ephebe

A city-state on Discworld based loosely on Greece. Philosphers congregate there, to bathe, drink, bicker and invent large weapons. Home to the second-biggest library on the Disc, as well as the deadly and elaborate palace maze, which no person has gone more than nineteen paces into unescorted (his head rolled another seven, but that hardly counts). It's ruler is an elected autocrat called the Tyrant. Featured prominently in the book Small Gods by Terry Pratchett.

It is from the Greek ephbos, meaning "early manhood". The plural is ephebi, and the adjective is ephebic.

A boy becomes an ephebe at age 18, when his period of study is finished, with a festival in his name, put on by his father. He is to cut his hair short, and grow his beard long. He serves an oath to Athens, and spends the next year of his life as a guard, learning to be a soldier. He is then given a spear and a shield, and put on garrison duty in outlying regions. After this last year, he becomes a full citizen under Athenian law.

The purpose of such a time in an Ancient Greek's life was to provide the men with qualities worthy of citizens; robustness, alertness, and modesty - in both thought and action.

There were many statues made of ephebi, being, as they were, such exemplar symbols of youth, skill, and virtue.