Syssitia
common meals for men and youths in social or religious groups in Ancient Greece
The syssitia (Ancient Greek: συσσίτια syssítia, plural of συσσίτιον syssítion) were, in ancient Greece, common meals for men and youths in social or religious groups, especially in Crete and Sparta, but also in Megara in the time of Theognis of Megara (sixth century BCE) and Corinth in the time of Periander (seventh century BCE).
The banquets spoken of by Homer relate to the tradition. Some reference to similar meals can be found in Carthage and according to Aristotle (Politics VII. 9), it prevailed still earlier amongst the Oenotrians of Calabria. The syssitia in the Carthginian constitution may have been called in the Phoenician origin "marzēaḥ".
The origin of the syssítia is attributed to Rhadamanthus, the legendary lawgiver of Knossos of Crete. This is explained by Cleinias of Crete in conversation with an Athenian and a Spartan, in Plato's dialogue the Laws. Lycurgus of Sparta certainly made use of the practice in Sparta.
Sparta
In Sparta, where the system was most evolved, they were also called pheiditia (φειδίτια, from ἔδω edō, to eat). The term is probably a corruption of philitia (φιλίτια, "love-feast"), a word corresponding to the Cretan Hetairia. It was a daily obligatory banquet comparable to a military mess.
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