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ephebeia

ephebeia

9.9
A state school in ancient Greece that trained young men aged 18 to 20 for military and city duties
  • noun
  • /ɛˈfiːbiə/
  • Archaic
: efebía
  • The city-state required all eligible young men to participate in the ephebeia before becoming full citizens.

Examples

  • During the ephebeia, young men learned about civic responsibilities.

  • The historian gave a lecture on how the ephebeia influenced civic identity in ancient Greece.

  • Archaeologists found epigraphic records describing the organization of the ephebeia in Hellenistic Athens.

  • The concept of ephebeia was central to Athenian society.

  • The city-state required all eligible young men to participate in the ephebeia before becoming full citizens.

  • Archaeologists found epigraphic records describing the organization of the ephebeia in Hellenistic Athens.

  • During the ephebeia, young men learned about civic responsibilities.

How Official

ephebeia
  • Archaic
9.9
tutorship
1 7.0

Surface Forms

ephebeia singular
ephebeiae plural

Etymology

The word ephebeia comes from the Greek root epheb- meaning 'young man' or 'youth'. It named the official training of young men in ancient Greece, so the word still brings to mind a program or place where 18 to 20-year-olds learned military and civic duties.