Legal Approaches for Sustainable Wine Tourism Development in Greece Dimitrios Mylonopoulos Professor, University of West Attica dimilon@uniwa.gr Polyxeni Moira Professor, University of West Attica polmoira@uniwa.gr 1. Introduction. The wine in ancient Greece Wine has a long history in Greece. In the Homeric poems, many regions and cities are characterized with names that testify the widespread cultivation of vines and winemaking in the Greek territory, such as Oinoe1, Oenus, Oenopoeias (Aegina), Oinousses2, Oinofyta3, and others. Homer describes Arne in Boeotia and Istiaia as "polystaphylon" (abounding in grapes), Epidaurus in Argolis as "ampeloessa" (abounding in vines), and Methoni in Messenia as "Pidasos ampeloessa" (abounding in vineyards). In Homer’s Iliad, Rhapsody IX, Nestor reminds Agamemnon that his Agamemnon’s huts are full of wine that the ships of the Achaeans bring him each day from Thrace. The ancient Greeks introduced the term "anthosmia" (meaning “bouquet”) which refers to the preferred aromatic scent of older wines like "saprias" (Γεραρή, 2007). On the island of Crete, there were systematic vineyard cultivations, while in the town of Archanes, the world's oldest winepress was found. The ancient Greeks worshiped the God Dionysus4, the deity of wine and revelry. Dionysus is depicted on vases and frescoes holding a bunch of grapes in one hand and a wine cup in the other, surrounded by Satyrs, Silens (or Silenoi5), and Maenads6 dancing around him in a state of ecstasy. Ancient Greek god Dionysus, (or Dionysos), is also called Bacchus in Rome (Figure 1) and Liber Pater, in Greco-Roman religion. He was a nature god of fruitfulness and vegetation, especially known as a god of wine and ecstasy (Britannica, 2023a). According to Greek mythology, Dionysus, the god of fertility and wine, gave birth to viticulture and spread wine throughout the world. When Ampelos, who was Dionysus’ lover, died, a vine grew from his body. Dionysus squeezed the grapes and produced the essence of drunkenness, the wine. 1 In Ancient Greek οἶνος (oînos) means “wine”, Οἰνόη (Oinoe) means "winy", Οινοποιάς (Oinopoias) means producer of wine, etc. 2 Group of islands in the Aegean Sea. The name means that they produce wine. 3 Vines. 4 Ancient Greek god Dionysus, (or Dionysos), is also called Bacchus in Rome and Liber Pater, in GrecoRoman religion. He was a nature god of fruitfulness and vegetation, especially known as a god of wine and ecstasy (Britannica, 2023a). 5 In Greek mythology, satyrs (Greek: σάτυρος) and Silens (or Silenoi (Greek: σειληνός), were male mythical creatures of the wild, part horse and part man. These beings in Classical times were closely associated with the god Dionysus. In the Hellenistic age they were represented as men having a goat’s legs and tail. (Brittanica, 2023b). 6 In Greek mythology, maenads (Ancient Greek: μαινάδες) or Bacchae (in Rome) were the female followers of god Dionysus.
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