ancient history meme ||| cities 2/4
C L A S S I C A L / A T H E N S
Ἀθῆναι
When we refer to the Classical Age of Athens we think of Athens in the 5th Century BC. At this time Athens was experiencing a new form of government which was considered revolutionary in the Greek world. They also had a new judicial system, new military organisation and a new navy. Athens was a new society with everything to prove. It was wealthier than previously and great changes had occurred within the city itself. Athens was keen to create an identity for itself and to show its superiority to other Greek city-states such as Sparta and Corinth.
Like all early civilizations Ancient Anthens was an agricultural society. Most of the people lived by farming and the main form of wealth was owning land. In each city there was an upper class and a middle class of men like substantial farmers, doctors and teachers. However the vast majority of people were peasants and craftsmen or slaves. Slavery was common. (It is estimated that about 30% of the population of Athens was made up of slaves). If they worked in rich peoples homes slaves could be reasonably treated. However by law owners were allowed to flog slaves. Those slaves who worked in mines probably suffered the most.
Ancient Greek homes were usually plain and simple. They were made of mud bricks covered in plaster. Roofs were made of pottery tiles. Windows did not have glass and were just holes in the wall. Poor people lived in just one, two or three rooms. Rich Greeks lived in large houses with several rooms. Usually they were arranged around a courtyard and had they often an upper story. Downstairs was the kitchen and the dining room (called the andron). So was the living room. Upstairs were bedrooms and a room for women called a gynaecium (the women wove cloth there and also ate their meals there away from the men). Though all classes shared were polytheists (they worshiped many gods). The Greeks imagined that gods and goddesses were like human beings. Often they behaved just as badly!
Ordinary Greeks lived on a staple diet of bread (made from barley or, if you could afford it, wheat) and goats cheese. Meat was a luxury but fish and vegetables were plentiful. Ordinary Greeks ate pulses, onions, garlic and olives. They also ate hen’s eggs. Peasants caught small birds to eat. The Greeks also ate fruit such as raisins, apricots, figs, apples, pears and pomegranates.Rich Greeks ate a much more varied and interesting diet such as roasted hare, peacocks eggs or iris bulbs in vinegar.Poor people drank mainly water. If they could afford it they added honey to sweeten it. Wine was also a popular drink.
In Ancient Greece girls were taught by their mothers. They learned skills like weaving. Many girls also learned to read and write at home. Boys were taught at home when they were very young but they started school at the age of 6. Boys from a rich family were escorted to school by a slave. The boys learned reading, writing and arithmetic as well as poetry and music. The Greeks also believed that physical education was very important so boys did dancing and athletics.
The Greeks are famous for drama. The Ancient Greeks invented tragedy in which some great person is destroyed not by wickedness but through error. They also wrote comedies. The Greeks are also famous for their lifelike sculpture. Symmetry was very important to the Greeks and Greek architects went to pains to work out correct ratios and proportions. Greek architecture is usually divided into 3 styles called orders. They are Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. The most important temples had colonnades (rows of columns) in one of the three styles. [x][x]
