The Ancient Greeks recognized eight different types of love, from self-love to manic obsession. In honor of Valentine’s Day, the Archaeological Institute of America highlights a different work of ancient art and architecture for each form of love:

Storge

Familial love is seen through many lenses, but the Phrasikleia Kore (fig. 1) shows that a parent’s love for a child can be everlasting. An inscription on the pedestal tells us that Phrasikleia was young at the time of her death and that her family lamented that she never got to grow up.

Agape

Selfless love for others, particularly a community, can be seen in the story of Laocoön and his sons (fig. 2). Laocoön was a priest at Troy and tried to warn the Trojans not to accept the Trojan Horse from the Greeks; in trying to protect his city, he angered the gods, and they sent snakes to kill him and his sons.

Philautia

Self-love, or self-care, can be seen in the architecture of Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli (fig. 3). Hadrian had a small area, often called the Maritime Theater, built just off the receiving room. Here, he could take time to himself in between helping others.

Pragma

Long-standing love is a blessing often reserved for spouses, such as the pair depicted on the Etruscan Sarcophagus of Spouses (fig. 4), who recline in a dining scene overtop their tomb.

Ludus

Playful, casual love can be seen in the relationship between Maenads and Satyrs, who come together in revelries worshiping Dionysus. On this kylix (fig. 5), drinkers would slowly reveal the image of a Maenad and Satyr as they finished their drink.

Philia

Love between friends is prominent in the ancient world, particularly between warriors, such as Achilles and Ajax, seen here (fig. 6) playing dice with Athena watching on in a moment between battles during the Trojan War.

Eros

Romantic love, or lust, is embodied best by Aphrodite. The Aphrodite of Knidos (fig. 7) is one of the most famous statues of the ancient world. Made by the sculptor Praxitelis.

Mania

Obsessive love often appears in myth, and none suffer from it more frequently than Apollo. In a Roman mosaic of the 2nd-3rd c. CE, Apollo chases after Daphne after being cursed with mania by Eros.

Love takes countless forms, and the ancient Greeks captured this complexity with their multiple names for love. Each term offers a unique perspective, reflecting the diverse experiences and emotions that love entails.