title: Twins in Ancient Greece: a synopsis.
abstract: This brief outline associates twins with several aspects of life in Ancient Greece. In Greek mythology twins caused ambivalent reactions and were believed to have ambivalent feelings for each other. Very often, they were viewed as the representatives of the dualistic nature of the universe. Heteropaternal superfecundation, which dominates in ancient myths, explains on one hand, the god-like qualities and, on the other hand, the mortal nature of many twins. An assumption is presented that legends referring to twins might reflect the territorial expansions of Ancient Greeks in Northern Mediterranean, around the Black Sea, in Asia Minor, as well as North East Africa. In conclusion, in Greek antiquity, twins have been used as transitional figures between myth and reality.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neonatology , University of Athens , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Ariadne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malamitsi-Puchner
mesh_terms: D000076145:Greece, Ancient; D049690:History, Ancient; D014427:Twins / Q000266:history* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Dualistic nature of universe; heteropaternal superfecundation; myths; reactions and feelings; territorial expansions