Hair styles of Greek gods
Many of the ancient gods can be identified by distinct hairstyles, and these served as models for human hair fashion throughout antiquity. Thus, Zeus, the main god, typically has his hair aligned in an upward, followed by a downward sweep, which then radiates outward, forming a corona of individual strands (
Maestri, 1967).
Asclepius, the healing god, is the only god to wear his hair similar to Zeus! He also appears as a mature bearded man, but with a milder expression (
Graf, 1996). Among the female gods, Hera, Zeus' wife and of royal stature, had shiny, perfumed locks (Il. XIV, 175) covered by a veil. Athena, the city protectress, wore a helmet, with fine curls protruding from underneath. Artemis (Diana) had tightly drawn back, straight hair, whereas Aphrodite (Venus), the Greek goddess of love and beauty, had a similar hairstyle, although with more seductive charm, with a bun on the crown. Demeter wore a diadem, as did Hera, but “with her front hair being unkempt, indicating her sadness because of her raped daughter”, as noted by Winckelmann, a German archeologist.
In contrast to the hairstyles of these noble gods, an antithesis was formed by the world of Dionysos (Bacchus, god of wine) and of his followers who performed orgiastic rites. Dionysos himself is sometimes depicted with hermaphrodite features (BA), with broad hips, a slightly stooped posture, and the long hair combed back into a knot in the neck, ears covered. Satyrs are depicted on vases with front hair standing on end, pointed ears, and little horns on their heads. The maenads, female attendants of the Bacchanalia, left their hair uncombed. The silens had an ivy wreath to cover
androgenetic alopecia, as in Homer's time
baldness was seen as a sign of ugliness (Il. II, 218). Baldheaded Socrates compared his looks with a Silen. The ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, was the first to report that eunuchs fail to become bald. The wreath of permanent hair encircling the back and sides of the head is sometimes referred to as the Hippocratic wreath. Mild androgenetic alopecia is exhibited by Homer and by Euripides (BA), the Athenian tragic playwright, with his remaining oily hair hanging shaggy to the sides. In contrast,
Plato, the great philosopher, displays full hair (BA), but he wore it unstyled, whereas Pericles (BA), an Athenian democratic statesman re-elected for 15 y, knew how to stage himself—in the fashion of the helmeted Athene, with carefully trimmed beard and locks.
