1.3: From Antiquity to Conteporary Times. Hellenism And Philhellenism
Greece is mainly associated with antiquity. However, its presence in European culture does not end with antiquity – it also continues in Byzantium, modernity and contemporary times. This tradition has been reinterpreted over the centuries: in literature, language, political thought and the collective imagination. This part of the exhibition shows the long duration of Hellenism and philhellenism as a cultural phenomenon – the ways in which Greece has been read, translated and reinterpreted in different eras of Europe.
For over 30 years, modern Greek literature has been introduced to Polish readers by the Hellenic Studies Lab, which participates in extensive, global research on Greek culture. The subjects of reflection include the literature and culture of modern Greece, Greek drama (from antiquity to the 20th century), ancient Greek culture and its reception in modern times, Byzantium, Greek Orthodoxy, and the history and culture of Cyprus, as well as the culture of the Greeks in Calabria and Greek travel as a cultural phenomenon. The research is supported by the Modern Greek library, one of the most extensive in Central Europe.
An important result of the Lab’s activities is the first Polish translation from Cypriot of the 15th-century chronicle by Leoncjusz Machieras, Lecture on the Sweet Land of Cyprus, known as the Cronaca, or Chronicle. It covers the history of Cyprus from the 4th to the 15th century and is one of the basic, and in some cases the only, historical source for this period.
Reflection on the continuity of Greek culture leads to its reception, including philhellenism. The Philhellenic Lab was the first to describe Polish Philhellenism as a Romantic movement and part of European heritage. The term refers to a set of activities and trends related to a historical movement that developed in the 19th century. It was an expression of solidarity with Greece fighting for independence, and was manifested in the admiration for the ancient culture of that country. As part of the Lab’s work, the source base was expanded, Polish Philhellenism was presented in a European and global context, and its contribution to the development of independence ideas in the 19th century was highlighted. The celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the Greek uprising and Byron’s death were an important inspiration. Interdisciplinary research has shown the specificity of Polish Philhellenism, especially the call to view politics in moral and ethical terms.
The subject of the research is also the phenomenon of 19th- and 20th-century travel to Greece. An important trend in this work is the publication of unknown or recovered sources, a particular example of which is editing and publishing of Juliusz Słowacki’s Eastern Raptularz – a work found in Moscow by Prof. Henryk Głębocki (Jagiellonian University). The Raptularz, believed to have been burned during World War II, was thoroughly described, analysed and published in transliteration and transcription for the very first time.
Who are the Grecians?
They are a linguistic minority from southern Calabria who speak the Greco (Greek-Calabrian) language and cultivate very old local traditions, probably dating back to antiquity and the Byzantine era. Since the 19th century, the Grecians have been the subject of interest of researchers, travellers and intellectuals from outside the region. For Philhellenes, they are proof that Hellenism is not only ideas and literature, but also a living cultural community, observed and described from the outside.
Support and international patronage
Research on Greece and its heritage is developing with the support of Greek and Cypriot institutions, including embassies and cultural centres around the world. The patronage and involvement of these institutions strengthen the international dimension of research, education and the dissemination of knowledge about Greek culture.
↑ FROM THE TOP. 1 Juliusz Słowacki’s Raptularz – a notebook containing the poet’s manuscripts and drawings related to his journey to the East, edited by M. Kalinowska (photo: M. Kaźmierczak) 2 Shadow theatre, or θέατρο σκιών [theatro skion], is a living part of Greek folklore (photo: M. Kaźmierczak)
↓ FROM THE TOP. 1 The pomegranate symbolises fertility, abundance and happiness. Traditionally, on New Year’s Day, it is smashed on the doorstep of the house – the more seeds fall out, the better and more auspicious the coming year will be. This fruit is often given as a New Year’s talisman (photo: M. Kaźmierczak) 2 Κέρκυρα – a city and municipality in Greece, on the island of Corfu 3 Figurine of an evzone on horseback – a soldier of the Greek representative military formation (photo: M. Kaźmierczak)