Hellenic

Hellenic
Photo of the Academy of Athens
Other names	Ancient Greek
Key motifs	Pomegranates, gold coins, bow and arrows, wine, grapes, laurel wreaths, white marble, Greek god statues, Greek mythology, gold
Key colours	White, gold, silver, black, red, blue, beige
Key values	Appreciation and or love for Greek mythology or ancient Greece, loyalty, intelligence, hospitality, creativity, Athleticism
Related aesthetics	Angelcore Classicism Dionysism Hermaphroditus Hollywood Regency Lovecore Neoclassicism Noucentisme Witchy Academia Witchcore

Hellenic is an aesthetic based on ancient Greek mythology; in fact, the word Hellenic is also a word to describe the people, language, and culture of Greece. The aesthetic itself may not have a large fanbase, but Tumblr and Pinterest have a huge following for Greek mythology and do many things that this aesthetic includes. It is clear they would take part in this aesthetic once they know its existence. The Percy Jackson fandom who identifies as half-bloods sorted in the cabin of their "god parent" would also fit in this aesthetic perfectly.

Many practicing occultists, pagans, and witches could be a fan of this aesthetic as they adopt Greek deities as their patron and matrons gods and goddesses, often involving them in their everyday lives. This can range from creating altars to communicating to them through divination. Learning about deities' associations, preferences, and mythos are key to connecting and working with them. Adopting positive traits and habits associated with a certain deity can bring one even closer to understanding that deity, also. This could mean practicing self-care and self-love in honor of Aphrodite, or working hard and honestly in school in honor of Athena, as examples.

The aesthetic would be having a great love, respect, or interest in Greek myth/Hellenic that affects your wardrobe or way of life. It is like Cottagecore and Dark Academia in the way that the aesthetic has a style, activities, lifestyle, beliefs, and more that is based on a subject or theme. Though it may be different for people, some may only do a few things, while others may completely stylize their life on the aesthetic.

This is a different aesthetic to Classicism, which is the history and culture of Ancient Greece and Rome, whereas this is a contemporary interpretation of Ancient Greek culture that came about from internet teens' renewed interest in mythology.

Visuals

Detail of the Parthenon, Athens, Greece, 447–432 BC, by Ictinus, Callicrates and Phidias

Illustration from 1874 of ornaments and patterns used by ancient Greeks. Yes, all Ancient Greek buildings and sculptures were not bare yellow or white stone. They were actually really colourful, as it is shown here

Hellenic visuals typically express the aspects of the romanticised lifestyle of Ancient Greece. Visuals such as marble and items in Greek myths are shown.

• White marble
• Greek myths
• Pomegranates
• Laurel wreath
• Wine
• Lyre
• Forest
• Mountains
• Storms with thunder and lighting
• Underground
• Eagles
• Togas, robes, tunics.
• Golden apple
• Bow and arrows
• Sun and moon
• Golden coins/drachmas
• Grapes and grapevines
• Ambrosia and nectar
• Greek armor and weapons
• Owls
• Cupid
• Theater

Activities

• Dressing Greek myth like, wearing Greek myth items, outfits that symbolize or call out a character in Greek mythology, or wearing things that were worn in ancient Greece.
• Doing activities that were done in ancient Greece, like festivals, dances
• Cooking foods that originated in ancient Greece, or making Greek myth themed foods
• Having an almost obsessive love/interest for Greek mythology, ancient Greece, and its art, literature, and more.
• Doing ancient Greece/Greek myth LARPing/roleplay
• Reading literature that is or based on Greek myth/ancient Greece, or making new literature that based on ancient Greece/Greek myth
• Making art or some type of media that has to do, or is based in Greek myth/ancient Greece
• Learning to play the Lyre, or Greek originated instrument. Playing ancient Greek/Greek myth songs, writing and/or preforming your own.
• Holding/attending toga parties, parties that are Greek myth/ancient Greece themed, or just parties in general.
• Learning archery, wine making, or some other ancient Greece/Greek myth skill.
• Having your own form of an odyssey or adventure.
• Collecting ancient Greece art/objects, or Greek myth items such as furniture and more.
• Doing some sort of tradition that is based on ancient Greece or Greek myth.

Fashion

The fashion/style is heavily based on Greek myth and ancient Greece. It could be traditional ancient Greece clothing, Greek myth themed clothing, and more.

Hellenic aesthetic fashion commonly involves:

• Togas, tunics, chlamys, robes, Greek armor, etc.
• Slippers, sandals. soft shoes, boots, or barefoot. Greek myth themed shoes. ex- shoes with wings like Hermes has.
• Shawl, laurel wreath, wide brimmed hats. Greek myth headwear like satyr horns, Dionysus crown, Hermes hat etc.
• Modern outfits that has Greek myth/ancient Greece touch.
• Modern outfits that symbolize or represent a Greek god/goddess. Such as wearing pink with hearts to represent Aphrodite, black with skulls for hades, yellow with suns for Apollo, purple with leopard print for Dionysus, etc.
• Clothes that have symbols, colors, pictures that relate to, symbolize, point to, and or represent Greek god/goddess, Greek myth character, Greek myth/ancient Greece itself
• Clothes/merch that are from a Greek myth/ancient Greek themed TV show, videogame, etc.

Contemplative Athena, unknown sculptor, c.450 BC

Maenad dancing (Roman copy of a Greek original), unknown sculptor, late 5th century BC

Tanagra figurine of a wealthy woman, unknown artist, 325-150 BC

Illustration showing Ancient Greek fashion, by Albert Kretschmer, 1882

Media

Movies

• Immortals (2011)
• Hercules (1997)
• Clash of the Titans (2010, 1981)
• Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
• Iphigenia (1977)
• Orpheus (1950)
• Troy (2004)
• Alexander (2004)
• Black Orpheus (1959)
• Metamorphoses (2014)

TV Shows

• Xena: Warrior Princess
• Blood of Zeus
• Troy: Fall of a City

Literature & Comics

• D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d'Aulaire
• Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe
• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
• Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
• The Trials of Apollo-Rick Riordan
• Odyssey by Homer
• Iliad by Homer
• Mythos by Stephen Fry
• Circe by Madeline Miller
• The Metamorphoses by Ovid
• The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

Musicals & Plays

• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Hadestown
• Xanadu
• One Touch of Venus
• The Golden Apple
• By Jupiter
• The Happiest Girl in the World
• The Bacchae
• Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief the Musical

Music

• "Achilles, Come Down" by Gang of Youths
• "Persephone" by Tamino
• "Exist for Love" by Aurora
• "Icarus" by Bastille
• "Achilles' Last Stand" by Led Zeppelin
• "Atlas, Rise!" by Metallica
• "Ares" by Bloc Party
• "Hercules" by Sara Bareilles
• "The Cult of Dionysus" by The Orion Experience
• "Alrighty Aphrodite" by Peach Pit
• "Orestes" by A Perfect Circle
• "Perseus" by Unknown Brains
• "Kronos" by Keaton Henson
• "Pomegranate Seeds "by Julian Moon
• "Achilles" by Gareth Fernandez
• "Start a War" by Klergy & Valerie Broussard
• "Neptune" by Foals
• "Apollo" by Timebelle
• "Plaything of the Gods" by Whitney Avalon
• "Aphrodite" by The Ridleys
• "Goddess" by Xana

Video Games

• Hades
• Apotheon
• Assassin's Creed Odyssey
• NyxQuest
• Kid Icarus
• God of War
• Rise of the Argonauts
• Immortals Fenyx Rising
• Rygar: The Legendary Adventure
• Altered Beast
• Herc's Adventures

Resources

External links to help get a better understanding of this aesthetic.

Playlists

Spotify

• greek mythology by Lou🕊
• greek mythology by luciafm18
• Greek Mythology Music - Ancient Greek Music by Brandon Fiechter
• Greek Myth Vibes but jammin by Tall_yall

YouTube

• you've finally reached mt.olympus (greek gods and goddesses playlist) by oliviaalee
• Greek Mythology Songs
• Greek Mythology Music
• Ancient Gods- Greek Gods Epic music
• . songs about/with Greek mythology
• greek mythology song playlist

Food

• Gastrin Recipe - Ancient Version of Baklavas | The Spruce Eats
• Fassolatha (White Bean Soup) | The Spruce Eats
• Portokalia me Meli Orange Honey Dessert Recipe | The Spruce Eats
• Greek Sesame Honey Candy (Pasteli) | The Spruce Eats
• Sartheles Psites (Baked Sardines With Garlic and Oregano) | The Spruce Eats
• Loukoumades (Loukoumathes): Greek Honey Puffs | The Spruce Eats
• Greek Honey Cake | Food
• Persephones’ Mirror Glaze Cake | Enchanted Living
• Ambrosia Drink Recipe (Alcohol) | Foodviva
• Ambrosia Squares (Percy Jackson) | A Tale of 2 Foodies
• Ambrosia and Nectar Smoothie | Read Riordan
• Aphrodite Martini (Alcohol) | I'm Bored Let's Go
• Greek Wine (Alcohol) | Greek Boston
• KYKEON | The Drink of Greek Heroes
• Ancient Greek Olives - Gifts from A Goddess
• Spartan BLACK BROTH | Melas Zomos

If you are a fan of Percy Jackson or part of the fandom, you can make your food blue with food coloring, AmeriColor Student Gel Food Coloring is recommended. You can also make Greek mythology themed snacks just by adding elements of Greek mythology.

Gallery

Red-figure kylix, c.480 BC, ceramic

Zeus of Artemision, c.460 BC, bronze

Temple of Hephaestus on the Agoraios Kolonos Hill, Athens, Greece, c.449 BC, unknown architect

Temple of Segesta, Calatafimi-Segesta, present-day Italy, 5th century BC, unknown architect

Erechtheion, Athens, with its Ionic columns and caryatid (woman-shaped columns) porch, Athens, Greece, 421-405 BC, unknown architect

Lid with the remains of king Philip II of Macedon, c.340-300 BC, solid gold

Krater, by the Baltimore Painter, c.320-310 BC, ceramic

Winged Victory of Samothrace, c.200–190 BC, marble

Venus de Milo, c.150-125 BC, marble

Roman copy of a Greek herma of Athena, 25-49 AD, marble

Hôtel Gouthière on Rue Pierre-Bullet no. 6, Paris, possibly by J. Métivier, 1780

Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss, by Antonio Canova, 1787, marble

Jupiter and Thetis, by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1811

Royal Jewel Cabinet, designed by Jean-Charles-Francois Leloy and Alexandre Évariste Fragonard, 1824–1826, various materials, including bronze and enamel

Greek Revival jardinière, by F. Barbedienne, c.1870, gilt and patinated bronze

The Women of Amphissa, by Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 1887, oil on canvas

Andron of Villa Kérylos, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France, early 1900s, by Theodore Reinach

Library of Villa Kérylos, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France, early 1900s, by Theodore Reinach

Oïkos of Villa Kérylos, early 1900s, by Theodore Reinach

Péristyle of Villa Kérylos, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France, early 1900s, by Theodore Reinach

Pearls and shells for Aphrodite, late 2010s-early 2020s

Replica of Venus de Milo surrounded by flowers, late 2010s-early 2020s

Dramatic clouds, 2010s-early 2020s

Hellenic mood board