It was of utmost importance to the ancient Greeks to be remembered after death. Visits to graves were mandated by funerary ritual, and family members would visit the resting places of their loved ones at various points throughout the year in order to maintain the graves and leave offerings, such as libations, ribbons, garlands and food (Garland 2001: 104–6). Although the majority of cemetery goers were intimately connected to the deceased, others were encouraged to visit as well. Greek cemeteries were positioned outside of their defensive walls, flanking the roads that led to the gates of their cities. This placement was strategic, as it ensured that grave monuments would be visible to travellers as they moved in and out of the city (Kurtz and Boardman 1971: 92–3; Garland 2001: 104–7; Mirto 2012: 95).

Some cities, like Athens, took additional measures to ensure that their cemeteries were attractive sites for visitors. Thucydides (2.34) tells us that the Athenians placed their public cemetery, the dêmosion sêma, in a picturesque district of the city and implies that visitors were actively encouraged to visit the graves of those who were interred there. Skilfully wrought sepulchres and stelae (upright gravestones) further enhanced the beauty of the landscape. Archaeological excavations in and around the public cemetery of Athens have revealed sculpted grave markers and cenotaphs that are among the finest examples of High Classical art, such as the ‘Stele of Hegeso’ (ca. 400 bce; Fig. 1.4) and the ‘Cenotaph of Dexileos’ (ca. 390 bce; Fig. 3.1). Thus, through the use of cultivated landscape and exceptional funerary art, the Athenians encouraged travellers to linger among the monuments, gazing upon their sculpted forms and contemplating their inscriptions, ensuring that the memory of the dead would be preserved among the living (Kurtz and Boardman 1971: 68–71, 84–90, 92–3, 130–41; Wolfe 2013: 23–43).

Yet, as Plato so aptly reminds us, ‘in every city there are two cities: the rich and the poor’ (Republic 422e as translated in Vickers 1990: 613), and conspicuous commemoration of this sort was cost prohibitive for the poor. Beginning with the grave plots, those parallel to the road and highly visible were more expensive than those situated farther back or aligned in other directions (e.g. Salibra 2003: 53–5).