Expert: Maria - 6/24/2006

Question
Can you tell me how people greeted one another in ancient Greece
(approximately 550 BC)?  I am writing a script, and I just wrote that
they shook hands, then realized that may not have been the
custom.  I am interested in how two men of equal social stature
met, and, if possible, how a slave would have met his master's wife.  
Would he have bowed, nodded, done nothing?  Many thanks for any
light you can shed.  

Answer
Hello,

As in classical Greek texts we read the verb  "dexioomai" which means exactly  "I greet with the right hand”, “I give the right hand to..”, I think that two Greek  men of equal social stature in about 550 BC would greet one another with handshakes.

As for the slaves, they  obviously could not shake hands, but I suppose they had to be very respectful to their master’s wife. I'm sorry, but I cannot help you more as I never took a great interest in this matter.

Best,
Maria