Though the official purpose of hosting symposia in ancient Greece changed from the Archiac period to the Hellenistic Age, its association with luxury remained constant, while the focus on display of personal wealth grew more important. The introduction of the reclining posture from the aristocratic symposia of the Near East in the 7th century BCE was the catalyst for the increase in Greek symposiasts' engagement in indulgent extravagance and desire to be distinguished as individuals among peers. Although drinking and homosexual love are essential to the symposium, this thesis paper will examine symposia through written sources, visual representations, surviving furnishings, and architectural settings.