Aramaic 
   
  Chaldean 
  Land of Babylon, Ur and Isin – cities of vast temples and towering ziggurats! 
  Bonus: +1 Vigour 
  Language: Speak Aramaic, Read & Write Aramaic 
   
  Egyptian 
  Ancient but rich land, bound by magic, superstition and religion. 
  Bonus: +1 Spirit 
  Language: Speak Egyptian, Read & Write Egyptian 
   
  Persian 
  Proud and magnificent Eastern Empire, rich with merchants and nobles. 
  Bonus: +1 Agility 
  Language: Speak Persian, Read & Write Aramaic 
   
  Phoenician 
  Cunning and fast-talking merchant people, sailors and pirates both! 
  Bonus: +1 Spirit 
  Language: Speak Punic, Read & Write Punic 
   
  Syrian 
  Sophisticated urban folk, open-minded, free-thinking and cosmopolitan. 
  Bonus: +1 Smarts 
  Language: Speak Aramaic, Read & Write Aramaic 
   
  Thracian 
  Fierce barbarian tribesmen living a warlike head-hunting existence. 
  Bonus: +1 Strength 
  Language: Speak Thracian 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  Professional Edges 
   
  Archer 
  Requirements: Novice, Agility d8, Shooting d6,  
  Every army needs archers, and they recruit them from fierce barbarian tribes on the fringes of 
  civilisation. An archer may originate from the piratical island of Crete, the Arabian tribes of the desert, 
  or from the wild mountain tribes of the Cimmerians. 
   
  Archers gain a +2 to Shooting rolls when using a bow. 
   
  Charioteers 
  Requirements: Novice, Agility d8, Drive d8, Throw d6. 
  Most soldiers fight on foot, trudging slowly across battlefields with their weighty shields and spears. A 
  handful of men, however, master the art of the horse and the chariot. From these small open cars, they 
  can attack swiftly and race away. Charioteers (in Greek, “eqeta”) are more than just warriors, however. 
  They revel in the speed of their horses and in the ability to weave through crowds and race across open 
  plains, delighting in the control they have over their steeds. For a charioteer, his horses are his closest 
  companions, more trusted than any warrior, and lavished with more affection than any spouse. Foot 
  soldiers regard charioteers with awe, as well they should, for this elite group can sway the tide of battle, 
  sweeping through foes like a starved lion might fall upon deer, scattering everyone in their path. 
   
  Charioteers add +2 to Driving rolls. In addition, they may also spend bennies to make soak rolls for any 
  vehicle or vessel they control. This is a Driving roll at -2 (cancelling their usual +2). Each success and 
  raise negates a wound and any critical hit that would have resulted from it.  
   
  Hipparchos 
  Requirements: Novice, Strength d8, Agility d8, Riding d6. 
  Hipparchos is the Greek term for an armed and armoured cavalryman, often a nobleman who owes his 
  position to the king. Hipparchiai are the battlefield’s elite warrior, and a charge of cavalry can end a 
  battle almost before it has begun. 
   
  Hipparchos gain a +2 to Fighting rolls when using a lance and to all riding rolls. 
   
  Hoplite 
  Requirements: Novice, Vigour d8, Strength d8, Fighting d6. 
  This term is used to describe the heavily armed and armoured warriors. They are tough, hard men, 
  mercenaries who are willing to fight in wars that do not concern them, for generals they have never 
  met. On the battlefield they are traditionally armed with huge 6m-long pikes, but for other duties (and 
  general adventuring) they carry more traditional long or short spears. The wars of the Greeks are waged 
  and won by hoplites, heavily armoured soldiers marching shield to shield as a mighty phalanx. With 
  their long thrusting spears, shining armour and nodding horse-hair crests, these tough fighters are very 
  distinctive. Citizens make up a part time hoplite army, but there are also a considerable number of 
  mercenary hoplite forces. The armoured spearmen wander the world looking for employment, and fight 
  faithfully for their employers. Some states (like Sparta) still call their citizens to battle, but many prefer 
  to rely on the hired hoplites. 
   
  Hoplites gain a +2 to Fighting rolls when using a spear and shield and +1 to parry when using a spear 
  and shield.  
   
  Mariner 
  Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+, Boating d8, Knowledge (navigation) d6 
  The ancient Greek civilization was built upon their seafaring traditions and abilities. Mariners are the 
  men who man the trade ships and war ships of the Aegean and are the life line of many city states. 
  Many are more comfortable upon the deck of their ships than dry land and see Poseidon as their patron. 
      
  Mariners add +2 to Boating rolls. In addition, they may also spend bennies to make soak rolls for any 
  vessel they control. This is a Boating roll at -2 (cancelling their usual +2). Each success and raise 
  negates a wound and any critical hit that would have resulted from it.  
   
   
  
   
  - 41 -
  Olympian 
  Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+, Strength d6+ 
  The Olympians are professional athletes, members of a devoted athletic brotherhood that live to 
  improve their bodies and minds. They are boxers, wrestlers, runners, javelin throwers, practitioners of 
  pankration fighting, and more. The brotherhood recruits every four years at the Olympic Games (at 
  Olympia in Elis). It recruits from winners of the events. Olympians also compete in other contests 
  around the Greek world. They live for excellence and competition, and make a living training those 
  who pay for their time at public baths and by collecting prize money. Every Greek city has its own 
  games organised on some festival, the largest are shared by several states. The most important are the 
  pan Hellenic games, drawing competitors (and Olympians) from across the Greek world and included 
  the Olympic Games (at Olympia), Pythian Games (held at Delphi), Ptolemaian Games (in Alexandria), 
  Nemean Games and the Isthmian Games (held near Corinth). These Games are consecrated 
  respectively to Zeus, Apollo, Dionysus, Zeus (again) and to Poseidon. Lesser games are held every 
  year (the Greater Dionysia at Athens) or every two years. Often the games of a city or group of states 
  are only open to citizens of that city or state. Pan Hellenic games (held every four years) are open to 
  any Greek. 
   
  Those who have formal training in the athletic arts or are naturally agile may take this Edge. It adds +2 
  to all Agility rolls made to perform athletic manoeuvres (including Trick manoeuvres), and also adds 
  +1 to a character’s Parry as long as he has no encumbrance penalty. 
   
  Peltast 
  Requirements: Novice, Spirit d6+, Survival d8+, Tracking d8+ 
  While the hoplites, arrayed in their tight formations, form the devastating heart of every Greek army, 
  they are protected on the battlefield by the peltasts. These lightly armed and armoured infantrymen are 
  mercenaries like the hoplite, but they rarely charge the enemy full on. Peltasts engage in 
  reconnaissance and patrolling, and prefer skirmishing and ambushing tactics. Many peltasts originate 
  from primitive hill-tribes, making them perfectly at home in the wilderness. They are light troops, 
  scouts and auxiliaries, mountain-men, hunters and barbarians who sell their services to Greek city-
  states. They move freely and quickly, scouting out enemy units, moving along trails, and searching for 
  ambushes. In battle they fling javelins at the enemy in rapid succession. The peltasts have great 
  knowledge of the wilderness. They get their name from the pelta, the small (and easily carried) wicker 
  shield carried by them into battle. The first and still the best peltasts are from Thrace, but any rough 
  hill-country in Greece (such as Astoria or Acarnarnia) can provide hundreds of peltasts, ex-shepherds 
  and huntsmen. 
   
  Peltasts are more at home in the wilderness than in urban areas. They are skilled trackers and scouts, 
  and know how to live off the land. Huntsmen gain +2 to Tracking, Survival, and Stealth rolls made in 
  the wilderness (not towns, ruins, or underground). 
   
  Philosopher 
  Requirements: Novice, d8+ in affected trait 
  A philosopher (“lover of knowledge”) studies the workings of the universe, of light, mathematics, the 
  composition of matter, geometry, astronomy and all of the other sciences, he is an early scientist. There 
  are several schools of philosophers in the Greek-speaking world; their main pre-occupation is science, 
  although they overlap somewhat with the more argumentative-based sophists. 
   
  The main ones are: 
  • 
  Megarian School: Founded by Euclid the Socratic at Megara after Socrates’ death in 399BC. 
  • 
  Eleatic School: Founded by Xenophanes at Elea south of Naples in the mid-6th century BC. 
  • 
  Cynics School: Founded after Socrates’ death by Antisthenes in gymnasium of the 
  Cynosarges in Athens. Appealed to virtue and austerity, reputation, honour, wealth are all 
  considered vanities. Patron was Heracles. 
  • 
  The Academy: Founded by Plato in 387BC in an open-air gymnasium (the Academy) on the 
  outskirts of Athens. World’s first university. Plato taught there till his death in 347 BC. 
  Aristotle joined the Academy in 367 BC, aged 17. 
   
  Philosophers are in great demand by the powers of the day, each can advance the knowledge of a realm 
  immeasurably, and they act as councillors and advisors, helping to shape political and economic policy 
  of the dynastic house that pays them. Every royal court is filled with philosophers eager to gain funding 
  
   
  - 42 -
  for experiments, projects and expeditions. It is because of this fact that they are found across the Greek 
  speaking world, travelling in search of knowledge, or a patron - or both. Some are wise and famous; 
  others are ignoble and cunning seekers of dark power. 
   
  Pick any two Knowledge skills that you have a d8 or better in. Add +2 to your total whenever these 
  skills are used. Yes, those who study military history have a natural edge when commanding troops in 
  mass battles—a +2 to a Knowledge (Battle) roll can mean the difference between a rousing victory and 
  a crushing defeat. 
   
  Priest 
  Requirements: Novice, Spirit d8, Knowledge (Myth and Legend) d6. 
  The gods exist and actively participate in mortal affairs. The gods actually take sides and many of them 
  make personal appearances on the battlefield to aid their favoured champions and turn the tide of battle. 
  Most nobles, at least those with some form of divine heritage, have some gift at reading omens, but 
  who speaks for the commoners? That is the role of the priest. These men and women mediate between 
  gods and men, conveying their god’s desires and moods to people and helping them to follow the path 
  of respect and worship. Priests are advisors, counsellors, and spiritual fathers, and they preach the 
  virtues of their god even as they offer suggestions on mundane matters to improve a person’s life. 
   
  Priests gain a +2 to Persuasion rolls, and Knowledge (Myth and Legend). 
   
  Rogue 
  Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+, Climb d6+, Lockpick d4+, Stealth d8+ 
  The Greeks were fast-talking individuals, entrepreneurs and opportunists - all except the Spartans, at 
  any rate! There were many rogues in Greek society, from the mythical Odysseus, to the Athenian 
  playboy Alkibiades and the traitorous shepherd who led the Persian army around the pass of 
  Thermopylae. Across the civilised world, indeed, thieves, assassins and con-men form an undesirable 
  underclass. Every major city-state has its underworld of rogues; a secret society of thieves and con 
  men, assassins, spies, black-mailers and burglars. Some are free citizens; some are immigrants (metics) 
  while others might even be slaves. A Rogue character begins with an affiliation to one such secret 
  society, whether it is the Corinthian Pirates, the Red Thebans, the Elean Underworld, the Long Walls 
  Gang of Athens or the Krypteia (Sparta's own anti-helot secret police). These societies work for 
  themselves and often freelance their espionage and assassination services to factions within the city. 
   
  Rogues specialize in deceit, treachery, and acrobatics. They are nimble practitioners of the less than 
  honest arts, but can be invaluable in typical fantasy campaigns where traps must be detected, walls 
  must be climbed, and locks must be picked. Rogues add +2 to Climb, Lockpick, and Stealth rolls. The 
  bonus to Stealth does not apply when the character is in a wilderness environment—only in urban 
  areas. 
   
  Technitos 
  Requirements: Novice, Spirit d8, Smarts d6. 
  The technitos is a professional actor, an artiste who travels from city to city with his troupe staging 
  theatrical performances such as comedies and tragedies. Some technitai are boorish charlatans, others 
  are eloquent masters of their art who can move kings to tears. Many groups travel on a regular circuit 
  of cities, with a central base to which they will return. Nearly all are organized in guilds centred in 
  Athens, Teos or Corinth. All honour Dionysus, and they specialize in entertainment at Greek festivals; 
  festivals like the Delphic Pythia and Soteria, the Heracleia at Thebes, the Dionysia at Teos, the Museia 
  at Thespie, and the festival of Artemis Leucophryene at Magnesia. Although the technitai are members 
  of a religious guild (devoted to Dionysus) with a high priest at its head, they are viewed with suspicion 
  and many are rowdy troublemakers and scoundrels with great visions of their own place in the scheme 
  of things. At Teos, the guild there is the dominant power! A technitos is a well-travelled and streetwise 
  with a rowdy nature. Travelling from city to city he makes his living by putting on a show for the 
  locals, and he supplements his income with a little theft, gambling and robbery before moving on. The 
  technitos has little taste for a fight. 
   
  Technitos gain +2 to Persuasion rolls and Knowledge (Acting) rolls. 
   
   
   
  
   
  - 43 -
   
  Chapter 3 
   
  WEAPONS, ARMOUR & EQUIPMENT 
   
  Money, Barter, and Bargaining 
  In the days of the Mycenaeans and the Dorians, the mode of exchange was barter. One sort of goods 
  was exchanged for another, or a service was performed in exchange for the goods. Under this system, a 
  craftsman might exchange a sword for a certain amount of an aristocrat’s crop or a few goats. He might 
  be equally likely to make a new plow blade for a farmer in exchange for the farmer’s help in harvesting 
  his family’s little farm. 
   
  This type of interaction can be simulated by comparing prices for goods and services and trying to 
  arrive at a fair price for the exchange. A charisma or reaction roll might come into play if a character is 
  attempting to get a really good deal, and good role playing should help reduce prices a little. 
   
  Hellenes never expect to get the price they originally ask for something, whether bartering or selling. 
  They will always begin by asking double the actual price of any item or service because a good, 
  friendly session of bargaining is always welcome. Anyone who immediately pays the price asked will 
  not only be considered a fool, but may even offend the person he is dealing with. It is considered the 
  height of rudeness to try to hurry another shopper or bargainer or to offer a higher price for an item 
  already under discussion by other people.  
   
  Coins 
  By the time of the flowering of the city-states, coinage became a widespread means of payment for 
  goods and services. Almost all city-states minted their own coins, though standards varied. 
  Additionally, gold darics from Persia were used extensively. Eventually, Athens’ “owls”, their silver 
  drachma and four-drachma pieces, achieved a favourable position because of Athens’ refusal to 
  devalue their coinage as the other city-states did. 
   
  Coins were made of copper, bronze, or iron, silver, electrum, and even gold. Electrum coins were an 
  alloy of silver and gold, but these became suspect, as city after city attempted to add as little gold to the 
  mixture as they could. Cities also began cutting the weight of the metal in their coins or shaving them. 
  This led to the practice of weighing coins and valuing goods in weights of coins rather than numbers. 
  Gold was used sparingly. Only towards the end of the Greek era did gold become common as a coin. 
  Until that time, it was considered more of a trade item than a currency, and mostly used to fashion 
  jewellery and as a decorative accent for art and weaponry. It was coined only in emergencies. 
   
  The value of Greek coinage shifted rapidly. At one point, the obol was worth about 3 chalkoi, while 
  another account reckons the value of an obol at 100 chalkoi. The following values have been assigned 
  to aid the GM in pricing equipment and services in the Greek campaign. While not strictly accurate, it 
  has been streamlined for ease in play. 
   
  The talent was not an actual coin, but a weight of gold equalling 57 pounds. Any amount of currency 
  which equalled the price of 57 pounds of gold was called a “talent.” The gold daric of Persia was 
  roughly equivalent to the stater. The coins in most common usage were chalkoi (ch) (made of copper), 
  obols (ob) (made of either bronze or iron), and drachma (dr) (made of silver).  
   
  Ships’ tonnage was figured according to how many talents (57 pounds) of cargo they could hold. This 
  did not imply that the cargo was worth that much money simply that it weighed the amount known as a 
  talent. 
   
  Coin 
  CH 
  OB 
  DR 
  ST 
  MN 
  TL 
  Chalkoi (CH) 
  1 
  10 
  100 
  200 
  10,000 
  600,000 
  Obol (OB) 
  1/10 
  1 
  10 
  20 
  1,000 
  60,000 
  Drachma (DR) 
  1/100 
  1/10 
  1 
  2 
  100 
  6,000 
  
   
  - 44 -
  Stater (ST) 
  1/200 
  1/20 
  1/2 
  1 
  50 
  3,000 
  Mina (MN) 
  1/10,000 
  1/1,000 
  1/100 
  1/50 
  1 
  60 
  Talent (TL) 
  1/600,000 
  1/60,000 
  1/6,000 
  1/3,000 
  1/60 
  1 
   
  Bronze Weapons 
  Mankind was using bronze long before he discovered how to work iron. Most of the great cultures of 
  the ancient world used bronze to great effect, producing the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World with 
  only bronze tools. The biggest drawback of bronze weapons is their tendency to bend under pressure.  
   
  Damage and Bending 
  Bronze weapons inflict no more damage than regular weapons. Their weakness is not in their ability to 
  deliver damage (which is actually a product of sharpness, mass, and velocity), but to withstand the 
  pressure inflicted by blows. 
   
  Whenever the wielder rolls a critical failure on his attack, he has bent his weapon. This doesn’t have to 
  be the result of a catastrophic miss, with the weapon slamming into the ground or a nearby inanimate 
  object. Maybe the character struck armour, or perhaps the blow was parried in just the right place. 
  Whatever description you use, the result is the same—an unwieldy weapon. 
   
  Each time a weapon is bent, it subtracts 1 from the skill used to wield it (Fighting for melee weapon 
  and Throwing for spears and axes). The penalty is cumulative to a maximum of -6. 
   
  Straightening a bronze weapon requires the use of the Repair skill. A successful Repair roll eliminates 
  1 penalty, plus 1 per raise. 
   
  Hand Weapons 
  Blades 
  Damage 
  Weight 
  Cost 
  Min. Str. 
  Notes 
  Dagger 
  Str+1 
  1 
  2 dr 
  - 
  - 
  Short Sword [Xiphos]   
  Str+2 
  4 
  10 dr 
  - 
  - 
  Saber [Kopis]  
  Str+2 
  4 
  12 dr 
  - 
  - 
  Sickle 
  Str+1 
  3 
  6 ob 
  - 
  - 
  Axes & Mauls 
  Damage 
  Weight 
  Cost 
  Min. Str. 
  Notes 
  Battle Axe 
  Str+3 
  9 
  8 dr 
  d8 
  - 
  Hatchet 
  Str+2 
  2 
  3 dr 
  d6 
  - 
  Heavy Club 
  Str+3 
  8 
  3 ch 
  d8 
  - 
  Light Club 
  Str+2 
  6 
  2 ch 
  d6 
  - 
  Mace 
  Str+3 
  8 
  5 dr 
  d8 
  AP 1 vs. rigid armour 
  Pole Arms 
  Damage 
  Weight 
  Cost 
  Min. Str. 
  Notes 
  Staff 
  Str+1 
  8 
  3 ch 
  - 
  Parry +1, Reach 1, Requires 2 hands 
  Spear 
  Str+2 
  5 
  2 ob 
  d6 
  Parry +1, Reach 1 
  Hoplite Spear [Doru] 
  Str+2 
  8 
  5 dr 
  d8 
  Parry +1, Reach 2 
  Pike [Sarissa] 
  Str+3 
  18 
  5 dr 
  d8 
  Reach 2, Requires 2 hands 
  Lance [Xyston] 
  Str+4 
  9 
  6 dr 
  d8 
  AP 1, Reach 2 
  Trident 
  Str+2 
  8 
  15 dr 
  D6 
  Parry +1, Reach 1, Requires 2 hands 
  Misc. 
  Damage 
  Weight 
  Cost 
  Min. Str. 
  Notes 
  Cestus 
  Str+1 
  2 
  9 ob 
  - 
  - 
   
  Missile Weapons 
  Type 
  Range 
  Damage 
  Cost 
  Weight 
  Min. Str. 
  Thrown Rock 
  4/8/16 
  Str+1 
  - 
  1 
  - 
  Dagger 
  6/12/24 
  Str+1 
  2 dr 
  1 
  - 
  
   
  - 45 -
  Sling 
  8/16/32 
  Str+1 
  5 ob 
  1 
  - 
  Javelin [Longche] 
  8/16/32 
  Str+1 
  5 ob 
  3 
  d6 
  Spear 
  6/12/24 
  Str+2 
  2 ob 
  5 
  d6 
  Bow, Self 
  24/48/96 
  2d6 
  25 dr 
  3 
  d6 
  Bow, Composite 
  28/56/112 
  2d6 
  50 dr 
  4 
  d8 
   
  Ammunition 
  Ammo 
  Weight 
  Cost 
  Notes 
  Arrow* 
  1/5 
  1 dr per 10 
  - 
  Sling stone 
  1/10 
  2 ob per 10 
  Stones can also be found for free with a Notice roll and 
  1d10 minutes searching, depending on terrain. 
  *Outdoors, arrows are recovered on a d6 roll of 4-6 (50% chance). Underground or indoors, the 
  chance is reduced to a roll of 5-6 on 1d6 to reflect the increased chance of breakage. 
   
  Armour 
  Bronze Armour 
  Armour served the ancient cultures well for centuries. It is relatively easy to shape to the wearer’s 
  profile, but can be dented and buckled. 
   
  In game terms, any blow which inflicts 2 or more wounds to the wearer in a single hit has damaged the 
  armour, reducing its effectiveness by 1 point. If the armour reaches +0 Armour, it has been so badly 
  damaged it is useless. Repairing bronze armour requires the use of the Repair skill. A successful Repair 
  roll restores +1 armour value, plus 1 per raise. 
   
  Cuirass and Peturgis  
  The cuirass it the armour that covers the torso, moulded to the individual. A second matching piece 
  covers the back, with leather straps holding the two together along the sides. The breastplate could be 
  made of leather, linen or canvas covered in bronze disks or pure bronze, and layered or not.  
   
  The peturgis is essentially an apron, fastening to the belt and covering the groin. They are made of 
  strips of leather hanging loose from the belt, offering some protection while not limiting movement. 
  Some warriors wear a wide, thick belt wrapping around their pelvis, serving the same purpose as the 
  peturgis.  
   
  Type 
  Armour 
  Weight* 
  Cost 
  Notes 
  Leather 
  +1 
  9 
  10 dr 
  Covers torso 
  Bronze Scale 
  +2 
  14 
  20 dr 
  Covers torso 
  Bronze 
  +3 
  18 
  70 dr 
  Covers torso 
  *This is effective weight when worn. Most armour weighs quite a bit more when carried rather than 
  worn. 
   
  Greaves 
  These moulded pieces cover the legs from just below the knee down to just above the foot. They have 
  no backs, and straps around the back and with clips attaching to the bottom to the sandals secure them. 
  Greaves could be made of leather, or bronze.  
   
  Type 
  Armour 
  Weight* 
  Cost 
  Notes 
  Leather 
  +1 
  9 
  5 dr 
  Covers legs 
  Bronze 
  +3 
  14 
  15 dr 
  Covers legs 
  *This is effective weight when worn. Most armour weighs quite a bit more when carried rather than 
  worn. 
   
   
   
  
   
  - 46 -
  Helmets  
  Helmets come in a variety of shapes, but cover the top and back of the head completely. Most Homeric 
  helmets cover the sides as well, and curve down over the brow, leaving an open area in front for eyes, 
  nose, and mouth. Helmets are usually made of bronze or hardened leather, and often sport plumes. 
  Common soldiers often wear simple caps instead of helmets. These caps are made from thick hide, and 
  fit closely to the top of the head, but do not cover the back or sides at all.  
   
  Type 
  Armour 
  Weight* 
  Cost 
  Notes 
  Leather 
  +1 
  4 
  5 dr 
  Covers head 
  Bronze 
  +3 
  8 
  10 dr 
  Covers head 
  *This is effective weight when worn. Most armour weighs quite a bit more when carried rather than 
  worn. 
   
  Shields** 
  Shield, Pelte 
  Runners use these shields. They are round with a section cut out of the bottom, so that the crescent’s 
  horns point downward. Their wielders can sling them on their backs back, allowing them to run 
  without bumping against the shield’s lower edge.  
   
  Weight 
  Cost 
  Notes 
  7 
  3 dr 
  +1 Parry 
   
  Dyplon Shield  
  This style of shield, it has curved edges and cut-outs on each side. Its figure-eight shape lets it provides 
  full protection but, when slung on the back, does not block the runner’s elbows or feet. The side-
  notches also allow spears to thrust between a pair of interlocking shields. It is usually made of wicker 
  and hide. 
   
  Weight 
  Cost 
  Notes 
  8 
  5 dr 
  +1 Parry, +1 Armour to ranged shots that hit 
   
  Aspis shield  
  This is the typical shield style used by hoplites; the round shield provides more side cover than does the 
  dyplon. Its shape means it has no edges to catch on anything while running and a warrior can easily 
  thrust around it with a sword or a spear. It is usually made of wood covered in a layer of bronze. 
   
  Weight 
  Cost 
  Notes 
  10 
  8 dr 
  +1 Parry, +2 Armour to ranged shots that hit 
   
  **Shields protect only against attacks from the front and left (assuming a right-handed character). 
   
  Barding for Horses 
  Type 
  Armour 
  Weight* 
  Cost 
  Notes 
  Leather 
  +1 
  14 
  20 dr 
  For horses 
  Bronze 
  +3 
  26 
  50 dr 
  For horses 
  *This is effective weight when worn. Most armour weighs quite a bit more when carried rather than 
  worn. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  - 47 -
  Goods, Equipment & Services 
   
  Clothing 
  Belt – 3 ob 
  Boots – 1 dr 
  Chiton (tunic) 
  o 
  Long, Plain – 12 ob 
  o 
  Long, Embroidered – 5 dr 
  o 
  Short, Plain – 6 ob 
  o 
  Short, Embroidered – 3 dr  
  Chlamys (cloak) 
  o 
  Plain – 6 ob 
  o 
  Embroidered – 3 dr 
  Dagger Sheath – 2 dr 
  Fibula (clothing pin) 
  o 
  Plain – 5dr 
  o 
  Jewelled – 10 - 250 dr 
  Girdle – 2 dr 
  Hat – 5 ob 
  Himation  
  o 
  Plain – 5 dr 
  o 
  Embroidered – 10 dr 
  Kilt – 4 ob 
  Loincloth – 2 ob 
  Pouch – 1 dr 
  Robe 
  o 
  Plain – 5 ob 
  o 
  Embroidered – 10 dr 
  Sandals – 6 ob 
  Sword Scabbard – 3 dr 
   
  Household Costs 
  Blanket, winter – 2 dr 
  Bowl, mixing 
  Wood – 4 ch 
  Silver – 10 dr 
  Gold – 50 dr 
  Bucket – 6 ch 
  Cauldron 
  Copper – 20 dr  
  Bronze – 30 dr 
  Iron – 10 dr   
  Chair, backed 
  Wooden – 3 dr 
  Bronze – 15 dr 
  Gold – 100 dr 
  Chair, backless 
  Wooden – 1 dr 
  Bronze – 10 dr 
  Gold – 70 dr 
  Candle – 2 ch 
  Chest – 8 dr 
  Food 
  o 
  Bread (per loaf) – 5 ch 
  o 
  Cheese (per pound) – 4 ob 
  o 
  Figs (per pound) – 2 ob 
  o 
  Fish, fresh – 1 ob 
  o 
  Fish, salted (per 100) – 1 dr 
  o 
  Grain (1 bushel) – 1 dr 
  o 
  Honey (per quart) – 5 ob 
  o 
  Lentils (per pound) – 5 ch 
  o 
  Meat (one serving) – 8 ob 
  o 
  Olive oil, refined (quart) – 5 ob 
  o 
  Olives (per pound) – 8 ob 
  o 
  Onions (per pound) – 8 ch 
  o 
  Peas (per pound) – 6 ch 
  o 
  Spice, exotic – 15 dr 
  o 
  Spice, rare – 4 dr 
  o 
  Spice, uncommon – 1dr  
  o 
  Wine, black (1 /2 gallon) – 1 dr 
  o 
  Wine, black (tun) – 20 dr 
  o 
  Wine, common (1 /2 gallon) – 2 ob  
  o 
  Wine, common (tun) – 8 dr 
  Footstool 
  Wood – 5 ch  
  Stone – 1 ob 
  Bronze – 5 dr 
  Gold – 80 dr 
  Goblet 
  Bronze – 5 dr 
  Silver – 20 dr 
  Gold – 40 dr 
  Jug, clay – 2 ch 
  Lamp, Clay – 2 dr 
  Lamp Oil – 3 ob 
  Lock – 10 dr 
  Mirror, large, bronze – 15 dr 
  Mug 
  o 
  Wooden – 3 ch 
  o 
  Stone – 6 ch  
  Pitcher, clay – 2 ch 
  Papyrus (per sheet) – 8 ob 
  Platter 
  o 
  Wood – 3 ch 
  o 
  Silver – 10 ob 
  o 
  Gold – 40 dr 
  Pot, iron – 5 ob 
  Stylus – 3 ch 
  Table 
  o 
  Large – 4 ob  
  o 
  Small, plain – 2 ob 
  o 
  Small, fancy – 9 dr 
  Tripod 
  o 
  Copper – 2 ob  
  o 
  Bronze – 5 dr 
  o 
  Iron – 3 ob 
  Wax Table – 2 dr 
  Writing Ink – 8 ob 
   
  Lodgings 
  House purchase, common – 800 dr 
  House purchase, poor – 500 dr 
  House purchase, wealthy – 1800 dr 
  House rent, common (year) – 80 dr 
  House rental, poor (year) – 50 dr 
  House rent, wealthy (year) – 180 dr 
  
   
  48
  Inn room and board (per day) – 6 ob 
  Inn room and board (per week) – 4 dr 
  Inn room and board (per month) – 15 dr 
   
  Tack and Harness 
  Bit and bridle – 15 ob 
  Brush and curry comb – 3 ob 
  Cart harness – 2 dr 
  Feedbag – 3 ch 
  Halter – 5 ch 
  Horseshoes and shoeing – 1 dr 
  Saddle bag – 2 dr 
  Saddle blanket – 3 ob  
  Saddle pad – 2 dr 
  Yoke, horse – 5 dr 
  Yoke, ox – 3 dr 
   
  Animals 
  Boar – 4 dr 
  Bull – 20 dr 
  Calf – 5 dr 
  Cow – 10 dr 
  Dog  
  o 
  Guard – 15 dr  
  o 
  Hunting – 10 dr 
  o 
  War – 7 dr 
  Donkey – 8 dr 
  Goat – 3 dr 
  Hen – 2 dr 
  Horse  
  o 
  Chariot team – 400 dr 
  o 
  Riding – 50 dr 
  o 
  War – 150 dr 
  o 
  Wild – 30 dr  
  Mule – 9 dr  
  Pig – 1 dr 
  Ram – 3 dr 
  Rooster – 1 dr 
  Sheep – 2 dr 
  Songbird – 2 dr 
   
  Transport 
  Bireme – 30,000 dr 
  Chariot  
  o 
  Riding – 200 dr 
  o 
  War – 500 dr 
  Fishing boat – 30 dr 
  Merchant ship – 25,000 dr 
  Palanquin – 50 dr 
  Penteconter – 10,000 dr 
  Trireme – 45,000 dr 
   
  Specialty and Trade Goods 
  Barrel – 3 dr 
  Basket,  
  o 
  Large – 3 ob 
  o 
  Small – 5 ch 
  Body oil, scented (pint) – 1 dr 
  Charcoal (per pound) – 7 dr 
  Cloth 
  o 
  Common (10 square yards) – 7 dr 
  o 
  Fine (10 square yards) – 20 dr 
  Fish net, 25 sq. ft.  – 4 dr  
  Flute – 1 dr 
  Kohl (per pot) – 5 ch 
  Lyre – 11 dr 
  Merchant's scale – 2 dr 
  Mirror, bronze, small – 1 dr 
  Perfume (per vial) – 1 ob 
  Rouge (per pot) – 5 ch  
  Slaves 
  o 
  Man – 500 dr 
  o 
  Woman – 300 dr 
  o 
  Child – 150 dr  
  Strigil (oil scraper) – 5 ch 
  Water clock – 800 dr  
   
  Adventuring Supplies 
  Backpack – 1 dr 
  Bedroll – 3 ob 
  Blanket – 1 dr 
  Cooking pot, small – 8 cp 
  Dry rations (per week) – 8 dr  
  Firepot, small – 6 ob 
  Fishing hook – 4 ob 
  Grappling hook – 8 ob 
  Healer’s bag – 5 dr 
  Map or scroll case – 8 ob 
  Quiver – 8 ob 
  Rope, hemp (50 ft.) – 1 dr 
  Sack  
  o 
  Large – 2 ob  
  o 
  Small – 5 ch  
  Tent  
  o 
  Large – 25 dr 
  o 
  Small – 5 dr  
  Thieves Picks – 40 dr 
  Torch – 1 ch 
  Waterskin – 8 ob 
  Whetstone – 3 ob 
   
  Services 
  Barber (per treatment) – 2 ob 
  Bard/Poet (per composition) – 30 dr 
  Cook – 5 dr 
  Craftsman – 5-100 dr 
  Entertainer  
  o 
  Acrobat – 5 dr 
  o 
  Flute Girl – 6 dr 
  o 
  Juggler – 5 dr 
  Guide (per day) – 6 ob 
  Herald (per announcement) – 6 ob 
  Messenger (within city) – 6 ob 
  Mourner (per day) – 5 dr 
  Orator (per speech) – 6 dr 
  Physician (per treatment) – 2 dr 
  Priest (per sacrifice) – 1 dr 
  Torchbearer (per night) – 4 ch 
   
  
   
  - 49 -
  VEHICLES 
   
  The following pages include information on some select vehicles for land and water. They’re grouped 
  by type to help you when purchasing or choosing equipment. 
   
  Acc/Top Speed is the vehicle’s Acceleration and Top Speed in feet per round.   
   
  Toughness for a vehicle is the same as Toughness for a human. The number in parentheses is the 
  vehicle’s Armour, which is already figured in to its Toughness.  
   
  Passengers list the number of crew plus any additional passengers it can transport. 
   
  Cost is the average price of the vehicle.  
   
  Vehicular Notes 
  Some of the vehicles have special abilities due to their construction or optional equipment. Here’s a list 
  of some common abilities. 
   
  Heavy Armour: Only weapons marked as Heavy Weapons can hurt this vehicle, regardless of the 
  damage roll. Also, vehicles with Heavy Armour halve damage they take from colliding with other 
  obstacles (including vehicles) that don’t have Heavy Armour. 
   
  Heavy Weapon: This weapon can harm vehicles equipped with Heavy Armour (see above). 
   
  Ground Vehicles 
   
  Horse and Wagon 
  Acc/Top Speed: Half animal’s Pace/Top Speed is animal’s Pace + running; Toughness: 2; Crew: 
  1+3; Cost: 200 dr; Notes: See horse statistics. 
   
  Horse and Chariot 
  Acc/Top Speed: Animal’s Pace/Top Speed is animal’s Pace + running; Toughness: 4; Crew: 1+2; 
  Cost: 300 dr; Notes: See horse statistics. 
   
  Horse and War Chariot 
  Acc/Top Speed: Animal’s Pace/Top Speed is animal’s Pace + running; Toughness: 10; Crew: 1+1; 
  Cost: 500 dr; Notes: See horse statistics. 
   
  Boats & Ships 
   
  Fishing Boat 
  This is your basic boat used for fishing or short distance transport. 
  Size: 10 metre length x 2 metre beam; Cargo: 1/2 ton; Acc/Top Speed: 2/4 (1/2 under oar); 
  Toughness: 8 (2); Crew: 1+3; Cost: 30 dr 
  Notes: — 
   
  Merchant Ship 
  Ships used for merchant ventures were more rounded than those used for war and depended on sail 
  power more than oarsmen (though they were still used). Many were open ships with a small forecastle 
  and poop deck and a single square sail. The cargo was carried in the centre of the ship where it was 
  open to the elements. Others had more decking; more sails, and even cabins. The average ship was only 
  30 or so tons and could be hauled up on shore at night to allow the crew to sleep on land. 
  Size: 32 metre length x 6 metre beam; Cargo: 8 tons; Acc/Top Speed: 2/10 (2/6 under oar); 
  Toughness: 12 (2), Crew: 20 sailors; Cost: 25,000 dr 
  Notes: Heavy Armour (Merchant ships aren’t actually armoured, but are massive enough that they 
  require heavy weapons to harm them) 
   
   
   
  
   
  - 50 -
  Biremes  
  It had a broad bottom with a shallow draft. Biremes were propelled by two banks of oars and virtually 
  skimmed over the seas. The bow had a portion that protruded out at water level. It is thought that this 
  configuration was intended for ramming and piercing the enemy's ships hull. A bireme was outclassed 
  in combat by a trireme's speed and weight but its combat power should not be underestimated. 
  Size: 33 metre length x 4.5 metre beam; Cargo: 5 tons; Acc/Top Speed: 4/12 rowed (2/10 sail); 
  Toughness: 16 (2), Crew: 150 rowers + 20 sailors; Cost: 30,000 dr 
  Notes: Heavy Armour (Biremes aren’t actually armoured, but are massive enough that they require 
  heavy weapons to harm them) 
  Weapons: Ram. Heavy Weapon. Biremes had rams mounted on their bows. This gives the ship AP 4 
  and the damage taken by the ship when ramming an opponent’s vessel is negated when using the ram. 
   
  Triremes  
  The Trireme was a powerful warship propelled by three banks of oars and a sail. It could ram opposing 
  ships and launch boarding actions. Originally a Greek design it was widely copied because of its good 
  qualities. Skilled oarsmen were needed but then this gave the ship tremendous power in a 'sprint' at 
  ramming speed. As might be expected the trireme was its own main weapon, as it carried a bronze-
  tipped ram on the bow at the waterline. Once an enemy ship has been rammed or had its oars smashed, 
  the crew withdrew before seek another target. 
  Size: 38 metres length x 5.5 metre beam; Cargo: 6 tons; Acc/Top Speed: 4/16 rowed (2/8 sail); 
  Toughness: 19 (4) Crew: 170 rowers + 25 sailors; Cost: 45,000 dr 
  Notes: Heavy Armour (Triremes aren’t actually armoured, but are massive enough that they require 
  heavy weapons to harm them) 
  Weapons: Ram. Heavy Weapon. Triremes, had rams mounted on their bows. This gives the ship AP 4 
  and the damage taken by the ship when ramming an opponent’s vessel is negated when using the ram. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  - 51 -
  BESTIARY 
   
   
  Animated Statue, Metal  
  Typically crafted in humanoid form from bronze, these animated statues are among the most powerful. 
  They are often gifts or guardians created by Hephaestus.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d12+3, Vigour d12+1 
  Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d6 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 6; Toughness: 15 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Great axe (Str+4, –1 Parry, requires 2 hands) 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Armour: +4 hardened metal. 
  • 
  Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken; No additional damage from called shots; 
  Piercing attacks do half-damage; Immune to poison and disease. 
  • 
  Fearless: Animated Statues are immune to Fear and Intimidation. 
  • 
  Improved Sweep: Animated Statues may attack all adjacent creatures at no penalty. 
  • 
  Size: +2, Animated Statues stand over 10’ high and weigh 6,000 pounds. 
   
  Animated Statue, Stone  
  These are the traditional animated statue. As with most animated statues, they are shaped in the form of 
  warriors and serve as guardians. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12+2, Vigour d12 
  Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d6 
  Pace: 10; Parry: 7; Toughness: 13 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Armour: +3, hardened stone. 
  • 
  Construct: +2 to recover from being Shaken; No additional damage from called shots; 
  Piercing attacks do half-damage; Immune to poison and disease. 
  • 
  Fearless: Animated Statues are immune to Fear and Intimidation. 
  • 
  Size: +1, Animated Statues stand over 8’ high and weigh 4,000 pounds. 
  • 
  Stone Fists: Str+2. 
   
  Bear, Large 
  Large bears covers grizzlies. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12+4, Vigour d12 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Notice d8, Swim d6 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bear Hug: Bears don’t actually “hug” their victims, but they do attempt to use their weight to 
  pin their prey and rend it with their claws and teeth. A bear that hits with a raise has pinned his 
  foe. The opponent may only attempt to escape the “hug” on his action, which requires a raise 
  on an opposed Strength roll. 
  • 
  Claws: Str+2. 
  • 
  Size +2: These creatures can stand up to 8’ tall and weigh over 1000 pounds. 
   
  Boar 
  Massive, feral pigs, with razor-sharp tusks; they’re notoriously short-tempered. Wild boars are hunted 
  for their rich meat. They are tenacious fighters, especially when wounded. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Berserk: When a boar is wounded, it goes berserk. It gains +2 to all Fighting and Strength 
  rolls and its Toughness, but Parry is reduced by 2. It also ignores wound penalties. 
  • 
  Gore: If a boar can charge at least 12’ before attacking, it adds +4 to damage. 
  • 
  Tusks: Str+1. 
   
  
   
  - 52 -
  Bull 
  Bulls are usually only aggressive toward humans when enraged. Of course, if you’re looking up the 
  statistics here, it’s probably already seeing red. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12+2, Vigour d12 
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d8, Notice d6 
  Pace: 14; Parry: 4; Toughness: 10 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bite: Str. 
  • 
  Horns/Hooves: Str+2 
  • 
  Gore: Bulls charge manoeuvre to gore their opponents with their long horns. If they can move 
  at least 12’ before attacking, they add +4 to their damage total. 
  • 
  Size: +2, Bulls are large creatures. 
   
  Bulls, Hephaestan 
  Brass-footed bulls that puff fire from their mouth. Hephaestus created them, and gave them to Aeetes, 
  the king of Colchis, as a gift. 
  Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12+1, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d4 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 5; Toughness: 12 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Armour: +1, Thick Hides. 
  • 
  Horns/Hooves: Str+2 
  • 
  Bite: Str. 
  • 
  Gore: Bulls charge manoeuvre to gore their opponents with their long horns. If they can move 
  at least 12’ before attacking, they add +4 to their damage total. 
  • 
  Flame Breath: Hephaestan Bulls can project a searing blast of flame with a 48’ range. 
  Characters within the cone must beat the spirit’s Shooting roll with Agility or suffer 2d10 
  damage, plus the chance of catching fire. 
  • 
  Size: +2, Hephaestan Bulls are large creatures. 
   
  Catoblepas 
  The catoblepas is a four-legged beast not unlike a bull, though it has scaly skin. It has a long neck and a 
  large head, which usually hangs down to face the earth. Although not a particularly fierce beast, its 
  gaze and breath are deadly. They commonly haunt marshy ground, but can stray into cultivated lands in 
  search of cows with which to mate. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12, Vigour d12 
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d8, Notice d8 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 4; Toughness: 9 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Breath: A catoblepas can breathe a 30’ cone of noxious fumes. Anyone caught by the fumes 
  must make a Vigour roll or be struck blind and deaf for 2d6 hours, after which they die. 
  • 
  Gaze: Like the basilisk, the gaze of the catoblepas is deadly. Fortunately, the head of the 
  catoblepas is so heavy it must make a Strength roll at –2 to lift it each time it wishes to use 
  this power. The creature may look at a single target each round. The victim, whether he can 
  see the beast or not, must make a Vigour roll at –2 or drop dead instantly. 
  • 
  Kick: Str+2. 
  • 
  Size: +1, A catoblepas is the same size as a small cow. 
   
  Centaur 
  Centaurs have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. In some settings they are 
  reclusive philosophers. In others, they are nomads, wandering the plains and forests in herds. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Survival d8, Shooting d6, Tracking d6 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 7; Toughness: 9 
  Gear: Leather armour (+1), spear (Str+2, Parry +1, Reach 1), bow (Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d6) 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Fleet Footed: Centaurs roll a d8 when running, instead of a d6. 
  • 
  Hooves: Str. 
  • 
  Size: +2, Centaurs are the same size as riding horses. 
  
   
  - 53 -
   
  Chimera 
  A terrible creature with the fore body of a lion, hindquarters of a goat, and the wings of a dragon, with 
  a head from each creature. It breathes fire and lives in the mountains around Lycia. In classical 
  mythology, there was only one chimera. Though destroyed by Bellerophon, there could have been 
  other chimera. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d10, Strength d12+2, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Notice d8 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bite/Claw: Str+2. 
  • 
  Fear: Chimeras are fearsome creatures to behold, and force a Guts check when initiating 
  combat. 
  • 
  Fiery Breath: Chimeras breathe fire. Every target within a 48’ cone may make an Agility roll 
  at –2 to avoid the attack. Those who fail suffer 2d10 damage and must check to see if they 
  catch fire. A chimera may not attack with its claws or bite in the same round it breathes fire. 
  • 
  Flight: Chimeras are capable of winged flight, at a pace of 20’; with a 4’ acceleration (their 
  massive bodies make it difficult for them to become initially airborne). 
  • 
  Improved Frenzy: If a chimera does not use its Fiery Breath Ability, it may make an 
  additional Fighting attack with no penalty. 
  • 
  Size: +4  
  • 
  Three Headed: The chimera’s three heads afford it the following bonuses; it gets a +2 to all 
  Notice rolls, a +2 to recover from Shaken, and called shots to the head do no additional 
  damage. However, a called shot to the head which results in at least 1 wound will kill that 
  head, though the creature suffers no particular ill effects from this. Destroying all three heads 
  kills the creature. 
  • 
  Two Fisted: A chimera may attack with its claws and bite in the same round with no multi-
  action penalty. 
   
  Cyclops 
  This one-eyed race of giants lives on their own island in homes carved into the hills. They worship 
  Poseidon, who fathered their leader Polyphemus, and they herd sheep and goats. They also enjoy 
  devouring travellers. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d12+3, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d4, Throwing d6 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 
  Gear: 
  • 
  Big Club: Str+3 
  • 
  Thrown Rocks: Str+1, range 3/6/12 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Large: Attackers add +2 to any attack rolls against a Cyclops due to its large size. 
  • 
  One Eye: –2 to all trait rolls involving depth perception, such as Throwing. 
  • 
  Size: +5 
   
  Deer 
  You can use this template for animals such as deer. 
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d4, Notice d6 
  Pace: 24; Parry: 4; Toughness: 6 
  Size: +1 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Fleet of Foot: Antelope have a Pace 12 and roll a d12 for Running. 
  • 
  Sharp Senses: They get a +1 to all Notice rolls. 
  • 
  Kick/Horns: Str+1 
  Dog/Wolf 
  The stats below are for large attack dogs, as well as wolves, hyenas, and the like. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d10 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 5; Toughness: 4 
  
   
  - 54 -
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bite: Str+1. 
  • 
  Fleet Footed: Dogs roll a d10 when running instead of a d6. 
  • 
  Go for the Throat: Dogs instinctively go for an opponent’s soft spots. With a raise on its 
  attack roll, it hits the target’s most weakly-armoured location. 
  • 
  Size -1: Dogs are relatively small creatures. 
   
  Dragon (WC) 
  The Drakones of Greek mythology were gigantic toothed serpents. Some had multiple heads, others 
  were winged, and some spat poison so venomous it could kill at the touch. The word drakôn probably 
  comes from "drakein" or "derkomai", meaning to see clearly or gaze sharply. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d12+9, Vigour d12 
  Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d12, Intimidation d12, Notice d12 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 7; Toughness: 20 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Armour: +4, Scaly hide. 
  • 
  Claws/Bite: Str+3. 
  • 
  Fear: Anyone who sees a mighty dragon must make a Guts check at –2. 
  • 
  Fiery Breath: Dragons breathe fire with a 50’ range. Every target within this are of effect 
  may make an Agility roll at –2 to avoid the attack. Those who fail suffer 2d10 damage and 
  must check to see if they catch fire. A dragon may not attack with its claws or bite in the 
  round it breathes fire. 
  • 
  Poison Breath: Some dragons breathe a noxious mix of gas and corrosive liquid instead of 
  fire. The corrosive liquid inflicts a further 2d6 damage the round after it was breathed, then it 
  neutralizes. 
  • 
  Flight: Dragons have a Flying Pace of 48’, with an Acceleration of 12’. 
  • 
  Hardy: Dragons do not suffer a wound from being Shaken twice. 
  • 
  Huge: Attackers add +4 to their Fighting or Shooting rolls when attacking a dragon due to its 
  massive size. 
  • 
  Improved Frenzy: If a dragon does not use its Fiery Breath Ability, it may make two 
  Fighting attacks with no penalty. 
  • 
  Level Headed: Dragons act on the best of two cards. 
  • 
  Size: +8, Dragons are massive creatures. This version is over 40’ long from nose to tail, and 
  weighs well over 30,000 pounds. 
  • 
  Tail Lash: The dragon can sweep all opponents in its rear facing in a 6’ long by 12’ wide 
  area. This is a standard Fighting attack and damage is equal to the dragon’s Strength–2. 
   
  Dryad 
  Dryads are nature spirits, specifically those of the woodlands. Shy by nature, they prefer to watch 
  intruders, only making their presence felt if the need arises. They are tied to a tree at birth, and die if 
  the tree dies. They’re generally peaceful and reclusive. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d4, Guts d6, Notice d10, Persuasion d8, Stealth d10 
  Charisma: +2; Pace: 12; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Attractive: Dryads resemble attractive human females, but often have a green or brown tint to 
  their skin. 
  • 
  Tree Bond: Dryads share their soul with a particular tree. They must remain within 80’ of the 
  tree or their magic does not work. If the tree dies or becomes unhealthy, so does the dryad 
  (and vice versa). 
  • 
  One with the Forest: Dryads get a +2 to their Notice and Stealth rolls. 
  • 
  Charm: Few men can resist the charms of a dryad. This is the equivalent of the Puppet 
  power; the dryad and target make opposed Spirit rolls. If the dryad wins, the target is under 
  her control. When facing numerous opponents, she’ll use the target to occupy them until she 
  can escape; if facing a single foe, she’ll take them back to her tree and Merge them (see 
  below). A Charmed target remains under control for one hour. 
  • 
  Merging: A dryad can physically merge with her tree by making a Spirit roll. While inside the 
  tree, she can’t be harmed unless the tree is harmed. If she’s taken more than 100’ away from 
  her tree, however, she must make a Vigour roll each round or die. A dryad can also force a 
  
   
  - 55 -
  Charmed opponent to merge with her tree; the target can make a Spirit roll to resist, but failing 
  that, they will be dragged into the tree. Merged victims will live as long as the tree does, and 
  can be freed by the dryad. 
   
  Fury 
  Furies are savage, bestial creatures sent by the gods to punish worshippers for major transgressions. 
  The exact form of a fury varies by deity, but all have sharp claws and wings of some description. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d10, Strength d10, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Persuasion d6, Taunt d8, Throwing d6 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Arcane Resistance: +2 Armour against damage causing powers and +2 on trait rolls to resist 
  opposed powers. 
  • 
  Armour: +1 Hide. 
  • 
  Berserk: Furies can become Berserk at will. 
  • 
  Claws: Str+1 
  • 
  Flight: Furies have a Flying Pace of 12’ and a Climb of 6’. 
   
  Game 
  Small game animals, such as rabbits and deer, rarely pose much threat to an adventuring party. They 
  are, however, a handy resource. Every character that spends the time may make a Survival roll to net 
  1d6 days of food per success and raise. Make a group roll for extras assigned to this task and multiply 
  the results by the number of people involved. A party of 18 foragers, for example, with a single 
  success, rolls 1d6 x 18. 
   
  Ghost 
  Spectres, shades, and phantoms sometimes return from death to haunt the living or fulfil some lost 
  goal. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidate d12+2, Notice d12, Taunt d10, Stealth d12+4, Throwing d12 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Thrown objects (Str+1) 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Ethereal: Ghosts are immaterial and can only be harmed by magical attacks. 
  • 
  Fear: Ghosts cause Guts checks at -2 when they let themselves be seen. 
   
  Giant 
  Depending on where they are found, these hulking brutes are known as forest giants, hill giants, 
  mountain giants, or simply as giants. There are slight differences between the breeds, but not enough to 
  separate them. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d12+5, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Throwing d8 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 6; Toughness: 13 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Skins or furs (+1), Stone-headed clubs (Str+4), thrown rock (Range: 6/12/24, Damage: 3d6) 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Clueless: Giants receive a –2 penalty to Common Knowledge rolls. 
  • 
  Improved Sweep: Giants can attack all adjacent foes at no penalty. 
  • 
  Large: Attackers gain +4 to attack rolls against giants due to their size. 
  • 
  Size: +5, Giants are over 20’ tall. 
   
   
   
  Golden Ram 
  Golden ram are large beasts, living in remote mountainous regions. Their fleece is actually made of 
  find gold threads, which makes them popular with hunters and trappers. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12+1, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d6 
  
   
  - 56 -
  Pace: 16; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Gore: Rams use the charge manoeuvre to gore their opponents with their long horns. If they 
  can move at least 12’ before attacking, they add +4 to their damage total. 
  • 
  Horns: Str+2. 
  • 
  Mountain Beast: Golden rams ignore penalties for Difficult Terrain in mountainous regions. 
  • 
  Size: +2, Golden rams weight over 800 pounds. 
   
  Gorgon 
  The legendary medusa was a unique creature—a former maiden of beauty cursed by the gods for her 
  vanity. The fabled creature of Greek legend, a gorgon appears as a woman with a perfect body, but a 
  hideous face topped with snakes in place of hair. Their lair is usually decorated with numerous 
  “statues.” 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d8 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 
  Hindrances: Horrible Beauty (As long as her face and head are covered, she gets a +4 Charisma; once 
  her true nature is revealed, it becomes -4.) 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Short sword (Str+2), bow (Range: 12/24/48, Damage: 2d6) 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Petrify: The visage of a medusa is deadly to behold. In combat, a character may avert his eyes 
  by taking a penalty to his attack roll. The attacker may take a –1, –2, –4, or –6 penalty to his 
  attack roll (his choice). Whether the attack is successful or not, he must then make a Spirit roll 
  with a bonus equal to the penalty he took to his attack roll. On a failure, he catches sight of the 
  medusa’s face and is turned to stone—permanently. A character Surprised by a medusa may 
  make an Agility roll at –4 to quickly avert his gaze. 
  • 
  Snake Hair: The writhing snake hair of a medusa can attack all adjacent foes with no multi-
  action penalty. The bite inflicts d4+2 damage, and also delivers poison. Victim must make a 
  Vigour roll at –2. With success, the bite area swells and becomes numb. The victim becomes 
  Exhausted until healed. With a failure, the victim becomes Incapacitated and must make a 
  second Vigour roll or die. As an action, a medusa may drip venom from a snake onto an 
  arrow. The poison is good for one shot. 
   
  Griffin 
  Griffins have the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. They are fierce predators, 
  swooping down on their foes to pin them. Once their prey is trapped and helpless they tear them open 
  with their sharp beaks. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d12, Stealth d6 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bite/Claws: Str+2. 
  • 
  Flight: Griffins have a Flying Pace of 24’ and a Climb of 12’. 
  • 
  Grapple: If a griffin gets a raise while performing a grapple, it has knocked its foe to the 
  ground and pinned it with its paws. Bite attacks against a pinned foe are made at +2. 
  • 
  Horse Terror: Griffins’ favourite prey is horse flesh. Horses seeing a griffin must make a 
  Guts roll or become Panicked. 
  • 
  Improved Frenzy: Griffins may make two Fighting attacks each action at no penalty. 
  • 
  Size: +2, Griffins weigh over 500 pounds. 
  • 
  Swoop: Griffins often swoop on their prey to pin it to the ground. It gains +4 to its attack and 
  damage for this action. Its Parry is reduced by –2 until its next action when performing the 
  manoeuvre, however. 
   
  Harpy 
  Harpies have the lower body, wings, and claws of a vulture and the head and chest of an ugly woman. 
  In mythology, they were created by the gods. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6 
  
   
  - 57 -
  Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Claws: Str+1. 
  • 
  Flight: Harpies have a Flying Pace of 16’ and a Climb of 8’. 
  • 
  Poison: (–2), Harpies live in unsanitary habitats, and their claws are caked in filth. Any victim 
  wounded or Shaken by a claw attack must make a Vigour roll or the wound becomes infected. 
  Each day, the victim must make a Vigour roll or gain a level of Fatigue. A successful Healing 
  roll, also at –2, cleans out the infection. Fatigue levels are recovered at the rate of one per day 
  once the infection is stopped. 
   
  Hawks 
  These birds of prey are often tamed and used for hunting. 
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d10, Strength d4, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Notice d10 
  Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 3 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Claws/Beak: Str+2 
  • 
  Go for the Eyes: With a raise on its Fighting roll, the hawk has attached itself to the targets 
  head, and will begin clawing and pecking at their face. The target is at .4 to all rolls while 
  they’re being attacked, and must make an opposed Strength roll to get the hawk off. While 
  attached, the hawk gets a +2 to its Fighting and damage rolls. If the character suffers an Injury 
  from this damage, they’ve lost an eye. Anyone attacking the hawk while it’s attached must get 
  a raise on their attack roll or they’ll hit the victim instead! 
  • 
  Swoop: If the hawk can fly at least 20’ in a straight line before attacking, they do Str+4 
  damage with its claws. 
  • 
  Slow: On the ground, hawks can only hop for a Pace of 2, and can’t run. 
  • 
  Flight: Hawks fly at 20’, with an Acceleration 5’. 
  • 
  Sharp Eyes: Hawks get a +4 to all Notice rolls. 
  • 
  Size: -2 
   
  Horse, Riding 
  Riding horses are medium-sized animals that manage a good compromise between speed and carrying 
  capacity. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d12, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d6, Notice d6 
  Pace: 20; Parry: 4; Toughness: 8 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Fleet Footed: Horses roll a d8 when running instead of a d6. 
  • 
  Kick: Str. 
  • 
  Size: +2, Riding horses weigh between 800 and 1000 pounds. 
   
  Horse, War 
  War horses are large beasts trained for aggression. They are trained to fight with both hooves, either to 
  their front or their rear. In combat, the animal attacks any round its rider doesn’t make a trick 
  manoeuvre of some kind. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d12+2, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Notice d6 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 6; Toughness: 10 
  Special Abilities 
  • 
  Fleet Footed: War horses roll a d8 when running instead of a d6. 
  • 
  Kick: Str+1. 
  • 
  Size: +3, Warhorses are large creatures bred for their power and stature. 
   
   
  Hydra 
  The hydra was a gigantic, nine-headed water-serpent, which haunted the swamps of Lerna. Herakles 
  was sent to destroy her as one of his twelve labours, but for each of her heads that he decapitated, two 
  more sprang forth. So with the help of Iolaos, he applied burning brands to the severed stumps, 
  
   
  - 58 -
  cauterizing the wounds and preventing regeneration. This monster is one of the offspring of Typhon 
  and Echidna. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d6 
  Pace: 10; Parry: 5; Toughness: 13 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Armour: +2, Scaly hide. 
  • 
  Bite: Str+2, Reach 1. 
  • 
  Multiple Heads: Hydras have between four and ten heads. Each head may make a Fighting 
  roll in a round without incurring a multi-action penalty, though no more than four heads may 
  attack a single target, regardless of its size. Every head has 1 wound and is severed if it is 
  Incapacitated. Damage caused to heads does not affect the hydra, though it dies when the last 
  head is severed. 
  • 
  Regeneration: Each round after a head is severed, the hydra makes a Vigour roll. On a 
  success, any severed heads are replaced by two new ones. Damage caused by fire prevents 
  regeneration, as does cauterizing the wound before a new heads grow. This requires a 
  successful Fighting roll with a torch or other flaming object. 
  • 
  Size: +5, Hydra are large creatures. Most weigh over 10,000 pounds. 
   
  The Kraken (WC) 
  Perhaps no creatures inspire more fear in sailors than these beasts of Poseidon: the Kraken! 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d12, Strength d12+12, Vigour d12 
  Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d12, Notice d4 
  Pace: 20; Parry: 7; Toughness: 23 
  Edges: Improved Frenzy, Improved Sweep 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Aquatic: The kraken breathes water, and can swim at Pace 20. 
  • 
  Bite: Str+3; must grab first (see below). The kraken can bite as a free attack. If it gets a raise 
  on its attack roll when biting, it swallows the target whole: they’re dead. 
  • 
  Fear: -4 
  • 
  Gargantuan: Opponents get a +4 to all attack rolls. 
  • 
  Size: +10 
  • 
  Tentacles: Str damage, plus Size bonus, or d12+22 total. With a raise on its attack roll, it 
  grabs the target and either drags them to its mouth to bite next round if edible, or lifts it up and 
  slams it into the water if not. Breaking free with raw strength is all but impossible (you can try 
  to make an opposed Strength roll); wriggling free with an Agility roll at -2 is more likely. 
  Treat these as Heavy Weapons. When attacking ships, the kraken ignores their Armour bonus. 
  • 
  Tough Hide: Armour +5; counts as Heavy Armour. 
   
  Lion 
  The kings of the jungle are fierce predators, particularly in open grassland where their prey cannot seek 
  refuge. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d10, Strength d12, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Notice d8 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bite or Claw: Str+2. 
  • 
  Improved Frenzy: Lions may make two Fighting attacks each action at no penalty. 
  • 
  Pounce: Lions often pounce on their prey to best bring their mass and claws to bear. It can 
  leap 2d6’ to gain +4 to its attack and damage. Its Parry is reduced by -2 until its next action 
  when performing the manoeuvre however. 
  • 
  Size +2: Male lions can weigh over 500 pounds. 
   
   
   
  Manticore 
  A manticore has the body of a lion and a vaguely human head. Its mouth contains three rows of razor 
  sharp teeth and its tail ends in a ball of darts or spines. Manticores are fierce predators and devour 
  every part of their victims. 
  
   
  - 59 -
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12+2, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d8, 
  Tracking d6 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bite/Claw: Str+2. 
  • 
  Defensive Volley: Rather than fire its tail darts at one target, the manticore may launch them 
  in a circular pattern. The manticore makes a single Shooting roll against all target within 
  range. Victims suffer 2d6 damage. The manticore may take no other actions in the round it 
  uses this ability, including movement. This ability may be used only once per day and uses all 
  the darts in the tail. There must be at least 3 volleys of darts left for this ability to work. 
  • 
  Improved Frenzy: Manticores may make two Fighting attacks each action at no penalty. 
  • 
  Tail Darts: Each round, a manticore may fire a volley of darts at one target. Range: 4/8/16, 
  Damage: 2d6. It may not fire its darts at the same target it attacks with its claws or bite during 
  the same round. A manticore can only fire 10 volleys in a single day. 
  • 
  Size: +2, Manticores weigh over 600 pounds. 
   
  Mermen 
  Mermen dwell in Poseidon’s underwater kingdom, whom they worship as the father of their race. They 
  prefer not to sully themselves with dirt dwellers, though they’ll sometimes form temporary alliances 
  against a common foe. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d6, Throwing d8 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 5 (6 w/ shield); Toughness: 6 
  Gear: 
  • 
  Armour: +1, usually made of layered seashells. 
  • 
  Turtle Shell Shield: +1 Parry, +2 armour to ranged shots that hit. 
  • 
  Trident: Str+2. These are short spears, used one-handed. 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Aquatic: Mermen can breathe air and water equally well. They swim at Pace 16, and are 
  immune to the cold and high pressure of deep water. 
  • 
  Low Light Vision: They ignore Dim and Dark lighting penalties. 
  • 
  Weakness (Water bound): Mermen cannot survive long out of the sea. After an hour, they 
  must begin making a Vigour roll every 10 minutes or become Fatigued. 
   
  Minotaur 
  A bull-headed man, the child of Pasiphae the queen of Crete and the Cretan Bull (some claim the bull 
  was actually Zeus in disguise), the Minotaur was a terror unmatched, feasting on those trapped in the 
  labyrinth of Minos. Minotaurs stand over 7’ feet tall and have massive, bull-like heads and horns. They 
  are used as guardians of labyrinths. They are fierce beasts eager for battle and the taste of their 
  opponents’ flesh. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d12+2, Vigour d12 
  Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d12, Intimidation d12, Notice d10, Throwing d6 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 7; Toughness: 11 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Leather armour (+1), spear (Str+2, Reach of 1), short sword (Str+2) 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bite: Str. 
  • 
  Fleet-Footed: Minotaurs roll d10s instead of d6s when running. 
  • 
  Gore: Minotaurs use this manoeuvre to gore their opponents with their horns. If they can 
  charge at least 12’ before attacking, they add +4 to their damage total. 
  • 
  Size +2: Minotaurs stand over 7’ tall. 
   
   
   
  Mule 
  Mules are a cross between a donkey and a horse, and are usually used to haul heavy goods or pull 
  wagons. 
  Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigour d8 
  
   
  - 60 -
  Skills: Guts d6, Notice d4 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 2; Toughness: 8 
  Special Abilities 
  • 
  Fleet-Footed: When a mule can be convinced to run, it rolls a d8 instead of a d6. 
  • 
  Kick: Str. 
  • 
  Ornery: Mules are contrary creatures. Characters must subtract 1 from their Riding rolls 
  when riding them. 
  • 
  Size +2: Mules are stocky creatures weighing up to 1000 pounds. 
   
  Naiad 
  Naiads are fresh water spirits, in the way dryads are tree spirits. Nereids are the salt water equivalent to 
  naiads and use the same stats. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d6, Notice d10, Persuasion d8, Stealth d10, Swimming d10 Charisma: +2; 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Aquatic: Naiads have a Pace of 10 underwater. 
  • 
  Attractive: Naiads resemble attractive human females, but often have a blue tint to their skin. 
  • 
  Charm: Few men can resist the charms of a Naiad. This is the equivalent of the Puppet 
  power; the Naiad and target make opposed Spirit rolls. If the Naiad wins, the target is under 
  her control. When facing numerous opponents, she’ll use the target to occupy them until she 
  can escape; if facing a single foe, she’ll take them back to her pond. A Charmed target 
  remains under control for one hour. 
  • 
  Pool Bond: Naiads share their soul with a particular pool or similar small body of water. They 
  must remain within 80’ of the water or their magic does not work. If the pool is polluted, the 
  naiad must make a Vigour roll each day or suffer a Fatigue level until the taint is cleared. 
  • 
  Merging: A Naiad can physically merge with her pool by making a Spirit roll. While inside 
  the pool, she can’t be harmed. If she’s taken more than 100’ away from her pool, however, she 
  must make a Vigour roll each round or die. A Naiad can also force a Charmed opponent to 
  merge with her pool; the target can make a Spirit roll to resist, but failing that, they will be 
  dragged into the pool. Merged victims will live as long as the pool is not destroyed, and can 
  be freed by the Naiad. 
   
  Pegasus 
  Pegasi (singular: Pegasus) are horses with great, feathery wings. Though its parents are Poseidon and 
  Medusa, legends claim that it sprang from the neck of its mother when Perseus removed her head. In 
  Greek myth the animal was unique. 
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d6 
  Pace: 16; Parry: 5; Toughness: 8 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Fleet Footed: They move at Pace 10 and roll a d10 for running. 
  • 
  Flying: Pegasi have a Flying Pace of 24 and a Climb of 12. 
  • 
  Kick: Str. 
  • 
  Size: +2, Pegasi weigh around 800 pounds. 
   
  Phoenix 
  Clad in fiery feathers of yellow, orange, and red, the immortal phoenix is seen as a representation of the 
  sun. Many cultures consider the bird sacred, but its feathers contain magical power and thus the bird is 
  often hunted. The greatest gift a phoenix can bestow is one of its tail feathers.  
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d10 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d10 
  Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Flight: Phoenix have a Flying Pace of 24’ and a Climb of 12’. 
  • 
  Rebirth: If a phoenix is killed, it explodes into flame filling a Medium Burst Template. 
  Creatures within the Template suffer 2d10 damage and have a chance of catching fire. During 
  the explosion, the body of the phoenix transforms into an egg. A new phoenix hatches 2d6 
  days later. 
  
   
  - 61 -
  • 
  Size: –1, A phoenix is the same size as a large eagle. 
  • 
  Fiery Touch: Str+2; chance of catching fire. 
  • 
  Flame Strike: Phoenix can project a searing blast of flame with a 48’ range. Characters 
  within the cone must beat the bird’s Shooting roll with Agility or suffer 2d10 damage, plus the 
  chance of catching fire. 
   
  Shark, Man-eater 
  These statistics cover most medium-sized man killers, such as tiger sharks and bulls. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d12, Swim d10 
  Pace: —; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Aquatic: Pace 20. 
  • 
  Bite: Str+2. 
   
  Sea Serpent 
  Sea serpents are monstrous beasts that serve Poseidon’s will, and are capable of crushing ships into 
  kindling.  
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12+8, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Swimming d8 
  Pace: —; Parry: 6; Toughness: 19 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Aquatic: Pace 24. 
  • 
  Bite: Str+2, Reach 2. Heavy Weapon. 
  • 
  Crush: A sea serpent may wrap its serpentine body around a ship (or large sea creature) as a 
  grapple. Victims suffer damage each round the grapple is maintained. A sea serpent may crush 
  and bite in the same round without incurring a multi-action penalty. 
  • 
  Gargantuan: Heavy Armour. Creatures add +4 when attacking the body of a sea serpent due 
  to its great size. Add Size to damage when crushing but subtract Size of victim. Ships have a 
  Size equal to their base Toughness (ignoring Armour). 
  • 
  Long Neck: A sea serpent’s long neck gives it a Reach of 2. 
  • 
  Quick: Sea serpents possess fast reflexes, able to turn in an instant and whip their long necks 
  to attack passing prey. They redraw action cards of 5 or lower. 
  • 
  Size: +12, Sea serpents measure over 150' long. 
   
  Skeleton 
  The skin has already rotted from these risen dead, leaving them slightly quicker than their flesh-laden 
  zombie counterparts. They are often found swarming in legions. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Shooting d6 
  Pace: 14; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 
  Gear: Varies 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bony Claws: Str+1. 
  • 
  Fearless: Skeletons are immune to fear and Intimidation. 
  • 
  Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being Shaken. Called shots do no extra damage to 
  such creatures. Arrows, bullets, and other piercing attacks do half-damage. 
   
  Snake, Venomous 
  Here are the stats for cobras and similar medium-sized snakes with extremely deadly poison. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigour d4 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d12 
  Pace: 20; Parry: 6; Toughness: 2 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bite: Str 
  • 
  Poison: Snakes this size do little serious damage with their bite, but may inject deadly venom. 
  A character bitten by a rattlesnake or similar viper must make a Vigour roll at -2. With 
  success, the bite area swells and becomes numb. The victim becomes Exhausted until healed. 
  With a failure, the victim becomes Incapacitated and must make a second Vigour roll or die. 
  
   
  - 62 -
  More deadly snakes (cobra, etc), cause death if the Vigour roll is failed. A few such snakes 
  cause death in 2d6 rounds. Death in 2d6 minutes is more common, but a few take 2d6 hours to 
  kill a full-grown man. 
  • 
  Quick: Snakes are notoriously fast. They may discard action cards of 5 or lower and draw 
  another. They must keep the replacement card, however. 
  • 
  Size: -2, most venomous snakes are four to six feet in length, but only a few inches thick. 
  • 
  Small: Anyone attacking a snake must subtract 2 from his attack rolls. 
   
  Spectre  
  Malevolent spirits from beyond the grave, spectres feed on fear and are among the most feared of the 
  undead. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d12, Strength N/A, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, Stealth d12+4 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Chilling Touch: By making a touch attack, a spectre can drain vitality. Make a Vigour roll at 
  -2; if you fail, you lose 1 die type of both Strength and Vigour. If either of these is reduced to 
  0, the victim is Incapacitated and will die in 1d6 rounds. Rest in a temple will return one level 
  of each Attribute, while normal rest and recuperation will return all lost levels. 
  • 
  Fear: -2, a spectre must be visible to use this power. 
  • 
  Incorporeal: Normally, a spectre is invisible and incorporeal. When it decides to use its touch 
  attack, it becomes visible and partially corporeal and must remain so for 3 rounds. In this 
  state, it can still only be harmed by Arcane effects, or magic or blessed weapons. It can 
  become visible at any time, for as long as it wishes, while still remaining incorporeal. 
  • 
  Undead: Spectres gain the following: +2 Toughness, +2 to recover from Shaken, called shots 
  do no extra damage, bullets/piercing attacks do half damage, ignores all Wound penalties, 
  immune to disease/poison. 
   
  Sphinx 
  A sphinx has the body of a lion, the head of a human (often female), and feathered wings. They are 
  extremely clever, enjoy riddles, and savour the taste of human flesh. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d12+1, Spirit d10, Strength d10, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d10, Stealth d8, Taunt d12 
  Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bite/Claw: Str+2. 
  • 
  Flight: Sphinxes have a Flying pace of 24’ and a Climb of 12’. 
  • 
  Riddles: Rather than immediately attack sentient prey, sphinxes prefer to enter into riddle 
  contests. If the prey loses, it gets eaten. Riddle contests are conducted as an opposed Smarts 
  roll. 
  • 
  Size +2: Sphinxes are the same size as lions. 
  • 
  Strong Willed: As masters of trickery, a sphinx gets a +2 bonus on Tests of Will. 
  • 
  Wise: Sphinxes are renowned for their wisdom. They get +2 to all Common Knowledge rolls 
  and roll a d8 for all Knowledge skills. 
   
  Stymphalian Bird 
  Man-eating which haunted lake Stymphalus in Arkadia. Heracles was sent to drive them away as one 
  of his Labours. They take down prey with their iron beaks or claws, or by firing iron feathers tipped 
  with poison. They are also masters of hiding, but are easily startled by loud noises. 
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d4, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d12 
  Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Armour: +3, Iron feathers. 
  • 
  Flight: Stymphalian birds have a Flying Pace of 16’ and an Acceleration of 8’. 
  • 
  Iron Beak/Claws: Str+2. 
  • 
  Iron Feathers: Stymphalian birds can fire their iron feathers. Range: 6/12/24, Damage: 2d6. 
  Up to 3 may be fired each round, with standard multi-action penalties. 
  
   
  - 63 -
  • 
  Poison: The feathers of these birds are poisonous. Victims must make a Vigour roll or be 
  paralysed for 2d6 rounds. 
  • 
  Size: -1, Stymphalian birds are 3’ high. 
   
  Swarm 
  Sometimes the most deadly foes come in the smallest packages. The swarm described below can be of 
  most anything—from biting and stinging insects to filthy rats. The swarm is treated just like a creature. 
  When it is wounded, the swarm is effectively dispersed. Swarms cover an area equal to 20’ in diameter 
  and attack everyone within every round. 
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d12, Strength d8, Vigour d10 
  Skills: Notice d6 
  Pace: 20; Parry: 4; Toughness: 7 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Bite or Sting: Swarms inflict hundreds of tiny bites every round to their victims, hitting 
  automatically and causing 2d4 damage to everyone within 10’. 
  • 
  Split: Some swarms are clever enough to split into two smaller swarms (12’ diameter area) 
  should their foes split up. The Toughness of these smaller swarms is lowered by -2 (to 5 each). 
  • 
  Swarm: Parry +2; because the swarm is composed of scores, hundreds, or thousands of 
  creatures, cutting and piercing weapons do no real damage. Area-effect weapons work 
  normally, and a character can stomp to inflict his damage in Strength each round. Swarms are 
  usually foiled by jumping in water (unless they are aquatic pests). 
   
  Wight 
  Wights are restless dead, most often noble lords whose greed and earthly desires cause their spirits to 
  remain behind to guard their treasures. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d8, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Stealth d10 
  Pace: 12; Parry: 6; Toughness: 11 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Ancient bronze breastplate (+3), Short sword (Str+2) 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Armour: +1, Leathery skin. 
  • 
  Bony Claws: Str+1. 
  • 
  Fear: Anyone who sees a Wight must make a Guts check at –1. 
  • 
  Fearless: Wights are immune to Fear and Intimidation. 
  • 
  Undead: +2 Toughness. Called shots do no extra damage to such creatures. +2 to recover 
  from being Shaken. Arrows and other piercing weapons do half damage. 
   
  Zombie 
  These walking dead are typical groaning fiends looking for fresh meat. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4, Shooting d6 
  Pace: 8; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Claws: Str. 
  • 
  Fearless: Zombies are immune to Fear and Intimidation. 
  • 
  Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from being Shaken. Called shots do no extra damage. 
  Arrows and other piercing attacks do half-damage. 
  • 
  Weakness (Head): Shots to a zombie’s head are +2 damage, and piercing attacks do normal 
  damage. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Appendix 1: NPCs 
   
  
   
  - 64 -
  Assassin 
  Assassins are hired killers. They may be mysterious loners or belong to an organized guild. What they 
  have in common is a lack of scruples about killing for money. 
   
  Assassin 
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Shooting d6, 
  Streetwise d6, Throwing d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6 
  Hindrances: Various 
  Edges: Alertness, First Strike, Rogue 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Short sword (Str+2), throwing dagger (Range: 3/6/12, Damage: Str+1) 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Poison: The quickest way to kill someone is with poison. A typical poison requires a Vigour 
  roll at –2 or take an automatic wound. 
   
  Master Assassin 
  Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d12, Guts d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d10, Shooting d6, Stealth d12, 
  Streetwise d8, Throwing d10 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 6 
  Hindrances: Various 
  Edges: Acrobat, Alertness, Block, First Strike, Marksman, Level Headed, Quick Draw, Rogue 
  Gear: 
  • 
  Short sword (Str+2), throwing dagger (Range: 3/6/12, Damage: Str+1) 
  Special Abilities: 
  • 
  Poison: Master assassins use more deadly venoms in their trade. Victims must make a Vigour 
  roll at –2 or die in 2d6 rounds. 
   
  Bandits 
  Bandits are outlaws, earning a living by raiding small settlements or waylaying travellers. Not all 
  bandits are necessarily evil. Some may have been wrongly outlawed or forced to flee their homes by an 
  invading force. Others may be Robin Hood-type figures, fighting against an unjust system. 
   
  The bandits presented here are the standard ruffian sort, out to get what they can by whatever means 
  necessary. 
   
  Bandit 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6  
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 
  Hindrances: Greedy, Mean. 
  Edges: — 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Leather armour (+1), short sword (Str+2), various weapons 
   
  Bandit Chief (Wild Card) 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d10, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Riding d8, Shooting d10, 
  Stealth d8, Throwing d8 
  Charisma: –2; Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 8 
  Hindrances: Greedy, Mean 
  Edges: Block, Combat Reflexes, Command 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Leather armour (+1), short sword (Str+2),  various weapons 
  Citizen 
  “Citizens” covers everything from farmers to crafters. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d4, Knowledge (Trade) d6, Notice d6, Shooting d4, Stealth d6 
  
   
  - 65 -
  Pace: 6; Parry: 4; Toughness: 5 
  Hindrances: — 
  Edges: — 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Dagger (Str+1) 
   
  Mercenary 
  Mercenaries are hired soldiers. Some belong to respectable units, with a history of integrity and loyalty 
  to their paymaster. Others happily switch sides if a better offer is made. Groups of mercenaries are 
  often armed with the same weapons. Thus, one finds mercenary hoplites (the most common), 
  skirmishers, archers, and so on. 
   
  Common Mercenary 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 
  Hindrances: Various. 
  Edges: — 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Bronze Scale Cuirass and Peturgis (+2), Leather Greaves (+1), Bronze Helm (+3), Aspis 
  Shield, Hoplite Spear (Str+2), Short Sword (Str+2).  
   
  Veteran Mercenary 
  Hardened by battle, these tough combatants charge more for their services. As with common 
  mercenaries, their reputation and weapons vary considerably. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d10, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Shooting d10, Stealth d6, 
  Throwing d8 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 8 
  Hindrances: Various 
  Edges: Combat Reflexes 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Bronze Scale Cuirass and Peturgis (+2), Leather Greaves (+1), Bronze Helm (+3), Aspis 
  Shield, Hoplite Spear (Str+2), Short Sword (Str+2).  
   
  Mercenary Captain (Wild Card) 
  Captains are experienced soldiers commanding a mercenary unit. They typically carry the same 
  weapons as their men. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d12, Guts d10, Knowledge (Battle) d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, 
  Riding d8, Shooting d10, Stealth d6, Throwing d10 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 9 
  Hindrances: Various 
  Edges: Block, Combat Reflexes, Command, Fervour, Hold the Line 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Bronze Cuirass and Peturgis (+2), Leather Greaves (+1), Bronze Helm (+3), Aspis Shield, 
  Hoplite Spear (Str+2), Short Sword (Str+2).  
   
  Noble 
  This entry covers both true nobles and their courtier lackeys, such as seneschals and chancellors. The 
  generic noble is suitable for every noble rank. 
   
  Courtier 
  Courtiers are more than just servants; they are advisors and often hold positions of importance within 
  the court. Unless the characters know a noble personally, most dealings are conducted through a trusted 
  courtier, typically a seneschal. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d4, Guts d6, Notice d8, Persuasion d8, Riding d6, Streetwise d8 
  Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5 
  Hindrances: Various 
  
   
  - 66 -
  Edges: Charismatic 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Dagger (Str+1) 
   
  Noble 
  Some nobles are decadent dandies content with living a life of luxury. Others are rich landowners, 
  skilled in business matters. Other noble types include military commanders, advisors to a higher 
  authority, poverty stricken ones, extremely wealthy ones, and those who dabble in forbidden arts. This 
  version presents a typical middle-of-the-road noble. A few specific Hindrances and Edges can quickly 
  turn this into any sort of noble you need. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Riding d8 
  Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 5 
  Hindrances: Various. 
  Edges: Command, Connection, Noble 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Dagger (Str+1) 
   
  Priest 
  “Priest” covers everything from a lowly acolyte to the high priest.  
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Guts d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Knowledge (Myth & Legend) d8. 
  Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 2; Toughness: 5 
  Hindrances: Various. 
  Edges: Priest, Charismatic 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Dagger (Str+1) 
   
  Rogue 
  Rogues earn a living from stealing from others. Some may be allies of the characters, other are 
  antagonists. In a city or town, thieves often assemble into a guild. Despite being tricky customers, 
  Rogues’ guilds are often excellent sources of information—if you can find them. 
   
  Rogue 
  Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Lockpicking d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Streetwise d6, Taunt 
  d6, Throwing d8 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 
  Hindrances: Various 
  Edges: Rogue 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Short sword (Str+2), throwing daggers (Range: 3/6/12, Damage: Str+1). 
   
  Master Rogue 
  Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, Guts d8, Lockpicking d12, Notice d10, Stealth d12, Streetwise d8, 
  Taunt d8, Throwing d8 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 
  Hindrances: Various 
  Edges: Acrobat, Dodge, Level Headed, Rogue 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Short sword (Str+2), throwing daggers (Range: 3/6/12, Damage: Str+1). 
   
  Slave 
  “Slaves” covers everything from galley slaves to household servants. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d4, Strength d8, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6,  
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 
  Hindrances: — 
  Edges: — 
  
   
  - 67 -
   
  Soldiers 
  These are the average soldiers employed by armies of the Successor kingdoms. There are several 
  different types of soldiers; hoplites (the most common), skirmishers, archers, and so on. 
   
  Common Soldier 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7 
  Hindrances: Various. 
  Edges: — 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Bronze Scale Cuirass and Peturgis (+2), Leather Greaves (+1), Bronze Helm (+3), Aspis 
  Shield, Hoplite Spear (Str+2), Short Sword (Str+2).  
   
  Veteran Soldier 
  Hardened by battle, these are tough combatants, and are often part of elite units. As with common 
  soldiers, their reputation and weapons vary considerably. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d10, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Shooting d10, Stealth d6, 
  Throwing d8 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 8 
  Hindrances: Various 
  Edges: Combat Reflexes 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Bronze Scale Cuirass and Peturgis (+2), Leather Greaves (+1), Bronze Helm (+3), Aspis 
  Shield, Hoplite Spear (Str+2), Short Sword (Str+2).  
   
  Captain (Wild Card) 
  Captains are experienced soldiers commanding a unit. They typically carry the same weapons as their 
  men. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d12, Guts d10, Knowledge (Battle) d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, 
  Riding d8, Shooting d10, Stealth d6, Throwing d10 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 9 
  Hindrances: Various 
  Edges: Block, Combat Reflexes, Command, Fervour, Hold the Line 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Bronze Cuirass and Peturgis (+2), Leather Greaves (+1), Bronze Helm (+3), Aspis Shield, 
  Hoplite Spear (Str+2), Short Sword (Str+2).  
   
  Town/City Watch 
  The watch are charged with maintaining law and order within the settlement, and defending it in time 
  of attack. Depending on the settlement, the watch may be a fulltime professional body led by officers 
  or local farmers. 
   
  Watch 
  These are average town or city guardsmen. They are competent and brave, but not suicidal. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Intimidation d8, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7 
  Hindrances: — 
  Edges: — 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Leather Cuirass and Peturgis (+1), Leather Greaves (+1), Bronze Helm (+3), Dyplon Shield, 
  Spear (Str+2), Short Sword (Str+2). Some are equipped with bows (Range: 12/24/48, Damage 
  2d6) 
   
  Veteran Watch 
  
   
  - 68 -
  These fellows are well-trained, well-equipped, and well-led. They are veterans of many scrapes and 
  know how to handle themselves. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d8, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 8; Toughness: 9 
  Hindrances: — 
  Edges: Combat Reflexes 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Leather Cuirass and Peturgis (+1), Leather Greaves (+1), Bronze Helm (+3), Dyplon Shield, 
  Spear (Str+2), Short Sword (Str+2). Some are equipped with bows (Range: 12/24/48, Damage 
  2d6) 
   
  Watch Captain (Wild Card) 
  Captains command a squad of town or city guards and answer only to the ruling authority. 
  Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigour d8 
  Skills: Fighting d10, Guts d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, Riding d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 9; Toughness: 9 
  Hindrances: — 
  Edges: Block, Combat Reflexes, Command 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Bronze Scale Cuirass and Peturgis (+2), Leather Greaves (+1), Bronze Helm (+3), Dyplon 
  Shield, Spear (Str+2), Short Sword (Str+2) 
   
  Town/Village Militia 
  Militia are employed in smaller towns and in large villages. Though they are tasked with defending the 
  area in case of emergency it isn’t their primary job and they are not particularly skilled. 
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigour d6 
  Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d4, Intimidation d4, Notice d4, Shooting d6, Stealth d6 
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6 
  Hindrances: — 
  Edges: — 
  Gear:  
  • 
  Leather Cuirass and Peturgis (+1), Leather Helm (+1), Dyplon Shield, Spear (Str+2). Some 
  militia use slings (Range: 4/8/12, Damage: Str+1). 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  - 69 -
  Appendix 2: Names 
  Greek Names 
  The names given here are taken from Greek names still in current usage and from historical or 
  mythological names. Different historical periods are represented; some names came into use late in 
  Greek history. In most cases, the names we are familiar with are Romanized versions. Many names 
  which would have been spelled with a K are shown here with a C. This promotes clarity, as most 
  people are familiar with Socrates rather than Sokrates. 
   
  No last names were used during this period, but people might be known by the town or area they hailed 
  from, the profession they practiced, a trait which described them, or by their relation to someone else. 
  For example, a potter from Athens who has a young nephew with the same name and who is known to 
  be particularly clever and the son of a great general might be known as Makarios of Athens or 
  Makarios the Wise. He could also be called Makarios the Elder, Makarios the Potter, or Makarios, son 
  of Xeno. 
   
  Names of historical figures, gods, giants, and heroes are denoted by an asterisk (*). 
   
  Pronunciation 
  a = “ah” as in tall 
  e = “ay” as in fate 
  i = “ee” as in keep 
  c = “kas” in cat 
  g = “h” as in hoe 
  o = “oh” as in coat   
   
  All syllables are sounded out, and an e on the end is not silent. For example, Aristophanes is air-iss-
  toff-an-eez. Additionally, Bane is not pronounced bain, but instead as buh-nay. 
   
  Male Names  
  Achillios * 
  Aeneas* 
  Aeschylus* 
  Agapios 
  Agesilaus 
  Agis 
  Agler 
  Alceus 
  Alcibiades“ 
  Alexander* 
  Altair 
  Ambrose 
  Anatoli 
  Anaximander* 
  Anaximenes* 
  Andrew 
  Anker 
  Antigonus 
  Antiochus 
  Antipater 
  Apollo* 
  Apollonios 
  Archimedes* 
  Ares* 
  Argus* 
  Aristeides 
  Aristokles 
  Aristophanes* 
  Aristotle* 
  Arsene 
  Atemas 
  Athanasios 
  Avel 
  Balasi 
  Bane 
  Baruch 
  Basil 
  Brasidas 
  Callimachus 
  Cassander 
  Cimon 
  Clearchus 
  Cleombrotus 
  Cleomenes 
  Cleon 
  Cleophon 
  Cletus 
  Colin 
  Cosimo 
  Craterus 
  Cyrus 
  Cyril 
  Damen 
  Demetrius 
  Demosthenes* 
  Dimitri 
  Dinos 
  Diogenes* 
  Dion 
  Dionysios 
  Dionysus* 
  Dorian 
  Draco* 
  Dunixi 
  Elutherios 
  Eneas 
  Erasmus* 
  Etor 
  Eugenios 
  Eumenes 
  Euripedes* 
  Eurybiades 
  Euthydemus 
  Feodor 
  Georgios 
  Gilos 
  Guilios 
  Gorka 
  Gregorios 
  Hali 
  Hector* 
  Hephaestos* 
  Heracles* 
  Hermes* 
  Hesiod* 
  Hesperos 
  Hipparchus* 
  Hippias 
  Hippocrates* 
  Homer* 
  Isidorios 
  Jason* 
  Kai 
  Kyrillos 
  Konstandinos 
  Korudon 
  Kuiril 
  Kyros 
  Lamachus 
  Leander 
  Lycurgus* 
  Lysander* 
  Lysimachus 
  Makarios 
  Meletios 
  Menelaeus 
  Mentor 
  Milos 
  Narcissus* 
  Nestor* 
  Nicias* 
  Nicodemus 
  Nikolos 
  Orestes* 
  Orion* 
  Panteleimon 
  Parmenio 
  Parthenios 
  Pausanius 
  Peder 
  Pello 
  Pelopidas 
  Perdiccas 
  Pericles* 
  Philip 
  Phormio 
  Pindar* 
  Plato* 
  Polysperchon* 
  Poul 
  Preben 
  Prophyrios 
  Pythagoras* 
  Sebasten 
  Socrates* 
  Solon* 
  Sophocles* 
  Spyridon 
  Stamatios 
  Stavros 
  Stefanos 
  Thanos 
  Theodore 
  Theodosios 
  Theophile 
  Thespis* 
  Thucydides* 
  Titos 
  Todor 
  Uranus* 
  
   
  - 70 -
  Vasileios 
  Vasilis 
  Xenophanes* 
  Xenophon* 
  Zeno 
  Zeus* 
  Zorba 
  Zotikos 
   
  Female Names 
  Adara 
  Adonia 
  Agalia 
  Agate 
  Agatha 
  Aleka 
  Alena 
  Alethea 
  Alexandra 
  Althea 
  Amarande 
  Anatola 
  Andrianna 
  Angele 
  Anthea 
  Antigone* 
  Antonia 
  Aphrodite* 
  Apollonia 
  Arachne* 
  Arene 
  Arete 
  Aretha 
  Aretha 
  Araidne* 
  Ariane 
  Artemis* 
  Artemisia 
  Aspasia* 
  Asta 
  Athanasia 
  Athena* 
  Aura 
  Barbara 
  Calandra 
  Calantha 
  Callia 
  Callista 
  Calypso* 
  Candace 
  Candis 
  Cassandra* 
  Cassia 
  Catalin 
  Celena 
  Charis 
  Charissa 
  Chloris 
  Cleopatra* 
  Clio* 
  Cloris 
  Cora 
  Corine 
  Cosima 
  Cybele 
  Cyma 
  Cynthia 
  Damara 
  Damaris 
  Damia 
  Delbin 
  Delphine 
  Demeter* 
  Dionna 
  Dioreann 
  Dorisa 
  Drew 
  Echo* 
  Elena 
  Eleanor 
  Electra* 
  Elefteria 
  Eleni 
  Ellen 
  Elna 
  Elpida 
  Erianthe 
  Eudosia 
  Eugenie 
  Euphemia 
  Eurydice* 
  Evadne 
  Evangelia 
  Evania 
  Evanthe 
  Filia 
  Gaea* 
  Galatea* 
  Georgia 
  Georgina 
  Grette 
  Hedia 
  Helen* 
  Helia 
  Henrika 
  Hera* 
  Hermione 
  Hesper 
  Hyacinthe 
  Ianthe 
  Ilithya 
  Ines 
  Io 
  Iona 
  Ionia 
  Iphigenia* 
  Irene* 
  Iris* 
  Isaura 
  Ismini 
  Jacinthe 
  Jocasta* 
  Kaia 
  Kairos 
  Kalliope 
  Kalonice 
  Kalcya 
  Kama 
  Karena 
  Kasana 
  Kepa 
  Kolete 
  Kolina 
  Lalage 
  Lana 
  Leda* 
  Lelia 
  Lenore 
  Ligia 
  Lonia 
  Lycoris 
  Lydia 
  Magarethe 
  Margareta 
  Mathilde 
  Medea* 
  Melania 
  Melanie 
  Melantha 
  Melissa 
  Melita 
  Meet 
  Mette 
  Mona 
  Monika 
  Myra 
  Nerissa 
  Nicola 
  Nike* 
  Niobe* 
  Nora 
  Nyssa 
  Odele 
  Olympe 
  Olympia 
  Ophelie 
  Pallas 
  Pamela 
  Pandora* 
  Panthea 
  Parthenie 
  Pelagia 
  Penelope* 
  Perrine 
  Persephone* 
  Phaedra* 
  Philippa 
  Phyllis 
  Philomena 
  Phoebe 
  Rhea* 
  Rhoda 
  Rita 
  Saffi 
  Sandra 
  Sappho 
  Sebastene 
  Selena 
  Sibyl 
  Sofia 
  Sofronia 
  Sonia 
  Sonya 
  Stephania 
  Terese 
  Tessa 
  Thea 
  Thekla 
  Theodora 
  Theodosia 
  Theophania 
  Theophilia 
  Thetis 
  Tiphane 
  Vanessa 
  Vania 
  Varvara 
  Veronike 
  Xenia 
  Zena 
  Zenaide 
  Zenobia 
  Zephyr 
  Zoe 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  Appendix 3: Artifacts & Wondrous Items 
   
  Minor Artefacts 
  Great heroes and kings own most of these minor artefacts. 
   
  Aeolus’ Bag of Wind 
  This large sack contains the four winds. If the bag is opened, one or more of the winds can escape. 
  Each is a strong gust of wind 48’ long, the wind lasts for 1d6 minutes. Anything coming into contact 
  with it must make a Strength roll or be knocked prone. If they roll a 1, regardless of Wild die, they are 
  also Shaken. Once per day, if it is windy, the bag’s owner can try to capture another wind (if the bag 
  has three or less left at the time). Capturing the wind requires an Agility role with a -2 penalty. Failure 
  indicates the wind was not captured.  
   
  Agamemnon’s Armour 
  This chased burnished layered bronze panoply includes a handsome pair of greaves with silver ankle 
  clips and a four layered plumed helmet. The most stunning piece, however, is the cuirass, which King 
  Cinyras of Crete gave to Agamemnon. The cuirass has two layers of bronze, but atop the outer layer 
  are enamelled strips: 10 of dark blue enamel, 12 of gold, and 20 of tin. Six iridescent enamelled snakes, 
  which rise up three on each side, encircle the neck of the cuirass. This cuirass protects Agamemnon 
  from any poison of any kind and provides and adds +2 toughness. Finally, anyone seeing this cuirass 
  must make a Guts check or become Shaken.  
   
  Armour of Achilles 
  Hephaestus fashioned this +8 layered tempered burnished chased bronze panoply for Achilles after 
  Hector claimed the armour of Peleus. The armour is decorated with elaborate scenes of combat, and it 
  strikes fear into the heart of opponents, this power causes the target overwhelming dread and horror. 
  The area of effect is the Large Burst Template. Every creature beneath the template must make a Guts 
  check, apply -2 to the Guts roll if the caster got a raise. Wild Cards who fail roll on the Fear Table. 
  Extras are Panicked instead. In addition, the wearer gains immunity to all forms fear and adds +3 
  toughness. 
   
  Blood of Medusa 
  The legend says that deep in the bowels of the earth there must be an earthen phial that contains a little 
  portion of Medusa’s blood. When a few drops of it are mixed with the foam of the sea, a Pegasus will 
  be born, which will only listen to the one who ‘created’ it.  
   
  Dragon Teeth of Colchis 
  These magical teeth (five in total) have in fact the same effect as any extremely fast growing plant 
  seed. If a tooth is put into the ground it will instantly “give birth” to a totally equipped warrior who will 
  help the Hero in a combat (use the stats for the veteran soldier in the NPC section). If the warrior is 
  slain during combat, the tooth is lost forever; if not, the warrior will become dust and the tooth can be 
  used again.  
   
  Gold Shield of Nestor 
  This burnished layered round shield has an inner layer of bronze but an outer layer of gold. Its wielder 
  can calm any horse within a 60-ft. radius and has the same values as a hoplon shield.  
   
  Golden Chariot 
  The golden chariot was part of Poseidon’s wedding present to Peleus, who then gave it to Achilles. The 
  chariot is made of bronze with gold inlays, and gives its driver +3 bonus to Drive checks and +2 bonus 
  to all Strength or Agility checks or skill checks related to controlling the horses.  
   
  Hector’s Silver Helmet 
  This burnished silver helmet was a present from Apollo himself. It provides its wearer with a +2 bonus 
  to Spirit roles and adds +2 toughness.  
   
   
  Heracles’ Cloak 
  
   
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  Heracles’ cloak is the skin of the Nemean lion, a beast invulnerable to weapons. The cloak grants its 
  wearer a +3 to their toughness. 
   
  Inos’ Scarf 
  This delicate sea-green silk scarf, when wound about the waist, shields the wearer from any damage 
  dealt by a water source. If the wearer is submerged, he immediately floats to the surface again at will. 
  However, he can breathe underwater. To use this minor artefact, the user cannot wear any other 
  clothing or armour.  
   
  Iron Mace of Areithous 
  King Areithous was known as the Mace man because his favoured weapon was this +2 heavy iron 
  mace. In addition to its normal effects, its wielder gains the benefit of the Mighty Blow edge while 
  wielding it as his primary weapon.  
   
  Odysseus’ Bow 
  This +3 composite bow originally belonged to Eurytus, the archer King of Oechalia, who had taught 
  Heracles how to use the bow. Iphitus, Eurytus’s son and an old ally of Laertes presented the bow to 
  young Odysseus as a mark of their friendship. It cannot be strung by anyone with a Strength less than 
  d10. Odysseus left the bow in Ithaca before leaving for the Trojan War.  
   
  Orion’s Bronze Mace 
  Orion wielded this +2 mace in battle, and when he transformed into a constellation, his weapon 
  remained in the world of mortals. The wielder of Orion’s Bronze Mace gains a +2 to bonus to his 
  Strength and Vigour scores, and once per day receives the benefit of the Hard to Kill edge for one 
  combat. 
   
  Scepter of Atreus 
  Hephaestus crafted this studded golden sceptre for Zeus, who gave it to Hermes, who then gave it to 
  Pelops. When Pelops left his kingdom in the hands of Atreus and Thyestes, he gave them the sceptre as 
  the sign of rulership. Atreus eventually passed it to his son, Agamemnon. The sceptre functions as a +1 
  mace and grants the wielder a +4 bonus to his Charisma score.  
   
  Shield of Peleus 
  Hephaestus fashioned this burnished five-layered round bronze shield for Achilles provides the user 
  with a +2 parry bonus, and it matches his armour. The shield is decorated in fabulous designs of 
  constellations, cities, fields, and men. Any foe that faces the man carrying this shield must succeed on a 
  Guts roll or be Shaken. 
   
  Shield of Ajax 
  This huge dyplon has seven layers of ox-hide and one of bronze. It is so large that it requires d10 
  Strength to carry. It is built specifically for Ajax and is large enough to cover two individuals and 
  provides a +2 parry bonus.  
   
  Sickle of Adamante 
  Gaea gave this unbreakable +3 sickle to her son, the Titan Chronos, to castrate his father Uranus. Zeus 
  later used it to fight the monster Typhon, and Hermes used it against Argus Panoptes. The last known 
  use of the sickle was when Perseus borrowed it from Hermes to sever Medusa’s head. It has since 
  vanished.  
   
  Spear of Peleus 
  This impressive +3 hoplite spear has an ash wood shaft (from an ash tree on Mount Pelion) and a long 
  bronze head. Chiron the centaur crafted it and gave it to Peleus as a wedding present. Peleus gave it to 
  Achilles for the war. It also grants its wielder a +2 to their Fighting skill. 
   
  Sword of Peleus 
  This +3 shortsword was given to Peleus as a wedding present. He gave it to Achilles when he went off 
  to the war. The wielder is granted two actions per round instead of the usual one (at no multi-action 
  penalty). 
   
  Major Artefacts 
  
   
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  These items belong to the gods themselves. They jealously guard them, so few mortals have ever seen a 
  major artefact. Anyone who dares to steal one earns the displeasure of the item’s true owner. 
   
  Aegis 
  The aegis can be either a +3 layered round bronze shield. It belongs to Zeus, but his daughter Athena 
  normally carries it in his stead. At its centre, in place of a boss is the head of a woman with snakes for 
  hair. This is Medusa the Gorgon, and one glance at her turns anyone to stone (in combat, a character 
  may avert his eyes by taking a penalty to his attack roll. The attacker may take a –1, –2, –4, or –6 
  penalty to his attack roll (his choice). Whether the attack is successful or not, he must then make a 
  Spirit roll with a bonus equal to the penalty he took to his attack roll. On a failure, he catches sight of 
  the Aegis and is turned to stone—permanently. A character Surprised by the wielder may make an 
  Agility roll at –4 to quickly avert his gaze.). The Aegis also grants an additional +2 Parry bonus. 
  Finally, the inside of the shield is mirror-bright. As long as the wielder carries the shield, he cannot be 
  flanked. 
   
  Caduceus 
  This shepherd’s staff first belonged to Apollo but he gave it to Hermes in exchange for the lyre. The 
  Caduceus has two snowy wings on either side near the top and two serpents intertwined around it. 
  While holding it Hermes receives the Improved Dodge edge. Three times each day, the rod gives him 
  the power to fl y at 24’, for up to one hour at a time. The serpents grant Hermes the power to speak 
  with animals at will and to control animals three times each day as per the spell. The rod also gives him 
  a +4 bonus to, Stealth checks. When used by someone other than Hermes or someone he has chosen, 
  however, the two serpents come to life and bite the wielder, dealing 1d6 damage and poison. The 
  poison has a -4 penalty to Vigour save, and secondary drain 1 level of Str. Each day after the first, the 
  venom strikes again, forcing the subject of the attack to succeed on a new save or takes the Strength 
  drain again. Once poisoned, the subject can only be healed by Hermes or one of his priests.  
   
  Cestus 
  The magic girdle of Aphrodite contains the power of love and inspiration. Anyone wearing the cestus 
  gains +4 bonus to Charisma and with an opposed Spirit roll may charm a person into doing their 
  bidding. 
   
  Helm of Darkness 
  The helm of darkness belongs to Hades. The Cyclops made it during the war against the Titans. Perseus 
  borrowed the Helm during his quest against Medusa. This jet-black helm completely covers Hades’ 
  head, and has no eye slits or breathing holes. Once worn, it turns the wearer invisible (-6 penalty to 
  detect). The helmet also bestows the ability to see without any light source, water breathing, and 
  immunity to inhaled poisons. The helm can be used for three hours each day. 
   
  Invisible Chains 
  Hephaestus created these heavy iron chains and used them to capture his wife Aphrodite and her lover 
  Ares. They are invisible except to Hephaestus himself. Each chain, and the manacles attached to them, 
  has a Toughness of 15. They cannot be opened without the key. 
   
  Petasus 
  Hermes wears this winged cap. When donned, the wearer can assume the appearance of any person he 
  likes. The cap also provides the wearer with the benefit of seeing invisibility and the ability to see 
  without any light source. 
   
  Poseidon’s Sword 
  The god of the ocean carries this +3 Shortsword into battle. Its blade looks like a frozen wave of water, 
  and can pass through the gaps in any armour (AP 4). The wielder is granted two actions per round 
  instead of the usual one (at no multi-action penalty). 
   
  Poseidon’s Trident 
  The Cyclops made this +3 trident for Poseidon to use in the war against the Titans. Whenever the 
  wielder successfully hits a target with the trident, and if a body of water is nearby, the weapon projects 
  a torrent of rushing water. This automatically puts out any normal fires, or 1d6 ship fires. Creatures 
  within the cone must make a Strength roll at -4 or be Shaken. 
  Silver Bows 
  
   
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  There are two silver bows, one for Apollo and the other for his twin sister Artemis. Each bow counts a 
  +3 composite bow. The bow’s range increments, however, are 500/1000/2000, and arrows shot from 
  the bow count as +3arrows. Arrows fired from silver bows are never at risk from miss chances derived 
  from concealment or invisibility. Finally, the bows are never far from the gods’ reach. If used by 
  anyone other than Apollo or Artemis, the bow deals 4d8 points of damage each round to the wielder, 
  and the bow imposes a –10 to all Shooting rolls. Apollo and Artemis can suppress this aspect of the 
  bow’s defences if they grant permission to the mortal to wield it.  
   
  Talaria 
  These winged sandals grant a wearer a fly speed of 120’, with excellent manoeuvrability, and requiring 
  no more concentration than walking. The sandals may be used up to four hours per day though not 
  necessarily consecutively. When not activated or spent for the day, the sandals hover just above the 
  ground, allowing the wearer to ignore earthquakes and any other instabilities of the ground, and to 
  move across any surface at full speed and gains the benefit of the Steady Hands edge.  
   
  Thunderbolts of Zeus 
  The Cyclops made the thunderbolt for Zeus for the war against the Titans. They have since become the 
  sky god’s symbol and favoured weapon. Each thunderbolt appears to be a +3 javelin with a lightning 
  bolt etched along the haft. Once thrown, however, the spear transforms into a 3d10 lightning bolt, with 
  unlimited range. The weapon is consumed when thrown.  
   
  Wondrous Items 
   
  Anklet of Agility 
  This silver anklet is engraved with tiny images of cats. It grants the wearer a one die increase to his 
  Agility.  
   
  Armbands of Strength 
  Fashioned from iron and engraved with runes of power, the wearer receives a one die increase to his 
  Strength.  
   
  Axe of the Berserker 
  This great axe is as much a bane as it is a boon. While it grants +3 damage and +2 Fighting against all 
  foes, it also subjects the user to the Berserk Edge as soon as he is wounded. It is said that even the 
  fierce warriors treat this weapon with caution. 
   
  Band of Truth 
  This heavy gold ring allows rulers to know whether their subjects speak the truth. Anyone who kisses 
  the ring must succeed on a Spirit roll with a -2 penalty or be unable to lie for the next 2 minutes. 
   
  Belt of Strength 
  A wide leather belt with a buckle formed from two bulls interlocking horns, this major artefact 
  increases the wearer’s Strength by two die steps.  
   
  Begging bowl 
  This simple but well-crafted wooden bowl is highly prized among beggars because its magic 
  encourages people toward charity. On command, the bowl forces a target within 10 feet to succeed on a 
  Spirit roll or feel compelled to give the beggar something, as if under the effect of suggestion. The gift 
  must have real value—food and drink are acceptable, but trash or old bones are not. 
   
  Blood Banner 
  Drenched in the blood of a hundred soldiers slain on the battlefield, this deep red banner functions only 
  when held aloft. All allied characters (including Wild Cards) within 10 yards of the carrier receive a +1 
  bonus to recover from being Shaken and +1 to their Fighting rolls so long as the banner is raised. 
   
  Bracelet of Danger Sense 
  Made from silver good luck charms held together by a silver thread, this bracelet begins to jingle if the 
  wearer is in imminent danger (such as a surprise attack, ambush, or other nasty surprise). The wearer is 
  automatically on Hold for the first round of combat. 
  Bracers of Agility 
  
   
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  These wrist guards are decorated with images of striking serpents. The wearer gains a two dice increase 
  to his Agility.  
   
  Bracers of the Mule 
  Decorated with images of mules, these thick leather wristbands allow the wearer to carry to 8x his 
  Strength.  
   
  Brooch of Confidence 
  The wearer of this finely decorated silver brooch gains a one die step increase to his Spirit.  
   
  Brooch of Fitness 
  Made from iron and cast in the shape of a bull, the brooch grants the wearer a one die step increase to 
  Vigour.  
   
  Cap of Night 
  A master scout crafted this close-fitting leather cap to make his night time forays even easier. The 
  wearer gains a +2 bonus to their Stealth skill checks.  
   
  Captain’s Crest 
  This elegant red feather plume must be worn atop a helmet to function. When so worn, all allied 
  characters (including Wild Cards) within 10’ of the wearer gain a +2 bonus to recover from being 
  Shaken.  
   
  Cloak of Invisibility 
  When donned, the wearer becomes transparent, leaving only a faint outline. A character may detect his 
  presence if he has a reason to look and makes a Notice roll at –4. Once detected, he may attack his foe 
  at -4 as well.  
   
  Courtier’s Robes 
  Made from the finest material and lavishly decorated with gold and silver thread, the wearer of these 
  robes would not be out of place in a king’s court. The wearer gains a bonus to his Persuasion rolls. 
   
  Cuirass of Heroes 
  Crafted in ancient times, the cuirass is engraved with a radiant sun. Each cuirass grants +4 Armour. In 
  addition, they grant the wearer +1 to Guts rolls. 
   
  Giant Slayer 
  Crafted by ancient weapon smiths for the gods, Giant Slayer is a hoplite spear dealing +2 damage to all 
  it strikes. It also deals an additional +1d6 damage against foes three sizes or more larger than the 
  wielder.  
   
  Girdle of Endurance 
  This broad leather belt is carved with images of bulls. The wearer gains a two dice increase to his 
  Vigour. 
   
  Horn of Heroes 
  Made from a conch shell studded with lapis lazuli, the horn of heroes has the power to bring Shaken 
  creatures back to their sense. 
   
  To use it, the wielder simply blows into it as an action. Any creature, friend or foe, within 48’ in front 
  of the user, may make a Spirit check to recover from being Shaken as a free action. 
   
  Javelin of the Gods 
  This elegant throwing spear is engraved with runes of fire and destruction. When it strikes a target, it 
  explodes in a 20’ diameter area of effect for 3d6 damage as an Area Effect weapon. The spear is 
  consumed in the explosion and thus cannot be reused.  
   
   
   
  Mask of Beauty 
  
   
  - 76 -
  Carved from fine wood, this magical mask represents an androgynous face. When placed against the 
  face, it disappears beneath the skin, and alters the features of the wearer to be more appealing. It grants 
  a +2 Charisma bonus. The mask can be removed simply by placing two fingers under the chin and 
  pushing upward and forward, toward the end of the chin. The mask then lifts away from the face.  
   
  Runner’s Sandals 
  These handsome ox-hide sandals have straps that lace around and up the calves. Anyone wearing both 
  sandals has their pace doubled. 
   
  Slaver’s Shackles 
  These sturdy metal wrist and ankle shackles are joined by a thick chain. When placed on a victim, his 
  Pace is automatically halved and movement at base Pace or less becomes an action. In addition, the 
  victim must redraw action cards high than 10, except Jokers, which work as normal. 
   
  Standard of the Forlorn Hope 
  The forlorn of hope are usually the first into battle, though they can also be the soldiers left behind to 
  hold the line while the main army retreats. Either way, it isn’t a pleasant posting. When held aloft, the 
  standard grants all allied characters within 10’ a +1 bonus to recover from being Shaken and +1 
  Toughness. 
   
  Wind Bag 
  This lesser version of Aeolus’ bag of wind is popular among sailors. The large leather bag holds enough 
  wind for 1d4 strong gusts. Each is a strong gust of wind 48’ long, the wind lasts for 1d4 minutes. 
  Anything coming into contact with it must make a Strength roll or be knocked prone. If they roll a 1, 
  regardless of Wild die, they are also Shaken. It can also be used to capture wind and store it until 
  needed. Capturing the wind requires an Agility role with a -2 penalty. Failure indicates the wind was 
  not captured. Capturing wind can only be performed when the bag is already empty. Once captured, the 
  wind bag stores 1d4 more uses. 
   
  Cursed Items 
   
  Anklet of Clumsiness 
  This thin silver chain is marked with runes of gracefulness, but actually lowers the wearer’s Agility by 
  one die type (minimum of d4). Skills are not affected, but the wearer is generally clumsier. 
   
  Brooch of Weak Will 
  Etched with runes of willpower and self-confidence, the wearer actually suffers a one die type decrease 
  in his Spirit (minimum of d4). 
   
  Ring of Delusions 
  This insidious ring warps the wearer’s perceptions. Exactly how is left to the imagination of the GM, 
  but here are a few examples. The wearer becomes paranoid, convinced that his closest friends are out to 
  steal his treasure or kill him when he sleeps. The wearer becomes convinced the ring is intelligent and 
  speaks to him, telling him to do terrible deeds (gain the Bloodthirsty Hindrance). In all cases, the 
  wearer totally believes the delusion. There is no roll to resist its vile effect. 
   
  Sword of Slaying 
  This shortsword is cursed with bloodlust, which it imparts on the holder. The character gains the 
  Berserk Edge, but also the Bloodthirsty Hindrance. No matter how hard he tries, the possessor cannot 
  resist its power—he must use it in every combat. He cannot leave it behind, refuse to use it, or throw it 
  away for long. Each day he does not use it to slay a prisoner or innocent victim, he gains a Fatigue 
  level. Fatigue gained this way is only removed by taking the life of a defenceless person— one life 
  removes one level of Fatigue. The sword has no wish to slay its owner, and the character can never 
  become Incapacitated through Fatigue gained from not using the sword. It functions as a regular 
  shortsword, but grants no benefits to damage or Fighting. 
   
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Savage Worlds System (SWADE) [multi]/_Fan/Savage Worlds - Age of Heroes.pdf