Hospitality dimensions: ancient and classical origins

This paper presents a summary of findings from a continuing investigation into the historical origins of hospitality in the ancient (up to c. 500BC) and classical (c. 500 BC to c. 500AD) worlds, focussing mainly on the Greek and Roman civilisations. After considering the etymology of hospitality, the paper goes on to explore: hospitality and mythology; hospitality and the household; public hospitality; commercial hospitality, and hospitality in contemporaneous religious writings. The evaluation of the outcomes leads to the identification of five dimensions of hospitality (honourable tradition; fundamental to human existence; stratified; diversified and, central to human endeavour), which have been evolving from the beginning of human history.