Talk:Ephebos

Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (10th edition) does not observe 'ephebi' as plural of 'ephebe' but of 'ephebus'. If we claim that 'ephebi' is the English plural, we ought to say that 'ephebus' is the singular. Saying 'ephebe' is the singular, we ought to say that 'ephebus' is the singular.

Being personally opposed to archaic plurals and Latin intermediates of Greek words, I am going to edit the article to give 'ephebe' (pl. 'ephebes') as the English, noting 'ephebus/ephebi' are alternatives.

Agemegos 07:44, 18 June 2007 (UTC) [reply ]

I don't think anywhere enough emphasis is given to the Ephebes as a body of young men under going their military training after their citizenship is confirmed, especially after 338. For a description of this institution see Aristotle, Athenian constitution 42, but also the inscription of the Athenian ephebic oath SEG xxi 519 that's also documented in Rhodes and Osbourne Greek historical Inscriptions 404-323 BC (2003), document 88, and the inscriptions IG II 2 1156, SEG xxxvi 155, SEG xli 47, Reinmuth 8, 9, 10, 12 & 13, and SEG xxxi 162 all supplying lists of ephebes and awards given to them and their sophronistes. At least, from the 330s onwards all (most?) boys who are Attic citizens and of hoplite status (i.e. just over half the citizen body) undergo this training for two years (supplying the city and border defenses for Attic territory in their second year).

GermanicusCaesar (talk) 03:51, 30 August 2009 (UTC) [reply ]

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