Astra Korinthia

Photo

Astra at Pennsic LII

Information

Status:	Current Member
Pronouns:	she/her
Preferred Title:	Lady
Resides:	Ayreton
Awards:	See below

Heraldry

Per saltire azure and gules, a raven rising argent maintaining in its beak a lemon slipped and leaved proper

Persona

5th/4th century BCE Dorian Greek originally from Corinth but occasionally spent time in Athens when the cities weren't trying to burn each other to the ground or racked by plague, mainly during the Spartan occupation of Athens after the Peloponnesian War and Tyranny of the Thirty and during the following Corinthian War. Descended from Dorians who lived on Crete but at some point her anscestors moved back to the mainland, settling in the Dorian city of Corinth.

Awards & Honors

Kingdom Awards

Baronial Awards

Royal University of the Midrealm

Adept degree in Textiles & Domestic Arts
Graduate degree in SCA & Historic Topics and Textiles & Domestic Arts
Licentiate degree in SCA & Historic Topics and Textiles & Domestic Arts

Offices & Positions

Current

11/8/25 - Present: Ayreton Fencing Champion

Affiliations & Relationships

Apprentice to Abbess Katherine von Schlosserwald

Miscellany

Interests and SCA-related hobbies

Costuming although I generally prefer just calling it clothing as costuming brings to mind cheap polyester and plastic Halloween costumes to me rather than people's day to day wear. I'm trying to get as close to the period articles as possible, not making imitations that only look approximate.

Ancient Greek culture, everything from food to religion, as well as the earlier Minoan era. Slowly expanding to the European Bronze Age in general.

Rapier combat and Cut & Thrust

Classes Taught

Class	Description	Events
Ancient Hellenic Material Culture: Pottery and Statuary	An overview of the evolution of Hellenic art through the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods with a focus on pottery and sculptures	Courting on the River 2024
Not Everyone Can Afford to Visit Corinth: Courtesans and the Sex Trade in Ancient Greece	A brief history of the hetaerae and sex industry in Ancient Greece with a look at the laws and culture surrounding it as well as some notable figures.	Ragnarok Rampage 2024
Quick and Easy Ancient Greek Garb	A brief 101 level overview of common Ancient Greek garb.	Artisan's Day 2024
Minoan Meals: Diet of the Aegean Bronze Age	lorem ipsum	All Souls 2025

Projects & Publications

Timeline of Activity

4/25/23: First Meeting/Practice

6/16/23 - 6/18/23: First Event (Ragnarok Rampage: Hel's Belles)

6/17/23: Single Rapier authorization

9/9/23: Rapier & Dagger authorization

11/18/23: Received a Pleiades of Ayreton

1/6/24: Recieved an Award of Arms

1/27/24: Cut & Thrust and Two-Handed Rapier authorization

3/2/24: Taught first class

8/3/24 - 8/10/24: First Pennsic

8/7/24: Ayreton Arts & Sciences Champion

9/7/24: Rigid Parry authorization

9/14/24: Apprenticed

11/9/24: Recieved Graduate and Licentiate degrees in SCA & Historic Topics and Textiles & Domestic Arts

11/16/24: Recieved a Willow

2/8/25: Non-Rigid Parry authorization

3/1/25: Rapier Spear authorization

4/5/25: Recieved a Leo of Ayreton

6/14/25: Recieved a Cavendish Knot

8/26/25: Fencing Marshal in Training

In Case of Court

Scroll Preferences

For using Greek lettering, the letters should be in all upper case as lower case Greek letters are derived from Greek minuscule which was developed in Byzantium around the 10th century CE. HOWEVER, it is important to note the modern (Ionic/Eucleidian) Greek alphabet was only officially adopted by Athens in 403 BCE and spread through mainland Greece from there, so my persona would be more familiar with the Archaic Corinthian alphabet. Most notably, Astra would be spelled with a san instead of a sigma and a qoppa instead of a kappa and also most of the forms of the letters looked different than they currently do. See below for a comparison of the Latin alphabet and Archaic Corinthian alphabet (complete table of letter differenced to follow later, wikipedia's is inaccurate and will result in gibberish).

I also research the earlier Aegean Bronze Age a lot, so feel free to use Mycenaean/Minoan-period art for inspiration as well.

Update: I've been following the amber road more north lately, so the Nordic Bronze Age is fair game as well.

Award Gallery

	Award: Pleiades of Ayreton Date: November 18, 2023 Text: Astra Korinthia drew from skills, gladly she retained Honoring nobles and royals, with energy boundless Astra drew from mind, brightly advising counsel, sharing thoughts and plans, baronies strength grows. Astra, we draw from noblesse, a Pleiades we grant. We honor the honorable, your praises we wing. Done this day, at the Royal University of the Midrealm, in the Barony of Ayreton, November XVIII, A.S. LVIII \ [Gareth] - Hillary Awarded By: Gareth and Hillary Scribes: Text: Baroness Hillary of Langforde; based on the Norse edda Gylfaginning Calligraphy & Illumination: THL Mikail of Lubelska; based on the Book of Kells
	Award: Award of Arms Date: January 6, 2024 Text: Dolphins, when sighted at sea were good omens for the Greeks, so too is the sighting of the fine gentle in front of us. Let it be known that We, Wigthegn, King of the Middle Kingdom, andNeassa, Queen of Levity, do joyfully bestow upon Astra Korinthia and Award of Arms and the title of Lady for the services she has freely volunteered unto Our Kingdom. Awarded this 6th day of January, Anno Societatis LVIII in Our Barony of Ayerton \ Wigthegn - Neassa Awarded By: Wigthegn and Neassa Scribe: Tali Essen of the Isles
	Award: Willow Date: November 16, 2024 Text: Be it known by all - We, Jalida, Queen of arts and creativity and Kilian our king, mindful of the skill that Astra Korinthia hath shown in her well-researched portrayal of a woman of Ancient Greece, and sharing what she knows, wish to recognize her as a companion of the Order of the Willow. Done by our hands this sixteenth day of November, A.S. LIX in our Shire of Ravenslake. \ Jalida - Kilian Awarded By: Jalida and Kilian Scribe: Jana Howson
	Award: Leo of Ayreton Date: April 5, 2025 Text: Astra seems to Us, bright one, a light for all - An artist, who walks in procession, standing close enough for all to see Her sweet skill in whispering cloth. And her laughter, glistening, with steel in hand, bravely fighting strong. For when on Astra We glance, We do see, A lioness, a Leo she is named, Skilled in arts and war, flair and duels. Astra Korinthia runs beneath the stars aflame, and from Ayreton, by way of Rokkehealden, Her earnest spirit, energy unbound. Strive for all, to greater glory gains Ayreton pride, and greener than the grass but Our words state soundly Do those envy, who Astra does not call home. Done by our hand that April 5 in Rokkehealden. \ Gareth - Hillary Awarded By: Gareth and Hillary Scribes: Text: Baroness Hillary of Langforde; based on the Greek poem Sappho 31, by Sappho 600 BCE Calligraphy: Lady Kateryn Styllyngflete Illumination: Meadhbh Ballach ingen Eochada; based on a Corinthian alabastron in the Getty Collection. Object number 86.AE.45, dated to about 595-570 BCE
	Award: Cavendish Knot Date: June 14, 2025 Text: Blessed is she who, with sound disposition, Weaves through the time of day, with sharp blade That makes her foes weep. And We, Wigthegn, Dragon King, Dragon Born And Neassa, Dragon Queen, Defender of Innocents We sing the radiance of her steel seeing Astra Korinthia, the star shine, as the sun, Blades bright as strikes are exchanged, Fierce she is, yet gently she teaches others to Dance in Steel and Light. Fierce she is, yet well she studies how to Garb a Corinthian miad. Battle born as Penthesilea, chiton attired, lighting the candles of others. Battle bred as Hippolyta, complex polymath, who shares her prowess. A Cavendish Knot We Grant. Done by our Hands, this 14th Day of June, In Our BArony of Carraig Ban, at Ragnarok Rampage, AS 60 \ Wigthegn - Neassa Awarded By: Wigthegn and Neassa Scribe: Baroness Hillary of Langforde; based on the Greek poem Partheneion, by Alcman 7th Century BCE (translation: Dr. Gregory Nagy)