Gaming and the Greek obsession: Examining Ludomania in Ancient Greece

In ancient history, ancient Greece is considered the foundation of culture, philosophy and leisure. The success of philosopher, warrior, and playwrights is well known, but gambling has not been most explicated as a Frontier in Greek life. For the ancient Greeks, gambling and play flourished in the lively social center, not just the entertainment of the inner circle, and thunder during the grand festival. However, "Rudomania", which refers to this state in Greek, has influenced all the levels of society, from the most luxurious nobles to the most representative craftsmen, so that gambling and gambling addiction cannot be distinguished. 。

This study reveals the complexity of gambling in ancient Greece. Study the origin of gambling poisoning, the relevance of the games and the gods, and consider the philosophical philosophical philosophy of the great people at the time.

"Vatican Anfora" (550-530 BC), which imitates a warrior Ajax and Achilles who play a board game. B. C.

The prominence of games in Greek society

Games in ancient Greece were deeply rooted in Hellenism culture, and were considered to be an important prerequisite for both personality formation and social relationships. Physiological competitions like the Olympics were thought to be related to developing virtues such as courage and endurance, and board games tried strategic thinking and sharpened their spirit.

In addition, the board game was tested for strategic thinking and sharpened the brain. The game was indispensable for public gathering and social holidays, and had a joy and a sense of unity among cities. The symposium (men's dinner) was a gathering of a lot of interest in games. There, politics, philosophy, and art were fluent, and various play entertainment was performed. The guests participated in the "Cottab" (throwing the sediment of wine towards the target), and bet on the results, and a unique social event became a sports competition.

For example, during these festivals, such as the Panantenaque Competition and the Dionusus Festival, gambling was widely held as today's festivals such as Cheltre Nam. In such a case, the boundary between sacred and vulgar things became ambiguous, and gambling was a form of worshiping the gods. The bets and prizes would probably have vary from nominal tokens to considerable amounts. There were two gods on the player and the gambler side: Hermes of success and trade, and the god of success and prosperity.

"Antiochia no Tike", 300 BC.

The pantheon of Greek games

Ancient Greece gave mosaic against mosaics and mental freshness, and its brilliance was actually found in many games. From exercise competitions to test physiological power to dexterity games that stop the call of the mind, Greeks have a wealth of repertoire of games and often involve gambling.

The Olympics, the famous Greek competition, were held in honor of Zeus. However, the betting was widely used among all visitors, which they remembered in the performance of the main sports of the members.

Tank racing and the swordfighter contest brought to Greece by neighboring countries have also become the main views of all gambling. Similar games are not only for comfort, but also for the rich, and for simple people, it was also a chance to increase your position at the expense of betting. 。

Greeks in Greece were not limited to stadiums to pay the highest price. In Agora, the central social square of the Greek village, all class men gathered to play with Astragal (simple bones made of sheep and goat bones). Another famous game is "Petay" and is often associated with chess.

The female economic sector and children were still participating in the game. These games were played for entertainment, such as "Epiciros" -Too fast socce r-an d-all types of board games were played for entertainment, but gambling was generally the smallest manifest. 。

"The ancient Greek teenager girl behind the game" makes a game with ASTROGALS, and IV imitates N. E. forever.

Gambling and the ancient philosophers

In ancient times, Rudomania did not have a clinical diagnosis, but the ancient concept was aware of the harm that had the opportunity to consult himself. The philosophers considered the options and the role of success in human problems, and whether almost everyone participated in betting and gambling, the warnings and the following situation.

Plato

Plato evaluated gambling as a surplus as a philosophy and honest life abstract. His allegoric works often have the importance of life that turns instinct with low intelligence, and their philosophy, of course, has been a warning to delusion that is likely to be related to excessive passion for gambling. I was.

Aristotle

Aristotle, in his "Nicomavenic Ethics", valued the concept of "akrasia", or lack of self-control. However, this concept does not directly apply to betting or gambling, showing Plato's eye and focusing on the meaning of temperance and the rejection of impulsive desires.

The Stoics

The Stoics, on the other hand, advocated "apathy", a position when a person is not subject to impulses and is not immune to the charms of good fortune that gambling personifies. They probably effectively advocated that a wise man and a complete Stoic is not affected by the sensual agitations that accompany defeat or victory, except in participating in gambling or its withdrawal.

The Epicureans

The Epicureans had a different concept, in which pleasure - albeit a small and mental one - was in fact considered the purpose of life. In their view, gambling had a chance to be accepted if it brought pleasure without harm or addiction, and in fact, they reflected an advanced eye in their serious attitude towards gambling.

"Bust of Aristotle" Roman marble statue of a Greek bronze statue by Lysip, 330 BC.

The impacts of gaming and gambling addiction

While direct evidence and social consequences of gaming addiction in ancient Greece are not abundant, the philosophical propaganda of temperance and self-control speaks to the possible social stigma associated with ludomania. This brand may parallel the isolation of gaming-addicted sophisticates who often go to virtual worlds to avoid social condemnation or find connections they lack in real life.

Financial ruin was an undeniable consequence of gaming addiction, and in some Greek societies, the consequences could be severe. In Athens and Corinth, for example, people sometimes resold themselves or their families into slavery to repay their debts. The economic hardships caused by gambling addiction, even for those who never resorted to such modern means, probably led them to attempt to undermine the important Greek meanings of community and family in their own and their relationships with the world.

The psychological evidence of the effects of addiction in ancient Greece is probably still felt today by those who know, in the form of acquired stress, anxiety, and depression. But the Greeks did not have a gradual honeymoon consciousness; they understood the pain and destruction caused by behavioral addiction but had no effective treatment or help.

In ancient Greece, there were no statistics showing the number of suicides of people suffering from gaming addiction. Today, the link between gaming addiction and suicide is fully documented. In fact, the impact of ludomania on the mental state is endless and profound.

In 2022, 19, 2% of problem players in the UK considered suicide.

Reflecting on these results, we can organize the conclusion that the ancient Greek conversation, like progress, must be defeated with the difficulty of gaming addiction - the implicit transition from any game to a mental addiction - and the dangerous destruction of all the qualities of a person's life.

Final thoughts

By crossing the abyss of time and drawing on the knowledge of the ancient Greeks among themselves, we discover the timeless essence of human behavior, which seeks a balance between pleasure and moderation. The ancient Greek conversation glorified the rivalry, physical professionalism and mental stimulation of games and gambling, but ludomania probably destroyed countless lives.

Today's situation, the wisdom of philosophy and a more thorough awareness of the human psyche can help us. We are prepared for everything else, for what, to learn the symptoms of addiction, to provide help and to create a culture of serious action. The ancient Greeks laid the foundations for most of our world. And now we have an obligation to develop it, worrying that gambling and gambling reflections remain an unfinished shadow of addiction.

If you notice a reaction to the situation in your own life, the nobility is very basic, in fact, support is available. UKAT invites group programs to heal games and gambling, it will definitely help you to return control of history. Contact us now to start your personal path to healing.

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