Funkcja wieńców w tradycji antycznej
The Function of Wreaths in the Antique Tradition

Summary/Abstract: Wreath has belonged in the ancient tradition Greece and Rome; it had a wide usage in public and private life. In Greece the wreaths were connected with a cult – every deity was in line with different kind of material; sacrifices and altars were crowned. Receiving a wreath was the highest honour for victory in competition or literary agons. The newly-weds and wedding guests were crowned, the wreaths were wearing during symposiums; also a wreath was a common decorative element. In the ancient Rome a wreath was giving as a honourable military mention to soldiers toreward their outstanding deeds. Depending on military merit there were many kinds of wreath. The most important wreath was that which was given to a triumphing person; since August’s times a wreath has been treated as a reign insignia. Christianity has added a new, spiritual meaning to wreaths. As an example of this could be Prudecjus, which 14 hymns were entitled “Peristephanon” (“About a wreath”). Basing on Saint Paul’s Letters and Apocalypse he pointed at a new kind of wreath – a martyrdom wreath. Some Christians were taking an extremely rigorous stand on a crowning custom. One of them was Tertulian, who was rejecting everything which was connected with pagans. He was also an enemy of any dialogue between the Christian and the heathen worlds.

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