Music was very much prevalent in the ancient Greek society: from marriages, funerals, and religious ceremonies to theater, folk music, and the ballad-like reciting of epic poetry. It thus played an integral role in the lives of ancient Greeks.
Even the word “Music” comes from the Greek word “Muses”, a reference to the nine daughters of Zeus (The King of Gods in ancient Greek religion).
The history of music in ancient Greece is so closely interwoven with Greek mythology and legend that it is often difficult to conclude what is historically true and what is myth.
Also Read: First Modern Olympic Games Kick Start In Greece: Back In Time
Most of our understanding of ancient Greek music theory comes from the teachings of famous mathematicians and philosophers such as Pythagoras and Plato.
Over the years, musicologists have tried to rediscover this music. Still, problems relating to the interpretation of certain tones and chords in ancient Greek musical system arose, which they were not able to resolve.
But recently, researchers from Oxford found an answer to those problems and performed probably the most historically informed music from ancient Greece.
Let’s listen to what it sounded like and find out how they did it!
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Rediscovering Ancient Greek Music (Oxford), Quartz +more
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