By Heart or From the Scroll

Grammatika vases, one of the most distinctive varieties of Hellenistic relief pottery, present modern scholars with compelling research opportunities, as they document the reception of ancient Greek literature in the Hellenistic world in various ways. Focusing on the group of grammatika vases that feature citations, By Heart or From the Scroll offers new insights into the archaeological material within its broader literary and historical contexts.

This study is based on a collection of six vases—two Boeotian bowls and four Macedonian fragments—all of which depict scenes inspired by Book 22 of the Odyssey, detailing the slaughter of the suitors by Odysseus. These vases provide a direct glimpse into the transmission of the ancient text within a particularly intriguing—and in some cases well-dated—archaeological context, establishing a reference point for other vases of the same category. The thorough examination of the script used in the citations, coupled with its juxtaposition to the epigraphic and calligraphic literary scripts found on contemporary papyri, reveals a remarkable correspondence and offers a key to understanding this type of pottery, shedding light on the people behind its production and use.

Drawing on both archaeological and epigraphic evidence, and guided by Athenaeus’ testimony regarding Dionysius Thrax and his silver ?est????, this interdisciplinary approach provides a novel interpretation of the literary sources cited on these grammatika vases and a reliable terminus post quem for dating excavation efforts in Macedonia and beyond.