Ephebos

This article is about the social group in Classical Greece. For other uses, see Ephebos (disambiguation).
"Ephebe" redirects here. For other uses, see Ephebe (lichen) and Ephebos (disambiguation).
The Agrigento Ephebe, a severe style Greek sculpture of the 5th century BCE in the museum of Agrigento, Sicily.

Ephebos (Greek: ἔφηβος; pl. epheboi, Greek: ἔφηβοι), latinized as ephebus (pl. ephebi) and anglicised as ephebe (pl. ephebes), is a term for a male adolescent in Ancient Greece. The term was particularly used to denote one who was doing military training and preparing to become an adult.[1] From about 335 BC, ephebes from Athens (aged between 18–20) underwent two years of military training under supervision, during which time they were exempt from civic duties and deprived of most civic rights. During the 3rd century BC, ephebic service ceased to be compulsory and its time was reduced to one year. By the 1st century BC, the ephebia became an institution reserved for wealthy individuals and, besides military training, it also included philosophic and literary studies.[2]

  1. ^ "Ephebe | Cambridge Dictionary". dictionary.cambridge.org.
  2. ^ "Ephebus | Youth, Education, Training". britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-12-07.