Posted on: Nov 27, 2016
This post is also available in Dutch
The word honeymoon, "honey month" or "honeymoon", first appeared in ancient Babylon, years ago, when the ancient Babylon was called simply .... Babylon. 4.000 ago, only a day with a full moon was the right one for a marriage. The groom during the last month before his marriage had to drink a mixture of beer and honey -every day, from the one full moon until the one of his marriage-. That’s how the word honeymoon created.
The mixture of honey and beer was made by the father of the bride. It was believed to be the best method against the evil eye.
Of course over the years this phrase took another sense. Picture Ancient Athenians when they got married, didn’t work at all for a whole month. And that was so not only for men but also for women. Instead, the Spartans were forced to attend the daily war exercises. King Agis of Sparta, once he got married, was forced to abandon his wife immediately after the wedding and to leave for the war. When he returned from the war, he asked as a unique favor to sleep only for the first night at his house. The ephors however denied, sending him straight to the camp.
Read the whole article at Lato het cultuur centrum
