hermae - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about hermae Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,755,061,939 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

hermae

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Wikipedia 0.04 sec.

hermae

In ancient Greece, posts or heaps of stones, set up to mark boundaries or distances along roads. The hermae were associated with the cult of Hermes, the messenger of the gods.

In about the 5th century BC the hermae became regularly shaped pillars which tapered downwards and had a head (usually of Hermes) at the top and a phallus halfway up. They were placed at street corners and at the doors of houses.

Hermae were held in great respect, if not actually worshipped. The hermae in Athens were mutilated on the eve of the Sicilian expedition 415 BC, causing great alarm and indignation in the city.



How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
 Email
Feedback
?Sign in SSL protected
Email:
Password:
Register

? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
The minister, or to speak correctly, des Lupeaulx had invited to dinner on this occasion one of those irremovable officials who, as we have said, are to be found in every ministry; an individual much embarrassed by his own person, who, in his desire to maintain a dignified appearance, was standing erect and rigid on his two legs, held well together like the Greek hermae.
Bureaucracy by de Balzac, Honore View in context
More results
 
Hutchinson browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Hutchinson Encyclopedia
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.