Σιαγών refers to the jawbone or cheek, particularly in contexts involving personal honor and insult. In ancient Mediterranean culture, striking someone's cheek was a profound humiliation—not primarily about physical pain but about shame and social degradation. Jesus radically redefines honor culture in the Sermon on the Mount/Plain by commanding his followers to turn the other cheek when struck. This teaching doesn't advocate passivity but challenges the entire system of retaliation and honor-preservation. Offering the other cheek exposes the aggressor's injustice and refuses to participate in cycles of violence.