The kind welcoming and care of a stranger in one`s home, was an institutional matter for ancient Greeks.

The idea of “Philoxenia” was strongly considered to be a moral duty and the Olympian Gods sacred rule (Zeus Xenios, the protector of travelers) and therefore guests and travelers were believed to be god-sent and were treated with honor and respect.

The kind and respectful welcoming of guests derived from the strong belief that the people were being visited by the Gods themselves , transformed as guests, in order to verify the compliance (or not) to the religious rules.

Furthermore, the ancient Greeks were constantly traveling to foreign lands due to their way of living (traveling, trade, wars) and in need for accommodation, assistance and protection, receiving in that way the benefits of hospitality, as well as providing them.Guests and travelers were widely considered to be the sole contact with the outside world and due to the lack of means of communication, a good source of information. In Pericles' Funeral Oration, by Thucydides, Pericles mentions, that Athenians used to allow free access to the city of Athens to everyone , never turning away strangers or prevent them from getting familiar with the civilization of Athens.