Ancient holiday traditions

[Matthew Amt]

Some of the holiday's traditions have surprisingly ancient roots. For instance, Nicias of Santos in the 4th century BC was known leave gifts in stockings for good hoplites and peltasts during the winter.



This led to a brief fashion of rather over-sized footwraps by those who hoped for a shield-sized present... And their "slaying songs" were different from ours, though with just as much "ho ho ho" and other cheerfulness.

Happy Holidays, all!

Matthew

[hiphys]

Very interesting, but could you indicate the sources of this statement, please?

[Matthew Amt]

Very interesting, but could you indicate the sources of this statement, please?

Ha, I should have put a "wink" in there! I made it up myself. Had the basic idea as soon as I got the helmet, which I tend to call my "Santa hat". (The pompom is real wool fleece, by the way!) And the idea of trying to stuff swords and spears into socks was too good to pass up. I made up the "slaying songs", too, but I wouldn't be surprise if that part was actually true...

Happy Holidays!

Matthew

[Alexias]

The giveaway should have been the stockings, hiphys! Don't think hoplites had stockings, partly because knitting hadn't been invented. In cold weather, boots tended to be stuffed with wool or straw in lieu of socks.

[hiphys]

I was well aware of the unlikelihood of the statement, but I wanted to know if the picture was the only fake thing or there was an entire fake construction of sources behind! Nicias of Santa (nomen omen!) never existed, but I hoped someone would go further with a new fragment of his works with some obscure words to interpret like socks!
All the same I'd do so!