# data[].attributes.body
1)Greek society was also governed much like ours is today. 2)The daily life of an ancient Greek was very similar to our lives today. 3) Greeks did not have smart phones,computers, televisions, or electricity. 4)
Greek society was similar to the society that most of us enjoy today because it was full of a rich culture. 5) This means that ancient Greeks could enjoy exotic foods, good music, and read literature, just as we do today.

# data[].attributes.body
1. They worshipped many Gods and Goddesses.
2. 12 of the Gods and Goddesses lived on Mount Olympus.
3. The Romans copied the Greeks!
4. The most famous Greek God was Zeus the god of sky.
5. The temper of Zeus, King of the Gods, affected the weather

Source: https://www.twinkl.com/blog/the-greek-gods-and-goddesses-facts-for-kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Greek Gods and Goddesses: Facts for Kids - Twinkl Blog

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Instant access to inspirational lesson plans, schemes of work, assessment, interactive activities, resource packs, PowerPoints, teaching ideas at Twinkl!

# data[].attributes.body
1. Ancient Greeks naturally interpreted signs from nature or animals as an indicator from the gods about the future. It was believed that the Gods appreciated personal prayers and offerings.

2. The ancient Greek religion was a personal polytheistic religion, shared by common sense, and handed down orally through generations.
3. Ceremonies, festivals, and rituals to the dead only unified Greeks at particular times of the year. Most often, ancient Greek religion is depicted as more of a personal religion.

4. In early times, temples were places for individual purposes. Anyone could seek the gods’ help with hymns and prayers at any time of the year. Offerings were left in the temples almost every day.

5. Although there were public practices of the ancient Greek religion, it was more sacred when personal.

https://schoolhistory.co.uk/ancient-world/ancient-greece/ancient-greek-religion/#:~:text=Ancient%20Greeks%20naturally%20interpreted%20signs,handed%20down%20orally%20through%20generations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greek Religion Facts, Worksheets, History, Beliefs, Sanctuaries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greek Religion is a mixture of beliefs, mythology, rituals, and daily practices. Click for more facts & download worksheets.

# data[].attributes.body
Ancient greek had 12 total greek gods.

1. Zeus

2. Hera

3. Poseidon

4. Demeter

5. Athena

6. Apollo

7. Artemis

8. Ares

9. Hephaestus

10. Aphrodite

11. Hermes

12. Hestia

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Religion/

1)Polytheistic Greek religion encompassed a myriad of gods, each representing a certain facet of the human condition, and even abstract ideas such as justice and wisdom could have their own personification. The most important gods, though, were the Olympian gods led by Zeus:
2)In the ancient Greek world, religion was personal, direct, and present in all areas of life. With formal rituals which included animal sacrifices and libations, myths to explain the origins of mankind and give the gods a human face, temples which dominated the urban landscape, city festivals and national sporting and artistic competitions, religion was never far from the mind of an ancient Greek. Whilst the individual may have made up their own mind on the degree of their religious belief and some may have been completely sceptical.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In the ancient Greek world, religion was personal, direct, and present in all areas of life. With formal rituals which included animal sacrifices and libations, myths to explain the origins of mankind and give the gods a human face, temples which dominated the urban landscape, city festivals and national sporting and artistic competitions, religion was never far from the mind of an ancient Greek. Whilst the individual may have made up their own mind on the degree of their religious belief and some may have been completely sceptical, certain fundamentals must have been sufficiently widespread in order for Greek government and society to function: the gods existed, they could influence human affairs, and they welcomed and responded to acts of piety and worship.

The Olympian Gods

Polytheistic Greek religion encompassed a myriad of gods, each representing a certain facet of the human condition, and even abstract ideas such as justice and wisdom could have their own personification. The most important gods, though, were the Olympian gods led by Zeus:

These 12 Olympian gods were believed to reside on Mt. Olympus and would have been recognised across Greece, albeit, with some local variations and perhaps particular attributes and associations.

In the Greek imagination, literature & art, the gods were given human bodies & characters - both good & bad.

In the Greek imagination, literature, and art, the gods were given human bodies and characters - both good and bad - and just as ordinary men and women, they married, had children (often through illicit affairs), fought, and in the stories of Greek mythology they directly intervened in human affairs. These traditions were first recounted only orally as there was no sacred text in Greek religion and later, attempts were made to put in writing this oral tradition, notably by Hesiod in his and more indirectly in the works of Homer.

Temples, Rituals & Priests

Gods became patrons of cities, for example, Aphrodite for Corinth and Helios for Rhodes, and were called upon for help in particular situations, for example, Ares during war and Hera for weddings. Some gods were imported from abroad, for example, Adonis, and incorporated into the Greek pantheon whilst rivers and springs could take on a very localised personified form such as the nymphs.

The temple ( naos - meaning dwelling place in reference to the belief that the god dwelt in that place, or at least temporarily visited during rituals) was the place where, on special occasions, religion took on a more formal tone. Gods were worshipped at sacred sites and temples in all major Greek communities in ceremonies carried out by priests and their attendants.

At first, sacred sites were merely a simple altar in a designated area, but over time massive temples came to be built in honour of a particular god and these usually housed a cult statue of the deity, most famously the huge statue of Athena in the Parthenon of Athens or Zeus at Olympia. In time, a whole complex of temples to lesser gods could spring up around the main temple, creating a large sacred complex, often built on an acropolis dominating a city or surrounding area. This sacred area ( temenos) was separated from the rest of the community by a symbolic gate or propylon, and in fact, it was believed that this area belonged to the particular deity in question. Sacred sites also received financial donations and dedications of statues, fountains and even buildings from the faithful, often to celebrate a great military victory and give thanks to the gods, and larger sanctuaries also had permanent caretakers ( neokoroi) who were responsible for the upkeep of the site.

The animals sacrificed were usually pigs, sheep, goats or cows & always the same sex as the god which was being honoured.

The temple itself, though, was not used during religious practices as these were carried out at a designated altar outside the temple. Ancient authors often show a reluctance to go into explicit details of religious ceremonies and rites as if these were too sacred to be publicised in the written word. What we do know is that the most common religious practices were sacrifice and the pouring of libations, all to the accompaniment of prayers in honour of the god. The animals sacrificed were usually pigs, sheep, goats or cows and always the same sex as the god which was being honoured. The meat was then either burnt completely or cooked, with part offered to the god and the rest eaten by some or all of the worshippers or taken away to be eaten later. The actual killing of the animal was carried out by a butcher or cook ( megeiras) whilst a young girl sprinkled seeds onto the animals head, perhaps symbolic of life and regeneration at the moment of the animal's death. Other such rituals included examining the entrails of sacrificed animals to ascertain signs which could help predict future events.

Priests then, orchestrated the religious ceremonies and delivered prayers. The position was generally open to all and once assuming the role, particularly when wearing the sacred headband, the body of the priest became inviolate. Priests served a specific god but they were not necessarily religious experts. For theological questions, a citizen could consult an exegetes, a state official, who was knowledgeable in religious affairs. Women could also be priests, which is perhaps surprising given their lack of any other public role in Greek society. Often, but not always, the priest was the same sex as the god they represented. Priestesses did have the added restriction that they were most often selected because they were virgins or beyond menopause. Worshippers, on the other hand, could be both sexes and those rituals with restrictions could exclude either men or women.

Mysteries & Oracles

In addition to the formal and public religious ceremonies there were also many rites which were open to and known only by the initiated who performed them, the most famous example being the Mysteries of Eleusis. In these closed groups, members believed that certain activities gave spiritual benefits, amongst them a better after-life.

Places could also acquire a divine connection; the great oracles such as that of Apollo at Delphi and Zeus at Dodona may well have begun as places considered particularly good to receive signs from the gods. Such places became hugely important centres with their priest oracles consulted by both individuals and city-states so that the rather vague and ambiguous proclamations might help guide their future conduct.

Festivals & Games

Athletic Games and competitions in music (especially playing the kithara and lyre) and theatre (both tragedy and comedy) were held during festivals such as the City Dionysia of Athens and the Panhellenic games at the most important sacred sites of Olympia, Delphi, Nemea, and Isthmia to honour a particular god. These events were attended by visitors from all over Greece and the experience was perhaps more akin to a pilgrimage rather than that of a mere sports fan. Illustrating their sacred status, warfare was prohibited during these events and pilgrims were guaranteed free-passage across Greece. However, there were also much smaller festivals, sometimes only attended by a very select number of individuals, for example, the Arrhephoria in Athens, where only priestesses and a maximum of four young girls participated.

Personal Religion

Although the historical record reveals much about formal religious occasions and ceremony, we should remember that Greek religion was in fact practised anywhere, at any time, by private individuals in a very personal way. Not only temples but also the hearth in private homes was regarded as sacred, for example. Individuals could also visit a temple anytime they wanted to and it was customary to say a prayer even when just passing them in the street. People left offerings such as incense, flowers, and food, no doubt with a hopeful prayer or in gratitude for a past deed. Individuals could also organise their own private sacrifice if they had the means to do so, and these have been commemorated in thousands of stone relief markers found at sacred sites. In addition, temples were often visited in order to seek healing, especially at those sites associated with Asclepius the god of medicine, notably at Epidaurus.

People also looked for signs from the gods in everyday life and to interpret these signs as indicators of future events. Such signs could be birds in the sky or a spoken word between friends said at a particular moment or even a simple sneeze which might be interpreted as an auspicious or inauspicious omen.

Such beliefs and, indeed, certain aspects of religion such as the immorality of the gods as portrayed in the arts, were severely criticised by intellectuals, artists, and philosophers from the 5th century BCE, but these may or may not reflect the commonly held views of the wider populace, and it is difficult to believe from the wealth of archaeological and written records that religion was anything but a fundamental part of life for the ordinary inhabitants of the ancient Greek world.

Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the ancient Greek world, religion was personal, direct, and present in all areas of life. With formal rituals which included animal sacrifices and libations, myths to explain the origins of mankind...

# data[].attributes.body
- She is the spider god.
- Was very skilled at weaving.
- Challenged Athena.
- She became the spider god because she lost the challenged to Athena.
- the daughter of Idmon.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Arachne, (Greek: "Spider") in Greek mythology, the daughter of Idmon of Colophon in Lydia, a dyer in purple.

Arachne was a weaver who acquired such skill in her art that she ventured to challenge Athena, goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason. Athena wove a tapestry depicting the gods in majesty, while that of Arachne showed their amorous adventures. Enraged at the perfection of her rival's work (or, alternatively, offended by its subject matter), Athena tore it to pieces, and in despair Arachne hanged herself. But the goddess out of pity loosened the rope, which became a cobweb; Arachne herself was changed into a spider, whence the name of the zoological class to which spiders belong, Arachnida. Ovid's Metamorphoses is the chief source of the story.

A Study of Greek and Roman Mythology

Who led the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece? Who is the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Ares? From fruits to winged sandals, test your knowledge in this study of Greek and Roman mythology.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Arachne, (Greek: "Spider") in Greek mythology, the daughter of Idmon of Colophon in Lydia, a dyer in purple. Arachne was a weaver who acquired such skill in her art that she ventured to challenge Athena, goddess of war, handicraft, and practical reason. Athena wove a tapestry depicting the gods in

# data[].attributes.body
1. The residential area of Athens consisted of narrow, winding streets and small, poorly constructed houses.

2. Most clothing, men and women's, was made on the loom in the home, under the supervision of the mistress of the house.

3. Ancient Athenians ate two meals a day, a light lunch known as Ariston, and dinner known as Deipnon, their main meal.

4. The most popular drink in ancient Greece was wine.

5. Exercise was very important to the Greeks.

https://www.greecehighdefinition.com/blog/lifestyle-in-ancient-greece

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The daily Lifestyle of the anient Greek - just the ordinary people men and women, children and the elderly, slaves and foreigners, rich and poor - has always been of special interest to me.

ByChristopher Xenopoulos Janus

Not more so, of course, than the philosophers, artists and dramatists who have contributed so enormously to our culture and ways of life but the study of the ordinary Greek in ancient times tells us so much, or puzzles us so much about what ordinary people are like in extraordinary times, namely the Golden Age of Greece.

Let's start with housing in ancient Athens. One would think that the Greek house would be among one of the first things to reflect a rich and renowned society. No so. The residential area of Athens consisted of narrow, winding streets and small, poorly constructed houses.

Somewhat paradoxically, it was not until the fourth century B.C: when Athens' economy was declining that houses began to be constructed in a more luxuriously style.

The best preserved Athenian house was found in the Attic countryside near the modern town of Vari, a few miles to the southwest of Athens. I have visited the area with a friend who has a two-story modern house there. Though this is a farm house, its plan is probably similar to that of many prosperous houses in Athens. There was only one entrance to the house from the road. A south-facing veranda provided a space to work and relax shade from the summer heat and the winter rain.

The houses of the poor consisted of only one room, divided up into two different spaces by makeshift platforms. However, since Greek husbands regarded it as a matter of honor that their wives not be exposed to the public gaze even when at home, those who could afford it provided their wives with a separate living area known as the Gynaikeion or romans' quarters.

In time, well appointed houses also came to acquire an andron or men's quarters. The andron was the setting for the symposium or drinking party.

All water had to be fetched from the outside. Greeks in general relied on the nearest public fountain for their drinking water.

An inside toilet or bathtub, in later times the mark of a luxurious house, was non-existent in Athens though bathtubs and some form of the inside toilet were reported in Crete and at Pylos at this time.

Judged by our standards Greek clothes were uniform and utilitarian in the extreme. It was virtually impossible to make a fashion statement by adopting an exotic style of dress. However, the wealthy aristocrat Alkibiades was distinguished by his special shoes that were named for him. The shoes were made from the leather of Corinth which was famous for its special leather and its treatment of it.

Most clothing, men and women's, was made on the loom in the home under the supervision of the mistress of the house. In earlier times, Athenian women wore the peplos, it long, heavy woolen garment which revealed little of the figure beneath it.

However, the ancient Athenian women found other ways to make herself attractive. Contrary today's taste, it was a sign of beauty in a woman to have a pale complexion, which is why women on vases are frequently depicted with whitened faces. Their pale faces was a natural consequence of spending most of their time indoors. However, some women sought to enhance their natural appearance by applying makeup. They also applied round spots on their cheeks and darkened their eyebrows with the soot produced by lamps. Eyes, eyelashes and lips were also painted a variety of colors.

Finally there was the matter of perfume. Perfume was described in ancient times as the poor woman's sword! Actually, perfume was popular among both men and women. It was generally manufactured by boiling the petals of flowers. However, Lais of Corinth, Greece's greater and wealthiest courtesan developed her own perfume which never has been duplicated, though she described her perfume as a boiling of spring-orange blossom petals with a fine grinding of oyster shells!

Athletes applied perfume to their bodies after exercise. Guests at a symposium also literally sprinkled themselves with perfume. A highly prized perfume container, usually owned only by women, Lais of Corinth had one, was the alabastron, so named because it was carved out of alabaster.

The Greeks did not just eat to live, on the contrary from earliest times dining had enormous social importance. In addition, most of the dialogues of Plato were written during the dining and the symposium.

The basic Greek diet was both frugal and monotonous. ANCIENT Athenians ate two meals a day - a light lunch, known as Ariston and dinner known as Deipnon, their main meal.

Well-to-do Greeks ate reclining on couches leaning on an elbow and using their free hand to take food from a small table in front of them. This had important consequences for the preparation of food, which had to be served in small pieces. Though knives and possibly spoons were common place, many Greeks probably made do with their fingers. Many gourmet diners today think that eating food with your fingers is the best way to get the fullflavors of the meal.

Among the small but important items we must write about to give a picture of the ordinary Greek was his use of olive oil. Olive oil, used in the preparation of many food was the principal source of fat. It also serve in religious rituals and was applied to the body after exercise. The importance of olives in Attica is indicated by the fact that goddess Athene calised an olive tree to spring up mysteriously on the Acropolis. I believe this is still a tourist sight. The use of butter was regarded as a mark of the barbarian. In place of sugar which was unknown the Greeks used honey and dried figs. I know my mother fed me honey long before I had ever heard of sugar and Greeks even today pride themselves on being the honey connoisseur on the almost the same scale as their judgement of wine.

Finally the favorite Greek drink in ancient times as today, was wine. Greeks almost invariably served diluted and often artificially sweetened and the Greeks preferred to drink wine in quantity only after they had finished eating. Incidentally it is a rarity to read of a Greek in ancient times as being drunk.

As an example, there is Archestratos, the parliamentarian, who boasted he could out drink any man in Athens and still stand up and from memory recite a page from Homer. Following is his interesting account of dining and drinking an his celebration of the good life as seen through eyes of an ordinary Athenian.

As you sip your wine let these delicacies be brought to you. Pig's belly and sow's matrix, seasoned with cumin and vinegar and silphuym, together with tender species of roasted birds, as each is in season. Pay no attention to those Syracusans who drink like frogs and don't eat anything. Don't follow their example but eat what I mean boiled chick peas, beans, apples, and dried figs. The flat cake made in Athens deserves praise, though. If you can't get hold of that, demand some Attic honey, as that will set your cake off well. This is the life of a free-man! Otherwise one might as well go below the earth, even below the pit into which condemned criminals are cast) and Tartarosa (the lowest religion of Hades) and be buried measureless fathoms underground.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The daily Lifestyle of the anient Greek - just the ordinary people men and women, children and the elderly, slaves and foreigners, rich and poor - has always been of special interest to me. By Christopher Xenopoulos Janus Not more so, of course, than the philosophers, artists and dramatists

# data[].attributes.body
1) Greek society was similar to the society that most of us enjoy today because it was full of a rich culture. 2) Both Greek men and women could be citizens of the state, so they could enjoy privileges like protection from violence. 3) Greek houses were usually small, although they could be large if the family had enough money, and some were even two stories high. 4) A typical Greek would eat a lump of bread dipped in olive oil for breakfast, and the rest of the day would eat variations of grains and fish. 5) Even if the description of the daily life of an ancient Greek sounds boring, it really wasn’t. 6) In the winter time, fishing and farming was suspended, or stopped, so most Greeks spent a lot of their time outside meeting with friends and family or hanging out in public places, which is still true today.
https://multiculturalkidblogs.com/2017/12/18/10-fun-facts-greece/

# data[].attributes.body
1 Greek society is noted for its family structure and low crime rate.
2 in the hot summers social life in Greece tends to be outside.
3 it is uncommon to find in a single village one coffee shop.
4 when at sundown much of the population strolls up and down the main street
5Greece’s national sport is football (soccer), and basketball has increased in popularity since the 1980s.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Greece - Daily life and social customs: In the hot summers, social life in Greece tends to be outdoors. In small towns and villages the tradition of the volta continues, when at sundown much of the population strolls up and down the main street or, on the islands, along the shore.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Ancient Greeks were polytheistic, means they believed in multiple gods.
2. There were 12 olympian gods that were mainly believed in. These included Zeus and Poseidon.
3. Religion didn't just stay in Greece, their culture expanded out to parts of asia, even south Italy.
4. Zeus was considered the god among their gods, being the ruler.
5. While the gods were considered immortal, they were not all godd, not even all powerful.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek_religion

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ancient Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology originating in ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. The application of the modern concept of "religion" to ancient cultures has been questioned as anachronistic. The ancient Greeks did not have a word for 'religion' in the modern sense. Likewise, no Greek writer known to us classifies either the gods or the cult practices into separate 'religions'. Instead, for example, Herodotus speaks of the Hellenes as having "common shrines of the gods and sacrifices, and the same kinds of customs."

Most ancient Greeks recognized the twelve major Olympian gods and goddesses- Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus-although philosophies such as Stoicism and some forms of Platonism used language that seems to assume a single transcendent deity. The worship of these deities, and several others, was found across the Greek world, though they often have different epithets that distinguished aspects of the deity, and often reflect the absorption of other local deities into the pan-Hellenic scheme.

"There was no centralization of authority over Greek religious practices and beliefs; change was regulated only at the civic level. Thus, the phenomenon we are studying is not in fact an organized "religion." Instead we might think of the beliefs and practices of Greeks in relation to the gods as a group of closely related "religious dialects" that resembled each other far more than they did those of non-Greeks."

Ancient Greek theology was polytheistic, based on the assumption that there were many gods and goddesses, as well as a range of lesser supernatural beings of various types. There was a hierarchy of deities, with Zeus, the king of the gods, having a level of control over all the others, although he was not almighty. Some deities had dominion over certain aspects of nature. For instance, Zeus was the sky-god, sending thunder and lightning, Poseidon ruled over the sea and earthquakes, Hades projected his remarkable power throughout the realms of death and the Underworld, and Helios controlled the sun. Other deities ruled over abstract concepts; for instance Aphrodite controlled love. All significant deities were visualized as "human" in form, although often able to transform themselves into animals or natural phenomena.

While being immortal, the gods were certainly not all-good or even all-powerful. They had to obey fate, known to Greek mythology as the Moirai, which overrode any of their divine powers or wills. For instance, in mythology, it was Odysseus' fate to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, and the gods could only lengthen his journey and make it harder for him, but they could not stop him.

The gods acted like humans and had human vices. They would interact with humans, sometimes even spawning children with them. At times certain gods would be opposed to others, and they would try to outdo each other. In the , Aphrodite, Ares and Apollo support the Trojan side in the Trojan War, while Hera, Athena and Poseidon support the Greeks (see theomachy).

Some gods were specifically associated with a certain city. Athena was associated with the city of Athens, Apollo with Delphi and Delos, Zeus with Olympia and Aphrodite with Corinth. But other gods were also worshipped in these cities. Other deities were associated with nations outside of Greece; Poseidon was associated with Ethiopia and Troy, and Ares with Thrace.

Identity of names was not a guarantee of a similar cultus; the Greeks themselves were well aware that the Artemis worshipped at Sparta, the virgin huntress, was a very different deity from the Artemis who was a many-breasted fertility goddess at Ephesus. Though the worship of the major deities spread from one locality to another, and though most larger cities boasted temples to several major gods, the identification of different gods with different places remained strong to the end.

Our ancient sources for Greek religion tell us a good deal about cult but very little about creed, in no small measure because the Greeks in general considered what one believed to be much less importance than what one did.

The Greeks believed in an underworld where the spirits of the dead went after death. One of the most widespread areas of this underworld was ruled over by Hades, a brother of Zeus, and was itself also known as Hades (originally called 'the place of Hades'). Other well known realms are Tartarus, a place of torment for the damned, and Elysium, a place of pleasures for the virtuous. In the early Mycenaean religion all the dead went to Hades, but the rise of mystery cults in the Archaic age led to the development of places such as Tartarus and Elysium.

A few Greeks, like Achilles, Alcmene, Amphiaraus Ganymede, Ino, Melicertes, Menelaus, Peleus, and a great number of those who fought in the Trojan and Theban wars, were considered to have been physically immortalized and brought to live forever in either Elysium, the Islands of the Blessed, heaven, the ocean, or beneath the ground. Such beliefs are found in the most ancient of Greek sources, such as Homer and Hesiod. This belief remained strong even into the Christian era. For most people at the moment of death there was, however, no hope of anything but continued existence as a disembodied soul.

Some Greeks, such as the philosophers Pythagoras and Plato, also embraced the idea of reincarnation, though this was only accepted by a few. Epicurus taught that the soul was simply atoms which were dissolved at death, so one ceased to exist on dying.

Greek religion had an extensive mythology. It consisted largely of stories of the gods and how they interacted with humans. Myths often revolved around heroes and their actions, such as Heracles and his twelve labors, Odysseus and his voyage home, Jason and the quest for the Golden Fleece and Theseus and the Minotaur.

Many species existed in Greek mythology. Chief among these were the gods and humans, though the Titans (who predated the Olympian gods) also frequently appeared in Greek myths. Lesser species included the half-man-half-horse centaurs, the nature based nymphs (tree nymphs were dryads, sea nymphs were Nereids) and the half man, half goat satyrs. Some creatures in Greek mythology were monstrous, such as the one-eyed giant Cyclopes, the sea beast Scylla, whirlpool Charybdis, Gorgons, and the half-man, half-bull Minotaur.

There was not a set Greek cosmogony, or creation myth. Different religious groups believed that the world had been created in different ways. One Greek creation myth was told in Hesiod's . It stated that at first there was only a primordial deity called Chaos, after which came various other primordial gods, such as Gaia, Tartarus and Eros, who then gave birth to more gods, the Titans, who then gave birth to the first Olympians.

The mythology largely survived and was added to in order to form the later Roman mythology. The Greeks and Romans had been literate societies, and much mythology, although initially shared orally, was written down in the forms of epic poetry (such as the Iliad, the Odyssey and the Argonautica) and plays (such as Euripides' The Bacchae and Aristophanes' ). The mythology became popular in Christian post- Renaissance Europe, where it was often used as a basis for the works of artists like Botticelli, Michelangelo and Rubens.

One of the most important moral concepts to the Greeks was the fear of committing hubris. Hubris constituted many things, from rape to desecration of a corpse, and was a crime in the city-state of Athens. Although pride and vanity were not considered sins themselves, the Greeks emphasized moderation. Pride only became hubris when it went to extremes, like any other vice. The same was thought of eating and drinking. Anything done to excess was not considered proper. Ancient Greeks placed, for example, importance on athletics and intellect equally. In fact many of their competitions included both. Pride was not evil until it became all-consuming or hurtful to others.

Sacred texts

The Greeks had no religious texts they regarded as "revealed" scriptures of sacred origin, but very old texts including Homer's and , and the Homeric hymns (regarded as later productions today), Hesiod's and Works and Days, and Pindar's Odes were regarded as having authority and perhaps being inspired; they usually begin with an invocation to the Muses for inspiration. Plato even wanted to exclude the myths from his ideal state described in the because of their low moral tone.

While some traditions, such as Mystery cults, did uphold certain texts as canonic within their own cult praxis, such texts were respected but not necessarily accepted as canonic outside their circle. In this field, of particular importance are certain texts referring to Orphic cults: multiple copies, ranging from 450 BC-250 AD, have been found in various locations of the Greek world. Even the words of the oracles never turned into a sacred text. Other texts were specially composed for religious events, and some have survived within the lyric tradition; although they had a cult function, they were bound to performance and never developed into a common, standard prayer form comparable to the Christian Pater Noster. An exception to this rule were the already named Orphic and Mystery rituals, which, in this, set themselves aside from the rest of the Greek religious system. Finally, some texts called ieri logi ( Greek: ιεροί λόγοι) (sacred texts) by the ancient sources, originated from outside the Greek world, or were supposedly adopted in remote times, representing yet more different traditions within the Greek belief system.

Ceremonies

The lack of a unified priestly class meant that a unified, canonic form of the religious texts or practices never existed; just as there was no unified, common sacred text for the Greek belief system, there was no standardization of practices. Instead, religious practices were organized on local levels, with priests normally being magistrates for the city or village, or gaining authority from one of the many sanctuaries. Some priestly functions, like the care for a particular local festival, could be given by tradition to a certain family. To a large extent, in the absence of "scriptural" sacred texts, religious practices derived their authority from tradition, and "every omission or deviation arouses deep anxiety and calls forth sanctions".

One ceremony was pharmakos, a ritual involving expelling a symbolic scapegoat such as a slave or an animal, from a city or village in a time of hardship. It was hoped that by casting out the ritual scapegoat, the hardship would go with it.

Worship in Greece typically consisted of sacrificing domestic animals at the altar with hymn and prayer. The altar was outside any temple building, and might not be associated with a temple at all. The animal, which should be perfect of its kind, was decorated with garlands and the like, and led in procession to the altar; a girl with a basket on her head containing the concealed knife led the way. After various rituals, the animal was slaughtered over the altar. As it fell, all of the women present "[cried] out in high, shrill tones". Its blood was collected and poured over the altar. It was butchered on the spot and various internal organs, bones and other inedible parts burnt as the deity's portion of the offering, while the meat was removed to be prepared for the participants to eat; the leading figures tasted it on the spot. The temple usually kept the skin to sell to tanners. That the humans got more use from the sacrifice than the deity had not escaped the Greeks, and was often the subject of humor in Greek comedy.

The animals used were, in order of preference, bulls or oxen, cows, sheep (the most common sacrifice), goats, pigs (with piglets being the cheapest mammal), and poultry (but rarely other birds or fish). Horses and asses are seen on some vases in the Geometric style (900-750 BC), but are very rarely mentioned in literature; they were relatively late introductions to Greece, and it has been suggested that Greek preferences in this matter were established earlier. The Greeks liked to believe that the animal was glad to be sacrificed, and interpreted various behaviors as showing this. Divination by examining parts of the sacrificed animal was much less important than in Roman or Etruscan religion, or Near Eastern religions, but was practiced, especially of the liver, and as part of the cult of Apollo. Generally, the Greeks put more faith in observing the behavior of birds.

For a smaller and simpler offering, a grain of incense could be thrown on the sacred fire, and outside the cities farmers made simple sacrificial gifts of plant produce as the "first fruits" were harvested. The libation, a ritual pouring of fluid, was part of everyday life, and libations with a prayer were often made at home whenever wine was drunk, with just a part of the cup's contents, the rest being drunk. More formal ones might be made onto altars at temples, and other fluids such as olive oil and honey might be used. Although the grand form of sacrifice called the hecatomb (meaning 100 bulls) might in practice only involve a dozen or so, at large festivals the number of cattle sacrificed could run into the hundreds, and the numbers feasting on them well into the thousands.

The evidence of the existence of such practices is clear in some ancient Greek literature, especially in Homer's epics. Throughout the poems, the use of the ritual is apparent at banquets where meat is served, in times of danger or before some important endeavor to gain the favor of the gods. For example, in Homer's Eumaeus sacrifices a pig with prayer for his unrecognizable master Odysseus. However, in Homer's , which partly reflects very early Greek civilization, not every banquet of the princes begins with a sacrifice.

These sacrificial practices share much with recorded forms of sacrificial rituals known from later. Furthermore, throughout the poem, special banquets are held whenever gods indicated their presence by some sign or success in war. Before setting out for Troy, this type of animal sacrifice is offered. Odysseus offers Zeus a sacrificial ram in vain. The occasions of sacrifice in Homer's epic poems may shed some light onto the view of the gods as members of society, rather than as external entities, indicating social ties. Sacrificial rituals played a major role in forming the relationship between humans and the divine.

It has been suggested that the Chthonic deities, distinguished from Olympic deities by typically being offered the holocaust mode of sacrifice, where the offering is wholly burnt, may be remnants of the native Pre-Hellenic religion and that many of the Olympian deities may come from the Proto-Greeks who overran the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula in the late third millennium BC.

Various religious festivals were held in ancient Greece. Many were specific only to a particular deity or city-state. For example, the festival of Lykaia was celebrated in Arcadia in Greece, which was dedicated to the pastoral god Pan. Like the other Panhellenic Games, the ancient Olympic Games were a religious festival, held at the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia. Other festivals centered on Greek theatre, of which the Dionysia in Athens was the most important. More typical festivals featured a procession, large sacrifices and a feast to eat the offerings, and many included entertainments and customs such as visiting friends, wearing fancy dress and unusual behavior in the streets, sometimes risky for bystanders in various ways. Altogether the year in Athens included some 140 days that were religious festivals of some sort, though varying greatly in importance.

Rites of passage

One rite of passage was the amphidromia, celebrated on the fifth or seventh day after the birth of a child. Childbirth was extremely significant to Athenians, especially if the baby was a boy.

Sanctuaries and temples

The main Greek temple building sat within a larger precinct or temenos, usually surrounded by a peribolos fence or wall; the whole is usually called a "sanctuary". The Acropolis of Athens is the most famous example, though this was apparently walled as a citadel before a temple was ever built there. The tenemos might include many subsidiary buildings, sacred groves or springs, animals dedicated to the deity, and sometimes people who had taken sanctuary from the law, which some temples offered, for example to runaway slaves.

The earliest Greek sanctuaries probably lacked temple buildings, though our knowledge of these is limited, and the subject is controversial. A typical early sanctuary seems to have consisted of a tenemos, often around a sacred grove, cave, rock ( baetyl) or spring, and perhaps defined only by marker stones at intervals, with an altar for offerings. Many rural sanctuaries probably stayed in this style, but the more popular were gradually able to afford a building to house a cult image, especially in cities. This process was certainly under way by the 9th century, and probably started earlier.

The temple interiors did not serve as meeting places, since the sacrifices and rituals dedicated to the respective deity took place outside them, at altars within the wider precinct of the sanctuary, which might be large. As the centuries passed both the inside of popular temples and the area surrounding them accumulated statues and small shrines or other buildings as gifts, and military trophies, paintings and items in precious metals, effectively turning them into a type of museum.

Some sanctuaries offered oracles, people who were believed to receive divine inspiration in answering questions put by pilgrims. The most famous of these by far was the female priestess called the Pythia at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, and that of Zeus at Dodona, but there were many others. Some dealt only with medical, agricultural or other specialized matters, and not all represented gods, like that of the hero Trophonius at Livadeia.

Cult images

The temple was the house of the deity it was dedicated to, who in some sense resided in the cult image in the or main room inside, normally facing the only door. The cult image normally took the form of a statue of the deity, typically roughly life-size, but in some cases many times life-size. In early days these were in wood, marble or terracotta, or in the specially prestigious form of a chryselephantine statue using ivory plaques for the visible parts of the body and gold for the clothes, around a wooden framework. The most famous Greek cult images were of this type, including the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, and Phidias's Athena Parthenos in the Parthenon in Athens, both colossal statues, now completely lost. Fragments of two chryselephantine statues from Delphi have been excavated. Bronze cult images were less frequent, at least until Hellenistic times. Early images seem often to have been dressed in real clothes, and at all periods images might wear real jewelry donated by devotees.

Many of the Greek statues well known from Roman marble copies were originally temple cult images, which in some cases, such as the Apollo Barberini, can be credibly identified. A very few actual originals survive, for example, the bronze Piraeus Athena (2.35 m (7.7 ft) high, including a helmet). The image stood on a base, from the 5th century often carved with reliefs.

It used to be thought that access to the cella of a Greek temple was limited to the priests, and it was entered only rarely by other visitors, except perhaps during important festivals or other special occasions. In recent decades this picture has changed, and scholars now stress the variety of local access rules. Pausanias was a gentlemanly traveller of the 2nd-century AD who declares that the special intention of his travels around Greece was to see cult images, and usually managed to do so.

It was typically necessary to make a sacrifice or gift, and some temples restricted access either to certain days of the year, or by class, race, gender (with either men or women forbidden), or even more tightly. Garlic-eaters were forbidden in one temple, in another women unless they were virgins; restrictions typically arose from local ideas of ritual purity or a perceived whim of the deity. In some places visitors were asked to show they spoke Greek; elsewhere Dorians were not allowed entry. Some temples could only be viewed from the threshold. Some temples are said never to be opened at all. But generally Greeks, including slaves, had a reasonable expectation of being allowed into the cella. Once inside the cella it was possible to pray to or before the cult image, and sometimes to touch it; Cicero saw a bronze image of Heracles with its foot largely worn away by the touch of devotees. Famous cult images such as the Statue of Zeus at Olympia functioned as significant visitor attractions.

Role of women

The role of women in sacrifices is discussed above. In addition, the only public roles that Greek women could perform were priestesses: either , meaning "sacred women" or amphipolis, a term for lesser attendants. As a priestess, they gained social recognition and access to more luxuries than other Greek women that worked or typically stayed in the home. They were mostly from local elite families; some roles required virgins, who would typically only serve for a year or so before marriage, while other roles went to married women. Women who voluntarily chose to become priestesses received an increase in social and legal status to the public, and after death, they received a public burial site. Greek priestesses had to be healthy and of a sound mind, the reasoning being that the ones serving the gods had to be as high-quality as their offerings. This was also true for male Greek priests.

It is contested whether there were gendered divisions when it came to serving a particular god or goddess, who was devoted to what god, gods and/or goddesses could have both priests and priestesses to serve them. Gender specifics did come into play when it came to who would perform certain acts of sacrifice or worship were determined by the significance of the male or female role to that particular god or goddess, a priest would lead the priestess or the reverse. In some Greek cults priestesses served both gods and goddesses, such examples as the Pythia, or female Oracle of Apollo at Delphi, and that at Didyma were priestesses, but both were overseen by male priests. The festival of Dionosyus was practiced by both and the god was served by women and female priestesses, they were known as the Gerarai or the venerable ones.

There were segregated religious festivals in Ancient Greece; the Thesmophoria, Plerosia, Kalamaia, Adonia, and Skira were festivals that were only for women. The Thesmophoria festival and many others represented agricultural fertility, which was considered to be closely connected to women by the ancient Greeks. It gave women a religious identity and purpose in Greek religion, in which the role of women in worshipping goddesses Demeter and her daughter Persephone reinforced traditional lifestyles. The festivals relating to agricultural fertility were valued by the polis because this is what they traditionally worked for, women-centered festivals that involved private matters were less important. In Athens the festivals honoring Demeter were included in the calendar and promoted by Athens, they constructed temples and shrines like the Thesmophorion, where women could perform their rites and worship.

Mystery religions

Those who were not satisfied by the public cult of the gods could turn to various mystery religions which operated as cults into which members had to be initiated in order to learn their secrets.

Here, they could find religious consolations that traditional religion could not provide: a chance at mystical awakening, a systematic religious doctrine, a map to the afterlife, a communal worship, and a band of spiritual fellowship.

Mainstream Greek religion appears to have developed out of Proto-Indo-European religion and although very little is known about the earliest periods there are suggestive hints that some local elements go back even further than the Bronze Age or Helladic period to the farmers of Neolithic Greece. There was also clearly cultural evolution from the Late Helladic Mycenaean religion of the Mycenaean civilization. Both the literary settings of some important myths and many important sanctuaries relate to locations that were important Helladic centers that had become otherwise unimportant by Greek times.

The Mycenaeans perhaps treated Poseidon, to them a god of earthquakes as well as the sea, as their chief deity, and forms of his name along with several other Olympians are recognizable in records in Linear B, although Apollo and Aphrodite are absent. Only about half of the Mycenaean pantheon seem to survive the Greek Dark Ages though. The archaeological evidence for continuity in religion is far clearer for Crete and Cyprus than the Greek mainland.

Greek religious concepts may also have absorbed the beliefs and practices of earlier, nearby cultures, such as Minoan religion, and other influences came from the Near East, especially via Cyprus. Herodotus, writing in the 5th century BC, traced many Greek religious practices to Egypt.

The Great Goddess hypothesis, that a Stone Age religion dominated by a female Great Goddess was displaced by a male-dominated Indo-European hierarchy, has been proposed for Greece as for Minoan Crete and other regions, but has not been in favor with specialists for some decades, though the question remains too poorly-evidenced for a clear conclusion; at the least the evidence from Minoan art shows more goddesses than gods. The Twelve Olympians, with Zeus as sky father, certainly have a strong Indo-European flavor; by the time of the epic works of Homer all are well-established, except for Dionysus. However, several of the Homeric Hymns, probably composed slightly later, are dedicated to him.

Archaic and classical periods

Archaic and Classical Greece saw the development of flourishing cities and of stone-built temples to the gods, which were rather consistent in design across the Greek world. Religion was closely tied to civic life, and priests were mostly drawn from the local elite. Religious works led the development of Greek sculpture, though apparently not the now-vanished Greek painting. While much religious practice was, as well as personal, aimed at developing solidarity within the , a number of important sanctuaries developed a "Panhellenic" status, drawing visitors from all over the Greek world. These served as an essential component in the growth and self-consciousness of Greek nationalism.

Hellenistic period

In the Hellenistic period between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the Roman conquest of Greece (146 BC) Greek religion developed in various ways, including expanding over at least some of Alexander's conquests. The new dynasties of diadochi, kings and tyrants often spent lavishly on temples, often following Alexander in trying to insinuate themselves into religious cult; this was much easier for the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, where the traditional ancient Egyptian religion had long had deified monarchs. The enormous raised Pergamon Altar (now in Berlin) and the Altar of Hieron in Sicily are examples of unprecedentedly large constructions of the period.

New cults of imported deities such as Isis from Egypt, Atargatis from Syria, and Cybele from Anatolia became increasingly important, as well as several philosophical movements such as Platonism, stoicism, and Epicureanism; both tended to detract from the traditional religion, although many Greeks were able to hold beliefs from more than one of these groups. Serapis was essentially a Hellenistic creation, if not devised then spread in Egypt for political reasons by Ptolemy I Soter as a hybrid of Greek and local styles of deity. Various philosophical movements, including the Orphics and Pythagoreans, began to question the ethics of animal sacrifice, and whether the gods really appreciated it; from the surviving texts Empedocles and Theophrastus (both vegetarians) were notable critics. Hellenistic astrology developed late in the period, as another distraction from the traditional practices. Although the traditional myths, festivals and beliefs all continued, these trends probably reduced the grip on the imagination of the traditional pantheon, especially among the educated, but probably more widely in the general population.

Roman Empire

When the Roman Republic conquered Greece in 146 BC, it took much of Greek religion (along with many other aspects of Greek culture such as literary and architectural styles) and incorporated it into its own. The Greek gods were equated with the ancient Roman deities; Zeus with Jupiter, Hera with Juno, Poseidon with Neptune, Aphrodite with Venus, Ares with Mars, Artemis with Diana, Athena with Minerva, Hermes with Mercury, Hephaestus with Vulcan, Hestia with Vesta, Demeter with Ceres, Hades with Pluto, Tyche with Fortuna, and Pan with Faunus. Some of the gods, such as Apollo and Bacchus, had earlier been adopted by the Romans. There were also many deities that existed in the Roman religion before its interaction with Greece that were not associated with a Greek deity, including Janus and Quirinus.

After the huge Roman conquests beyond Greece, new cults from Egypt and Asia became popular in Greece as well as the western empire.

Decline and suppression

The initial decline of Greco-Roman polytheism was due in part to its syncretic nature, assimilating beliefs and practices from a variety of foreign religious traditions as the Roman Empire expanded[page needed ]. Greco-Roman philosophical schools incorporated elements of Judaism and Early Christianity, and mystery religions like Christianity and Mithraism also became increasingly popular. Constantine I became the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity, and the Edict of Milan in 313 AD enacted official tolerance for Christianity within the Empire. Still, in Greece and elsewhere, there is evidence that pagan and Christian communities remained essentially segregated from each other, with little cultural influence flowing between the two[page needed ]. Urban pagans continued to utilize the civic centers and temple complexes, while Christians set up their own, new places of worship in suburban areas of cities. Contrary to some older scholarship, newly converted Christians did not simply continue worshiping in converted temples; rather, new Christian communities were formed as older pagan communities declined and were eventually suppressed and disbanded.[page needed ]

The Roman Emperor Julian, a nephew of Constantine, initiated an effort to end the ascension of Christianity within the empire and re-organize a syncretic version of Greco-Roman polytheism which he termed, "Hellenism". Later known as "The Apostate", Julian had been raised Christian but embraced the pagan faith of his ancestors in early adulthood. Taking notice of how Christianity ultimately flourished under suppression, Julian pursued a policy of marginalization but not destruction towards the Church; tolerating and at times lending state support toward other prominent faiths (particularly Judaism) when he believed doing so would be likely to weaken Christianity. Julian's Christian training influenced his decision to create a single organized version of the various old pagan traditions, with a centralized priesthood and a coherent body of doctrine, ritual, and liturgy based on Neoplatonism. On the other hand, Julian forbid Christian educators from utilizing many of the great works of philosophy and literature associated with Greco-Roman paganism. Julian believed Christianity had benefited significantly from not only access to but influence over classical education.

Julian's successor Constantinus reversed some of his reforms, but Jovian, Valentinian I, and Valens continued Julian's policy of religious toleration within the Empire, garnering them both praise from pagan writers. Official persecution of paganism in the Eastern Empire began under Theodosius I in 381 AD. Theodosius strictly enforced anti-pagan laws, had priesthoods disbanded, temples destroyed, and actively participated in Christian actions against pagan holy sites. He enacted laws that prohibited worship of pagan gods not only in public, but also within private homes. The last Olympic Games were held in 393 AD, and Theodosius likely suppressed any further attempts to hold the games. Western Empire Emperor Gratian, under the influence of his adviser Ambrose, ended the widespread, unofficial tolerance that had existed in the Western Roman Empire since the reign of Julian. In 382 AD, Gratian appropriated the income and property of the remaining orders of pagan priests, disbanded the Vestal Virgins, removed altars, and confiscated temples.

Despite official suppression by the Roman government, worship of the Greco-Roman gods persisted in some rural and remote regions into the early Middle Ages. A claimed temple to Apollo, with a community of worshipers and associated sacred grove, survived at Monte Cassino until 529 AD, when it was forcefully converted to a Christian chapel by Saint Benedict of Nursia, who destroyed the altar and cut down the grove. Other pagan communities, namely the Maniots, persisted in the Mani Peninsula of Greece until at least the 9th century.

Modern revivals

Greek religion and philosophy have experienced a number of revivals, firstly in the arts, humanities and spirituality of Renaissance Neoplatonism, which was certainly believed by many to have effects in the real world. During the period of time (14th-17th centuries) when the literature and philosophy of the ancient Greeks gained widespread appreciation in Europe, this new popularity did not extend to ancient Greek religion, especially the original theist forms, and most new examinations of Greek philosophy were written within a solidly Christian context.

Early revivalists, with varying degrees of commitment, were the Englishmen John Fransham (1730-1810), interested in Neoplatonism, and Thomas Taylor (1758-1835), who produced the first English translations of many Neoplatonic philosophical and religious texts.

More recently, a revival has begun with the contemporary Hellenism, as it is often called (a term first used by the last pagan Roman emperor Julian). In Greece, the term used is Hellenic Ethnic Religion (Ελληνική Εθνική Θρησκεία). Modern Hellenism reflects Neoplatonic and Platonic speculation (which is represented in Porphyry, Libanius, Proclus, and Julian), as well as classical cult practice. However, there are many fewer followers than Greek Orthodox Christianity. According to estimates reported by the U.S. State Department in 2006, there were perhaps as many as 2,000 followers of the ancient Greek religion out of a total Greek population of 11 million; however, Hellenism's leaders place that figure at 100,000 followers.

References

Burkert, Walter (1985), Greek Religion: Archaic and Classical, Harvard University Press, ISBN 0674362810. Widely regarded as the standard modern account, online at archive.org.

Miles, Margaret Melanie. A Companion to Greek Architecture. Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons, 2016.

Stevenson, Gregory, Power and Place: Temple and Identity in the Book of Revelation, 2012, Walter de Gruyter, ISBN 3110880393, 9783110880397, google books

Further reading

Cook, Arthur Bernard, Zeus: A Study in Ancient Religion, (3 volume set), (1914-1925). New York, Bibilo & Tannen: 1964. ASIN B0006BMDNA

Volume 1: Zeus, God of the Bright Sky, Biblo-Moser, June 1, 1964, ISBN 0-8196-0148-9 (reprint)

Volume 2: Zeus, God of the Dark Sky (Thunder and Lightning), Biblo-Moser, June 1, 1964, ISBN 0-8196-0156-X

Volume 3: Zeus, God of the Dark Sky (earthquakes, clouds, wind, dew, rain, meteorites)

Dodds, Eric Robertson, The Greeks and the Irrational, 1951.

Mircea Eliade, Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy, 1951.

Lewis Richard Farnell, Cults of the Greek States 5 vols. Oxford; Clarendon 1896-1909. Still the standard reference.

Lewis Richard Farnell, Greek Hero Cults and Ideas of Immortality, 1921.

Jane Ellen Harrison, Themis: A Study of the Social Origins of Greek Religion, 1912.

Jane Ellen Harrison, Epilegomena to the Study of Greek Religion, 1921.

Karl Kerényi, The Gods of the Greeks

Karl Kerényi, Dionysus: Archetypical Image of Indestructible Life

Karl Kerényi, Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter. The central modern accounting of the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Jennifer Larson, Ancient Greek Cults:A Guide New York: Routledge, 2007. ISBN 978-0-415-32448-9

Jon D. Mikalson, Athenian Popular Religion. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1983. ISBN 0-8078-4194-3.

Martin P. Nilsson, Greek Popular Religion, 1940.

Mark William Padilla, (editor), "Rites of Passage in Ancient Greece: Literature, Religion, Society", Bucknell University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-8387-5418-X

Robert Parker, Athenian Religion: A History Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996. ISBN 0-19-815240-X.

Andrea Purvis, Singular Dedications: Founders and Innovators of Private Cults in Classical Greece, 2003.

William Ridgeway, The Dramas and Dramatic Dances of non-European Races in special Reference to the Origin of Greek Tragedy, with an Appendix on the Origin of Greek Comedy, 1915.

William Ridgeway, Origin of Tragedy with Special Reference to the Greek Tragedians, 1910.

Xavier Riu, Dionysism and Comedy, Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 1999. ISBN 0-8476-9442-9.

Erwin Rohde, Psyche: The Cult of Souls and Belief in Immortality among the Greeks, 1925 [1921].

William Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, 1870.

Martin Litchfield West, The Orphic Poems, 1983.

Martin Litchfield West, Early Greek philosophy and the Orient, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1971.

Martin Litchfield West, The East Face of Helicon: west Asiatic elements in Greek poetry and myth, Oxford [England]; New York: Clarendon Press, 1997.

Walter F. Otto, The Homeric Gods: The Spiritual Significance of Greek Religion, New York: Pantheon, 1954

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology originating in ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. The application of the modern concept of "religion" to ancient cultures has been questioned as anachronistic. The ancient Greeks did not have a word for 'religion' in the modern sense.

# data[].attributes.body
No Greek writer known to us classifies either the gods or the cult practices into separate 'religions'. The Greeks believed in the 12 major gods and goddesses Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Appolo, Artemis, Hephaestus, and Hermes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek_religion

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ancient Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology originating in ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. The application of the modern concept of "religion" to ancient cultures has been questioned as anachronistic. The ancient Greeks did not have a word for 'religion' in the modern sense. Likewise, no Greek writer known to us classifies either the gods or the cult practices into separate 'religions'. Instead, for example, Herodotus speaks of the Hellenes as having "common shrines of the gods and sacrifices, and the same kinds of customs."

Most ancient Greeks recognized the twelve major Olympian gods and goddesses- Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus-although philosophies such as Stoicism and some forms of Platonism used language that seems to assume a single transcendent deity. The worship of these deities, and several others, was found across the Greek world, though they often have different epithets that distinguished aspects of the deity, and often reflect the absorption of other local deities into the pan-Hellenic scheme.

"There was no centralization of authority over Greek religious practices and beliefs; change was regulated only at the civic level. Thus, the phenomenon we are studying is not in fact an organized "religion." Instead we might think of the beliefs and practices of Greeks in relation to the gods as a group of closely related "religious dialects" that resembled each other far more than they did those of non-Greeks."

Ancient Greek theology was polytheistic, based on the assumption that there were many gods and goddesses, as well as a range of lesser supernatural beings of various types. There was a hierarchy of deities, with Zeus, the king of the gods, having a level of control over all the others, although he was not almighty. Some deities had dominion over certain aspects of nature. For instance, Zeus was the sky-god, sending thunder and lightning, Poseidon ruled over the sea and earthquakes, Hades projected his remarkable power throughout the realms of death and the Underworld, and Helios controlled the sun. Other deities ruled over abstract concepts; for instance Aphrodite controlled love. All significant deities were visualized as "human" in form, although often able to transform themselves into animals or natural phenomena.

While being immortal, the gods were certainly not all-good or even all-powerful. They had to obey fate, known to Greek mythology as the Moirai, which overrode any of their divine powers or wills. For instance, in mythology, it was Odysseus' fate to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, and the gods could only lengthen his journey and make it harder for him, but they could not stop him.

The gods acted like humans and had human vices. They would interact with humans, sometimes even spawning children with them. At times certain gods would be opposed to others, and they would try to outdo each other. In the , Aphrodite, Ares and Apollo support the Trojan side in the Trojan War, while Hera, Athena and Poseidon support the Greeks (see theomachy).

Some gods were specifically associated with a certain city. Athena was associated with the city of Athens, Apollo with Delphi and Delos, Zeus with Olympia and Aphrodite with Corinth. But other gods were also worshipped in these cities. Other deities were associated with nations outside of Greece; Poseidon was associated with Ethiopia and Troy, and Ares with Thrace.

Identity of names was not a guarantee of a similar cultus; the Greeks themselves were well aware that the Artemis worshipped at Sparta, the virgin huntress, was a very different deity from the Artemis who was a many-breasted fertility goddess at Ephesus. Though the worship of the major deities spread from one locality to another, and though most larger cities boasted temples to several major gods, the identification of different gods with different places remained strong to the end.

Our ancient sources for Greek religion tell us a good deal about cult but very little about creed, in no small measure because the Greeks in general considered what one believed to be much less importance than what one did.

The Greeks believed in an underworld where the spirits of the dead went after death. One of the most widespread areas of this underworld was ruled over by Hades, a brother of Zeus, and was itself also known as Hades (originally called 'the place of Hades'). Other well known realms are Tartarus, a place of torment for the damned, and Elysium, a place of pleasures for the virtuous. In the early Mycenaean religion all the dead went to Hades, but the rise of mystery cults in the Archaic age led to the development of places such as Tartarus and Elysium.

A few Greeks, like Achilles, Alcmene, Amphiaraus Ganymede, Ino, Melicertes, Menelaus, Peleus, and a great number of those who fought in the Trojan and Theban wars, were considered to have been physically immortalized and brought to live forever in either Elysium, the Islands of the Blessed, heaven, the ocean, or beneath the ground. Such beliefs are found in the most ancient of Greek sources, such as Homer and Hesiod. This belief remained strong even into the Christian era. For most people at the moment of death there was, however, no hope of anything but continued existence as a disembodied soul.

Some Greeks, such as the philosophers Pythagoras and Plato, also embraced the idea of reincarnation, though this was only accepted by a few. Epicurus taught that the soul was simply atoms which were dissolved at death, so one ceased to exist on dying.

Greek religion had an extensive mythology. It consisted largely of stories of the gods and how they interacted with humans. Myths often revolved around heroes and their actions, such as Heracles and his twelve labors, Odysseus and his voyage home, Jason and the quest for the Golden Fleece and Theseus and the Minotaur.

Many species existed in Greek mythology. Chief among these were the gods and humans, though the Titans (who predated the Olympian gods) also frequently appeared in Greek myths. Lesser species included the half-man-half-horse centaurs, the nature based nymphs (tree nymphs were dryads, sea nymphs were Nereids) and the half man, half goat satyrs. Some creatures in Greek mythology were monstrous, such as the one-eyed giant Cyclopes, the sea beast Scylla, whirlpool Charybdis, Gorgons, and the half-man, half-bull Minotaur.

There was not a set Greek cosmogony, or creation myth. Different religious groups believed that the world had been created in different ways. One Greek creation myth was told in Hesiod's . It stated that at first there was only a primordial deity called Chaos, after which came various other primordial gods, such as Gaia, Tartarus and Eros, who then gave birth to more gods, the Titans, who then gave birth to the first Olympians.

The mythology largely survived and was added to in order to form the later Roman mythology. The Greeks and Romans had been literate societies, and much mythology, although initially shared orally, was written down in the forms of epic poetry (such as the Iliad, the Odyssey and the Argonautica) and plays (such as Euripides' The Bacchae and Aristophanes' ). The mythology became popular in Christian post- Renaissance Europe, where it was often used as a basis for the works of artists like Botticelli, Michelangelo and Rubens.

One of the most important moral concepts to the Greeks was the fear of committing hubris. Hubris constituted many things, from rape to desecration of a corpse, and was a crime in the city-state of Athens. Although pride and vanity were not considered sins themselves, the Greeks emphasized moderation. Pride only became hubris when it went to extremes, like any other vice. The same was thought of eating and drinking. Anything done to excess was not considered proper. Ancient Greeks placed, for example, importance on athletics and intellect equally. In fact many of their competitions included both. Pride was not evil until it became all-consuming or hurtful to others.

Sacred texts

The Greeks had no religious texts they regarded as "revealed" scriptures of sacred origin, but very old texts including Homer's and , and the Homeric hymns (regarded as later productions today), Hesiod's and Works and Days, and Pindar's Odes were regarded as having authority and perhaps being inspired; they usually begin with an invocation to the Muses for inspiration. Plato even wanted to exclude the myths from his ideal state described in the because of their low moral tone.

While some traditions, such as Mystery cults, did uphold certain texts as canonic within their own cult praxis, such texts were respected but not necessarily accepted as canonic outside their circle. In this field, of particular importance are certain texts referring to Orphic cults: multiple copies, ranging from 450 BC-250 AD, have been found in various locations of the Greek world. Even the words of the oracles never turned into a sacred text. Other texts were specially composed for religious events, and some have survived within the lyric tradition; although they had a cult function, they were bound to performance and never developed into a common, standard prayer form comparable to the Christian Pater Noster. An exception to this rule were the already named Orphic and Mystery rituals, which, in this, set themselves aside from the rest of the Greek religious system. Finally, some texts called ieri logi ( Greek: ιεροί λόγοι) (sacred texts) by the ancient sources, originated from outside the Greek world, or were supposedly adopted in remote times, representing yet more different traditions within the Greek belief system.

Ceremonies

The lack of a unified priestly class meant that a unified, canonic form of the religious texts or practices never existed; just as there was no unified, common sacred text for the Greek belief system, there was no standardization of practices. Instead, religious practices were organized on local levels, with priests normally being magistrates for the city or village, or gaining authority from one of the many sanctuaries. Some priestly functions, like the care for a particular local festival, could be given by tradition to a certain family. To a large extent, in the absence of "scriptural" sacred texts, religious practices derived their authority from tradition, and "every omission or deviation arouses deep anxiety and calls forth sanctions".

One ceremony was pharmakos, a ritual involving expelling a symbolic scapegoat such as a slave or an animal, from a city or village in a time of hardship. It was hoped that by casting out the ritual scapegoat, the hardship would go with it.

Worship in Greece typically consisted of sacrificing domestic animals at the altar with hymn and prayer. The altar was outside any temple building, and might not be associated with a temple at all. The animal, which should be perfect of its kind, was decorated with garlands and the like, and led in procession to the altar; a girl with a basket on her head containing the concealed knife led the way. After various rituals, the animal was slaughtered over the altar. As it fell, all of the women present "[cried] out in high, shrill tones". Its blood was collected and poured over the altar. It was butchered on the spot and various internal organs, bones and other inedible parts burnt as the deity's portion of the offering, while the meat was removed to be prepared for the participants to eat; the leading figures tasted it on the spot. The temple usually kept the skin to sell to tanners. That the humans got more use from the sacrifice than the deity had not escaped the Greeks, and was often the subject of humor in Greek comedy.

The animals used were, in order of preference, bulls or oxen, cows, sheep (the most common sacrifice), goats, pigs (with piglets being the cheapest mammal), and poultry (but rarely other birds or fish). Horses and asses are seen on some vases in the Geometric style (900-750 BC), but are very rarely mentioned in literature; they were relatively late introductions to Greece, and it has been suggested that Greek preferences in this matter were established earlier. The Greeks liked to believe that the animal was glad to be sacrificed, and interpreted various behaviors as showing this. Divination by examining parts of the sacrificed animal was much less important than in Roman or Etruscan religion, or Near Eastern religions, but was practiced, especially of the liver, and as part of the cult of Apollo. Generally, the Greeks put more faith in observing the behavior of birds.

For a smaller and simpler offering, a grain of incense could be thrown on the sacred fire, and outside the cities farmers made simple sacrificial gifts of plant produce as the "first fruits" were harvested. The libation, a ritual pouring of fluid, was part of everyday life, and libations with a prayer were often made at home whenever wine was drunk, with just a part of the cup's contents, the rest being drunk. More formal ones might be made onto altars at temples, and other fluids such as olive oil and honey might be used. Although the grand form of sacrifice called the hecatomb (meaning 100 bulls) might in practice only involve a dozen or so, at large festivals the number of cattle sacrificed could run into the hundreds, and the numbers feasting on them well into the thousands.

The evidence of the existence of such practices is clear in some ancient Greek literature, especially in Homer's epics. Throughout the poems, the use of the ritual is apparent at banquets where meat is served, in times of danger or before some important endeavor to gain the favor of the gods. For example, in Homer's Eumaeus sacrifices a pig with prayer for his unrecognizable master Odysseus. However, in Homer's , which partly reflects very early Greek civilization, not every banquet of the princes begins with a sacrifice.

These sacrificial practices share much with recorded forms of sacrificial rituals known from later. Furthermore, throughout the poem, special banquets are held whenever gods indicated their presence by some sign or success in war. Before setting out for Troy, this type of animal sacrifice is offered. Odysseus offers Zeus a sacrificial ram in vain. The occasions of sacrifice in Homer's epic poems may shed some light onto the view of the gods as members of society, rather than as external entities, indicating social ties. Sacrificial rituals played a major role in forming the relationship between humans and the divine.

It has been suggested that the Chthonic deities, distinguished from Olympic deities by typically being offered the holocaust mode of sacrifice, where the offering is wholly burnt, may be remnants of the native Pre-Hellenic religion and that many of the Olympian deities may come from the Proto-Greeks who overran the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula in the late third millennium BC.

Various religious festivals were held in ancient Greece. Many were specific only to a particular deity or city-state. For example, the festival of Lykaia was celebrated in Arcadia in Greece, which was dedicated to the pastoral god Pan. Like the other Panhellenic Games, the ancient Olympic Games were a religious festival, held at the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia. Other festivals centered on Greek theatre, of which the Dionysia in Athens was the most important. More typical festivals featured a procession, large sacrifices and a feast to eat the offerings, and many included entertainments and customs such as visiting friends, wearing fancy dress and unusual behavior in the streets, sometimes risky for bystanders in various ways. Altogether the year in Athens included some 140 days that were religious festivals of some sort, though varying greatly in importance.

Rites of passage

One rite of passage was the amphidromia, celebrated on the fifth or seventh day after the birth of a child. Childbirth was extremely significant to Athenians, especially if the baby was a boy.

Sanctuaries and temples

The main Greek temple building sat within a larger precinct or temenos, usually surrounded by a peribolos fence or wall; the whole is usually called a "sanctuary". The Acropolis of Athens is the most famous example, though this was apparently walled as a citadel before a temple was ever built there. The tenemos might include many subsidiary buildings, sacred groves or springs, animals dedicated to the deity, and sometimes people who had taken sanctuary from the law, which some temples offered, for example to runaway slaves.

The earliest Greek sanctuaries probably lacked temple buildings, though our knowledge of these is limited, and the subject is controversial. A typical early sanctuary seems to have consisted of a tenemos, often around a sacred grove, cave, rock ( baetyl) or spring, and perhaps defined only by marker stones at intervals, with an altar for offerings. Many rural sanctuaries probably stayed in this style, but the more popular were gradually able to afford a building to house a cult image, especially in cities. This process was certainly under way by the 9th century, and probably started earlier.

The temple interiors did not serve as meeting places, since the sacrifices and rituals dedicated to the respective deity took place outside them, at altars within the wider precinct of the sanctuary, which might be large. As the centuries passed both the inside of popular temples and the area surrounding them accumulated statues and small shrines or other buildings as gifts, and military trophies, paintings and items in precious metals, effectively turning them into a type of museum.

Some sanctuaries offered oracles, people who were believed to receive divine inspiration in answering questions put by pilgrims. The most famous of these by far was the female priestess called the Pythia at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, and that of Zeus at Dodona, but there were many others. Some dealt only with medical, agricultural or other specialized matters, and not all represented gods, like that of the hero Trophonius at Livadeia.

Cult images

The temple was the house of the deity it was dedicated to, who in some sense resided in the cult image in the or main room inside, normally facing the only door. The cult image normally took the form of a statue of the deity, typically roughly life-size, but in some cases many times life-size. In early days these were in wood, marble or terracotta, or in the specially prestigious form of a chryselephantine statue using ivory plaques for the visible parts of the body and gold for the clothes, around a wooden framework. The most famous Greek cult images were of this type, including the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, and Phidias's Athena Parthenos in the Parthenon in Athens, both colossal statues, now completely lost. Fragments of two chryselephantine statues from Delphi have been excavated. Bronze cult images were less frequent, at least until Hellenistic times. Early images seem often to have been dressed in real clothes, and at all periods images might wear real jewelry donated by devotees.

Many of the Greek statues well known from Roman marble copies were originally temple cult images, which in some cases, such as the Apollo Barberini, can be credibly identified. A very few actual originals survive, for example, the bronze Piraeus Athena (2.35 m (7.7 ft) high, including a helmet). The image stood on a base, from the 5th century often carved with reliefs.

It used to be thought that access to the cella of a Greek temple was limited to the priests, and it was entered only rarely by other visitors, except perhaps during important festivals or other special occasions. In recent decades this picture has changed, and scholars now stress the variety of local access rules. Pausanias was a gentlemanly traveller of the 2nd-century AD who declares that the special intention of his travels around Greece was to see cult images, and usually managed to do so.

It was typically necessary to make a sacrifice or gift, and some temples restricted access either to certain days of the year, or by class, race, gender (with either men or women forbidden), or even more tightly. Garlic-eaters were forbidden in one temple, in another women unless they were virgins; restrictions typically arose from local ideas of ritual purity or a perceived whim of the deity. In some places visitors were asked to show they spoke Greek; elsewhere Dorians were not allowed entry. Some temples could only be viewed from the threshold. Some temples are said never to be opened at all. But generally Greeks, including slaves, had a reasonable expectation of being allowed into the cella. Once inside the cella it was possible to pray to or before the cult image, and sometimes to touch it; Cicero saw a bronze image of Heracles with its foot largely worn away by the touch of devotees. Famous cult images such as the Statue of Zeus at Olympia functioned as significant visitor attractions.

Role of women

The role of women in sacrifices is discussed above. In addition, the only public roles that Greek women could perform were priestesses: either , meaning "sacred women" or amphipolis, a term for lesser attendants. As a priestess, they gained social recognition and access to more luxuries than other Greek women that worked or typically stayed in the home. They were mostly from local elite families; some roles required virgins, who would typically only serve for a year or so before marriage, while other roles went to married women. Women who voluntarily chose to become priestesses received an increase in social and legal status to the public, and after death, they received a public burial site. Greek priestesses had to be healthy and of a sound mind, the reasoning being that the ones serving the gods had to be as high-quality as their offerings. This was also true for male Greek priests.

It is contested whether there were gendered divisions when it came to serving a particular god or goddess, who was devoted to what god, gods and/or goddesses could have both priests and priestesses to serve them. Gender specifics did come into play when it came to who would perform certain acts of sacrifice or worship were determined by the significance of the male or female role to that particular god or goddess, a priest would lead the priestess or the reverse. In some Greek cults priestesses served both gods and goddesses, such examples as the Pythia, or female Oracle of Apollo at Delphi, and that at Didyma were priestesses, but both were overseen by male priests. The festival of Dionosyus was practiced by both and the god was served by women and female priestesses, they were known as the Gerarai or the venerable ones.

There were segregated religious festivals in Ancient Greece; the Thesmophoria, Plerosia, Kalamaia, Adonia, and Skira were festivals that were only for women. The Thesmophoria festival and many others represented agricultural fertility, which was considered to be closely connected to women by the ancient Greeks. It gave women a religious identity and purpose in Greek religion, in which the role of women in worshipping goddesses Demeter and her daughter Persephone reinforced traditional lifestyles. The festivals relating to agricultural fertility were valued by the polis because this is what they traditionally worked for, women-centered festivals that involved private matters were less important. In Athens the festivals honoring Demeter were included in the calendar and promoted by Athens, they constructed temples and shrines like the Thesmophorion, where women could perform their rites and worship.

Mystery religions

Those who were not satisfied by the public cult of the gods could turn to various mystery religions which operated as cults into which members had to be initiated in order to learn their secrets.

Here, they could find religious consolations that traditional religion could not provide: a chance at mystical awakening, a systematic religious doctrine, a map to the afterlife, a communal worship, and a band of spiritual fellowship.

Mainstream Greek religion appears to have developed out of Proto-Indo-European religion and although very little is known about the earliest periods there are suggestive hints that some local elements go back even further than the Bronze Age or Helladic period to the farmers of Neolithic Greece. There was also clearly cultural evolution from the Late Helladic Mycenaean religion of the Mycenaean civilization. Both the literary settings of some important myths and many important sanctuaries relate to locations that were important Helladic centers that had become otherwise unimportant by Greek times.

The Mycenaeans perhaps treated Poseidon, to them a god of earthquakes as well as the sea, as their chief deity, and forms of his name along with several other Olympians are recognizable in records in Linear B, although Apollo and Aphrodite are absent. Only about half of the Mycenaean pantheon seem to survive the Greek Dark Ages though. The archaeological evidence for continuity in religion is far clearer for Crete and Cyprus than the Greek mainland.

Greek religious concepts may also have absorbed the beliefs and practices of earlier, nearby cultures, such as Minoan religion, and other influences came from the Near East, especially via Cyprus. Herodotus, writing in the 5th century BC, traced many Greek religious practices to Egypt.

The Great Goddess hypothesis, that a Stone Age religion dominated by a female Great Goddess was displaced by a male-dominated Indo-European hierarchy, has been proposed for Greece as for Minoan Crete and other regions, but has not been in favor with specialists for some decades, though the question remains too poorly-evidenced for a clear conclusion; at the least the evidence from Minoan art shows more goddesses than gods. The Twelve Olympians, with Zeus as sky father, certainly have a strong Indo-European flavor; by the time of the epic works of Homer all are well-established, except for Dionysus. However, several of the Homeric Hymns, probably composed slightly later, are dedicated to him.

Archaic and classical periods

Archaic and Classical Greece saw the development of flourishing cities and of stone-built temples to the gods, which were rather consistent in design across the Greek world. Religion was closely tied to civic life, and priests were mostly drawn from the local elite. Religious works led the development of Greek sculpture, though apparently not the now-vanished Greek painting. While much religious practice was, as well as personal, aimed at developing solidarity within the , a number of important sanctuaries developed a "Panhellenic" status, drawing visitors from all over the Greek world. These served as an essential component in the growth and self-consciousness of Greek nationalism.

Hellenistic period

In the Hellenistic period between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the Roman conquest of Greece (146 BC) Greek religion developed in various ways, including expanding over at least some of Alexander's conquests. The new dynasties of diadochi, kings and tyrants often spent lavishly on temples, often following Alexander in trying to insinuate themselves into religious cult; this was much easier for the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, where the traditional ancient Egyptian religion had long had deified monarchs. The enormous raised Pergamon Altar (now in Berlin) and the Altar of Hieron in Sicily are examples of unprecedentedly large constructions of the period.

New cults of imported deities such as Isis from Egypt, Atargatis from Syria, and Cybele from Anatolia became increasingly important, as well as several philosophical movements such as Platonism, stoicism, and Epicureanism; both tended to detract from the traditional religion, although many Greeks were able to hold beliefs from more than one of these groups. Serapis was essentially a Hellenistic creation, if not devised then spread in Egypt for political reasons by Ptolemy I Soter as a hybrid of Greek and local styles of deity. Various philosophical movements, including the Orphics and Pythagoreans, began to question the ethics of animal sacrifice, and whether the gods really appreciated it; from the surviving texts Empedocles and Theophrastus (both vegetarians) were notable critics. Hellenistic astrology developed late in the period, as another distraction from the traditional practices. Although the traditional myths, festivals and beliefs all continued, these trends probably reduced the grip on the imagination of the traditional pantheon, especially among the educated, but probably more widely in the general population.

Roman Empire

When the Roman Republic conquered Greece in 146 BC, it took much of Greek religion (along with many other aspects of Greek culture such as literary and architectural styles) and incorporated it into its own. The Greek gods were equated with the ancient Roman deities; Zeus with Jupiter, Hera with Juno, Poseidon with Neptune, Aphrodite with Venus, Ares with Mars, Artemis with Diana, Athena with Minerva, Hermes with Mercury, Hephaestus with Vulcan, Hestia with Vesta, Demeter with Ceres, Hades with Pluto, Tyche with Fortuna, and Pan with Faunus. Some of the gods, such as Apollo and Bacchus, had earlier been adopted by the Romans. There were also many deities that existed in the Roman religion before its interaction with Greece that were not associated with a Greek deity, including Janus and Quirinus.

After the huge Roman conquests beyond Greece, new cults from Egypt and Asia became popular in Greece as well as the western empire.

Decline and suppression

The initial decline of Greco-Roman polytheism was due in part to its syncretic nature, assimilating beliefs and practices from a variety of foreign religious traditions as the Roman Empire expanded[page needed ]. Greco-Roman philosophical schools incorporated elements of Judaism and Early Christianity, and mystery religions like Christianity and Mithraism also became increasingly popular. Constantine I became the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity, and the Edict of Milan in 313 AD enacted official tolerance for Christianity within the Empire. Still, in Greece and elsewhere, there is evidence that pagan and Christian communities remained essentially segregated from each other, with little cultural influence flowing between the two[page needed ]. Urban pagans continued to utilize the civic centers and temple complexes, while Christians set up their own, new places of worship in suburban areas of cities. Contrary to some older scholarship, newly converted Christians did not simply continue worshiping in converted temples; rather, new Christian communities were formed as older pagan communities declined and were eventually suppressed and disbanded.[page needed ]

The Roman Emperor Julian, a nephew of Constantine, initiated an effort to end the ascension of Christianity within the empire and re-organize a syncretic version of Greco-Roman polytheism which he termed, "Hellenism". Later known as "The Apostate", Julian had been raised Christian but embraced the pagan faith of his ancestors in early adulthood. Taking notice of how Christianity ultimately flourished under suppression, Julian pursued a policy of marginalization but not destruction towards the Church; tolerating and at times lending state support toward other prominent faiths (particularly Judaism) when he believed doing so would be likely to weaken Christianity. Julian's Christian training influenced his decision to create a single organized version of the various old pagan traditions, with a centralized priesthood and a coherent body of doctrine, ritual, and liturgy based on Neoplatonism. On the other hand, Julian forbid Christian educators from utilizing many of the great works of philosophy and literature associated with Greco-Roman paganism. Julian believed Christianity had benefited significantly from not only access to but influence over classical education.

Julian's successor Constantinus reversed some of his reforms, but Jovian, Valentinian I, and Valens continued Julian's policy of religious toleration within the Empire, garnering them both praise from pagan writers. Official persecution of paganism in the Eastern Empire began under Theodosius I in 381 AD. Theodosius strictly enforced anti-pagan laws, had priesthoods disbanded, temples destroyed, and actively participated in Christian actions against pagan holy sites. He enacted laws that prohibited worship of pagan gods not only in public, but also within private homes. The last Olympic Games were held in 393 AD, and Theodosius likely suppressed any further attempts to hold the games. Western Empire Emperor Gratian, under the influence of his adviser Ambrose, ended the widespread, unofficial tolerance that had existed in the Western Roman Empire since the reign of Julian. In 382 AD, Gratian appropriated the income and property of the remaining orders of pagan priests, disbanded the Vestal Virgins, removed altars, and confiscated temples.

Despite official suppression by the Roman government, worship of the Greco-Roman gods persisted in some rural and remote regions into the early Middle Ages. A claimed temple to Apollo, with a community of worshipers and associated sacred grove, survived at Monte Cassino until 529 AD, when it was forcefully converted to a Christian chapel by Saint Benedict of Nursia, who destroyed the altar and cut down the grove. Other pagan communities, namely the Maniots, persisted in the Mani Peninsula of Greece until at least the 9th century.

Modern revivals

Greek religion and philosophy have experienced a number of revivals, firstly in the arts, humanities and spirituality of Renaissance Neoplatonism, which was certainly believed by many to have effects in the real world. During the period of time (14th-17th centuries) when the literature and philosophy of the ancient Greeks gained widespread appreciation in Europe, this new popularity did not extend to ancient Greek religion, especially the original theist forms, and most new examinations of Greek philosophy were written within a solidly Christian context.

Early revivalists, with varying degrees of commitment, were the Englishmen John Fransham (1730-1810), interested in Neoplatonism, and Thomas Taylor (1758-1835), who produced the first English translations of many Neoplatonic philosophical and religious texts.

More recently, a revival has begun with the contemporary Hellenism, as it is often called (a term first used by the last pagan Roman emperor Julian). In Greece, the term used is Hellenic Ethnic Religion (Ελληνική Εθνική Θρησκεία). Modern Hellenism reflects Neoplatonic and Platonic speculation (which is represented in Porphyry, Libanius, Proclus, and Julian), as well as classical cult practice. However, there are many fewer followers than Greek Orthodox Christianity. According to estimates reported by the U.S. State Department in 2006, there were perhaps as many as 2,000 followers of the ancient Greek religion out of a total Greek population of 11 million; however, Hellenism's leaders place that figure at 100,000 followers.

References

Burkert, Walter (1985), Greek Religion: Archaic and Classical, Harvard University Press, ISBN 0674362810. Widely regarded as the standard modern account, online at archive.org.

Miles, Margaret Melanie. A Companion to Greek Architecture. Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons, 2016.

Stevenson, Gregory, Power and Place: Temple and Identity in the Book of Revelation, 2012, Walter de Gruyter, ISBN 3110880393, 9783110880397, google books

Further reading

Cook, Arthur Bernard, Zeus: A Study in Ancient Religion, (3 volume set), (1914-1925). New York, Bibilo & Tannen: 1964. ASIN B0006BMDNA

Volume 1: Zeus, God of the Bright Sky, Biblo-Moser, June 1, 1964, ISBN 0-8196-0148-9 (reprint)

Volume 2: Zeus, God of the Dark Sky (Thunder and Lightning), Biblo-Moser, June 1, 1964, ISBN 0-8196-0156-X

Volume 3: Zeus, God of the Dark Sky (earthquakes, clouds, wind, dew, rain, meteorites)

Dodds, Eric Robertson, The Greeks and the Irrational, 1951.

Mircea Eliade, Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy, 1951.

Lewis Richard Farnell, Cults of the Greek States 5 vols. Oxford; Clarendon 1896-1909. Still the standard reference.

Lewis Richard Farnell, Greek Hero Cults and Ideas of Immortality, 1921.

Jane Ellen Harrison, Themis: A Study of the Social Origins of Greek Religion, 1912.

Jane Ellen Harrison, Epilegomena to the Study of Greek Religion, 1921.

Karl Kerényi, The Gods of the Greeks

Karl Kerényi, Dionysus: Archetypical Image of Indestructible Life

Karl Kerényi, Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter. The central modern accounting of the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Jennifer Larson, Ancient Greek Cults:A Guide New York: Routledge, 2007. ISBN 978-0-415-32448-9

Jon D. Mikalson, Athenian Popular Religion. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1983. ISBN 0-8078-4194-3.

Martin P. Nilsson, Greek Popular Religion, 1940.

Mark William Padilla, (editor), "Rites of Passage in Ancient Greece: Literature, Religion, Society", Bucknell University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-8387-5418-X

Robert Parker, Athenian Religion: A History Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996. ISBN 0-19-815240-X.

Andrea Purvis, Singular Dedications: Founders and Innovators of Private Cults in Classical Greece, 2003.

William Ridgeway, The Dramas and Dramatic Dances of non-European Races in special Reference to the Origin of Greek Tragedy, with an Appendix on the Origin of Greek Comedy, 1915.

William Ridgeway, Origin of Tragedy with Special Reference to the Greek Tragedians, 1910.

Xavier Riu, Dionysism and Comedy, Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 1999. ISBN 0-8476-9442-9.

Erwin Rohde, Psyche: The Cult of Souls and Belief in Immortality among the Greeks, 1925 [1921].

William Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, 1870.

Martin Litchfield West, The Orphic Poems, 1983.

Martin Litchfield West, Early Greek philosophy and the Orient, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1971.

Martin Litchfield West, The East Face of Helicon: west Asiatic elements in Greek poetry and myth, Oxford [England]; New York: Clarendon Press, 1997.

Walter F. Otto, The Homeric Gods: The Spiritual Significance of Greek Religion, New York: Pantheon, 1954

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology originating in ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. The application of the modern concept of "religion" to ancient cultures has been questioned as anachronistic. The ancient Greeks did not have a word for 'religion' in the modern sense.

# data[].attributes.body
Greek Daily Life - Ancient Greek People - Fun Facts - History ...

# data[].attributes.body
Politics was a big part of Ancient Greek culture and during the 19th century, the Greeks saw different monarchies and royal people that were becoming popular. Politics came and there were many fights that happened.
Democracy in Ancient Greece was very direct. What this means is that all the citizens voted on all the laws. Rather than vote for representatives, like we do, each citizen was expected to vote for every law. They did have officials to run the government
The four most common systems of Ancient Greek Government were: Democracy - rule by the citizens of a city. Monarchy - rule by an individual who had inherited power. Oligarchy - rule by a select group of powerful or wealthy individuals. Tyranny - rule by an individual who had seized power by force.
The economy of ancient Greece was defined largely by the region's dependence on imported goods. As a result of the poor quality of Greece's soil, agricultural trade was of particular importance.
Ancient Greeks is their invention of the form of government we hold most dear: Democracy. Ancient Greece's various cities and their forms of government, and the birth of government by the people, are presented in simple.
https://www.historyforkids.net/ancient-greek-culture.html
\ce

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
History for kids - Free history network for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ancient Greek Culture

Ancient Greek culture was marked by intellectual thought, artistic expression, and democratic governance. Renowned for advancements in philosophy, science, and drama, they forged principles that shaped Western civilization. Their mythical pantheon and iconic architectural styles, like the Parthenon, remain influential to this day.

Ancient Greek Culture Facts

Greeks invented democracy, first used in Athens.

The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece.

Greek theatre introduced tragedy and comedy.

Greeks believed in a pantheon of gods.

Philosophy was born in ancient Greece.

The Parthenon is a symbol of ancient Greece.

Greeks introduced the concept of citizenship.

Ancient Greek Philosophy

Ancient Greek philosophy, embodied by thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, was a cornerstone of their culture. They investigated ethics, reality, and knowledge, shaping future disciplines like moral philosophy, metaphysics, and epistemology.

This tradition cultivated critical thinking and a culture of inquiry, influencing areas from science to politics to art. Such intellectual rigor fueled the advancements of the Classical Age, making Greece a beacon of civilization.

Greek Mythology

Greek mythology deeply influenced ancient Greek culture. It consisted of stories about gods, heroes, and creatures that taught moral lessons and explained nature. These myths shaped religion, inspired epic poems like the Iliad and Odyssey, and drove artistic and architectural creativity. Today, they stand as lasting symbols of the ancient Greeks' beliefs and imagination.

Classical Athens

Classical Athens, flourishing in the 5th and 4th centuries BC, was the cradle of ancient Greek culture. It pioneered democracy and nurtured ideas on philosophy and arts. Figures like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle emerged here, shaping intellectual history. Landmarks like the Parthenon symbolize its cultural significance. Essentially, Athens represents the zenith of Greek civilization.

Greek Tragedy and Comedy

Greek tragedy and comedy were vital in ancient Greek culture. Emerging in 5th century BC Athens, these drama forms were public spaces for debate. Tragedies explored fate and morality, while comedies satirized society and politics. Works by Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes continue to influence literature and theatre today.

Parthenon

The Parthenon is a key symbol of ancient Greek culture, showcasing their architectural skills and faith. Constructed in the 5th century BC, this temple honored Athena and exemplified the Doric style. It functioned as a worship place and a treasury, reflecting religion's role in state affairs. The Parthenon's enduring legacy highlights Greece's influence on world history and architecture.

Socratic Method

The Socratic method, named after the philosopher Socrates, greatly influenced ancient Greek culture. It used questioning to stimulate critical thinking and uncover belief contradictions, fostering a culture of learning. This approach democratized knowledge, promoting the idea that anyone could attain wisdom through inquiry. The method shaped Greek education and has since influenced Western teaching methods.

Olympic Games (Ancient)

The Olympic Games were pivotal in ancient Greek culture, showcasing physical strength, competition, and honor. Held every four years in Olympia and dedicated to Zeus, these games brought together athletes from different city-states, symbolizing unity.

Winners were hailed as heroes, reflecting the Greek respect for excellence. The modern Olympic Games continue this tradition, emphasizing Greece's lasting cultural impact.

Hellenistic Period

The Hellenistic Period began after Alexander the Great's conquests in the 4th century BC, expanding Greek culture across a vast empire. This era saw the Greek language, art, philosophy, and architecture blend with local cultures, creating a diverse, cosmopolitan society. It marked a period of great advancements in sciences, literature, and arts, showing the adaptable and expansive nature of Greek culture.

Homeric Epics (Iliad, Odyssey)

The Homeric Epics, the Iliad, and the Odyssey are cornerstones of ancient Greek culture, reflecting their heroic ideals and mythology. These 8th-century BC poems told stories of heroism and morality, shaping societal values. They were integral to Greek education and identity. Furthermore, they provide insights into ancient Greek social and political life, underscoring their cultural significance.

Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens is a key symbol of Greek history and ancient Greek culture, representing their architectural prowess. This religious and civic center housed the Parthenon, showcasing the classical Greek aesthetic of balance and beauty. It reflects the Greeks' reverence for their gods and civic duties. Today, the Acropolis symbolizes Greek historical influence and achievement.

Paleolithic Era

The Paleolithic Era predates ancient Greek culture but is crucial for understanding human civilization's early stages. As a time of primitive hunter-gatherer societies, it marked the emergence of our species and laid the groundwork for subsequent cultural and technological progress, including the rise of ancient Greek civilization.

The Paleolithic era was the Golden Age and this was a time when Ancient Greeks worked to increase their culture.

Architecture was important and Greeks realized the importance of building things such as theaters, temples, and stadiums.

Greek Democracy

Greek democracy, especially in Classical Athens, is a cornerstone of ancient Greek culture. It allowed citizens to participate directly in governance, promoting civic responsibility and open debate. This system encouraged intellectual progress through freedom of thought and speech. Despite its shortcomings, Greek democracy laid the foundations for Western political thought, showcasing the influential nature of Greek culture.

Politics

Politics played a central role in ancient Greek culture, emphasizing citizen participation and democratic governance. Greek city-states like Athens and Sparta implemented various political systems, including direct democracy.

Citizens actively engaged in decision-making, legislative assemblies, and public debates. This influence extended to law, education, and social dynamics. The legacy of ancient Greek politics continues to inspire modern democracy.

Politics was a big part of Ancient Greek culture and during the 19 th century, the Greeks saw different monarchies and royal people that were becoming popular.

Politics came and there were many fights that happened.

The military also became powerful and the Greeks were always ready to fight and defend their territory.

Music

The Greeks loved music and they would play music in the festivals and they would use music to tell stories and to tell about the life of others.

Children as young as six years old would learn to start playing music on different instruments.

The instruments would be played as entertainment, for celebrations and festivals, and for the gods.

Food

Food was important and people, especially the wealthy, would have large feasts and would take pride in the food and drinks that they served.

Many of the feasts would include wine that was grown right in the person's yard or farm.

Spices were used in Greece such as onions, fennel, garlic, and other special spices.

Some of the most popular foods include chicken, pork, fish, yogurt, olive oil, octopus, zucchini, grapes, apples, figs, dates, and other fresh ingredients. Other foods that were important to the culture were salads that were made out of cucumbers, onions, olives, green pepper, cheese and olive oil.

Holidays

Some of the most important holidays were Easter, Engagement, Name Day celebrations, Baptisms, Weddings, Carnivals, and Festivals.

Easter is considered one of the most important holidays because it is celebrated, and the people of Ancient Greece would use Easter as a time to eat and be with their family.

Name Day

Name Day celebration is a religious celebration that is considered more important than a person's birthday.

Most people were named after a saint and so when it was a Name Day celebration, the families got together and they honor the person that was born by having good food and drinks.

Engagement

When a man and a woman become engaged, Engagement is a celebration.

It is Greek tradition that women would go into a big city and men would ask the woman's father if he could marry her.

Marriage

Marriage is one of the most important celebrations in Ancient Greece. The celebrations are rituals and they take place in the place where the bride's father will pick the bride and then she will move from his house to her husband's house where she will become the daughter of his mom and dad.

There are many marriage celebrations and rituals that take place during the wedding where there are banquets, songs, music, dancing, and more.

Baptism

People of Ancient Greece believed in getting baptized and some of them would take place a year after a baby was born. The baby would be blessed by a priest and would be put into a towel and celebrated.

Festivals and Carnivals

Cities of Ancient Greece would have their own celebrations, carnivals, and festivals. Some of the festivals would be to worship the gods.

One of the most important festivals of Ancient Greece was the wine festival which is to celebrate Dionysus who is the god of wine.

In the festivals, people would wear costumes and there would be music, dancing, and fun.

Superstitions

The Ancient Greeks have many superstitions. Many of them believe that the gods would curse them or be angry if they did not worship them or pray to them in the temple.

The Greeks believed that there were ghosts and spirits and they would come out and haunt the people if the gods were mad.

Pythagorean Theorem

The Pythagorean Theorem, credited to Pythagoras, showcases ancient Greek culture's significant contributions to mathematics. This theorem states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

It revolutionized mathematics, enabling precise calculations and advancements in various fields. The Pythagorean Theorem reflects the Greeks' dedication to logical reasoning and pursuit of knowledge, leaving a lasting legacy in ancient Greek intellectual achievements.

Fun Facts About Ancient Greek Culture:

What Did You Learn?

Many Ancient Greeks believed that eating beans was wrong because they had the souls of dead people in them.

Gods were part of the stories that the Ancient Greeks told.

Mythological creatures such as Medusa and Cerberus were part of the tales that the Ancient Greeks told.

Some of the Olympic games included boxing, javelin, chariot racing, and wrestling.

Wrestlers had to be the strongest people in the city and had to wrestle with no clothes on.

Most slaves only wore loincloths which were small strips of fabric that were wrapped around their waists.

There were many statues of the gods and goddesses placed all around the city. Many statues were inside the temple.

There is an Ancient Greek legend that the Greeks hid inside a wooden horse and beat the city of Troy.

Some of the theaters that were built were made to hold more than 15,000 people.

Ancient Greeks had festivals that would honor and celebrate the gods such as Zeus.

1. What were some interesting things that the Greeks believed in? The Greeks believed in different superstitions and they believed that the gods took care of them.

2. What were some of the festivals and carnivals for? The festivals and carnivals were for different celebrations and some of them were to celebrate the gods.

3. Was food an important part of Ancient Greek culture? Yes! Food was a very important part of Ancient Greek culture and it was used for celebrations, feasts, and more. There were many different spices and foods that were cooked during Ancient Greek times.

4. What kind of fun did the Ancient Greeks have? The Ancient Greeks loved to listen to music and go to the theater. They also loved to watch sports at the stadium.

5. Were sports a big part of Ancient Greek culture? Yes! Sports were a big part of Ancient Greek culture and the stadiums would be the home for games and even the Olympics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greek Culture - History for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greek culture was marked by intellectual thought, artistic expression, and democratic governance. Renowned for advancements in philosophy, science, and drama, they forged principles that shaped Western civilization. Their mythical pantheon and iconic architectural styles, like the Parthenon, remain influential to this day. Ancient Greek Culture Facts Greeks invented democracy, first used in Athens.

# data[].attributes.body
Entertainment
1. Symposium (drinking party)
2. Athletic Contests (Olympic games to impress gods and goddesses)
3. Plays
4. Clubs
5. Theaters
https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/ancient-greece-sources-of-relaxation-and-entertainment/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Since the ancient Greeks felt that life was much too valuable to be spent working, they had many sources of relaxation and entertainment. So what activities did an ancient Greek indulge in for relaxation? And did the men and women have equal opportunities to socialize and relax?

The men in ancient Greece also participated in athletic contests. Special arenas were created for athletic events, such as the one pictured here.
(Image: Georgios Kritsotakis/Shutterstock)

Ancient Greece saw people leading very relaxed lives. Most of the people were wealthy enough to not have to work for a living. When they were not dealing with a crisis, such as war, famine, illness, or bereavement-and those, of course, were all too frequent-even fairly poor Greeks led more relaxed lives than most do today.

Symposia in Ancient Greece

A symposium was basically a drinking party. It was held in a private home in a semi-formal setting. The wealthy men used to get together to drink for pleasure and engage in physically or intellectually stimulating activities.

Symposia could take a variety of forms, depending on the temperament, age, social class, proclivities, and mood of the guests. A symposium could range from being one where there were highly cultivated discussions to one where the drink overflowed and the guests indulged in sexual intercourse.

However, the awareness and pride of being a citizen weighed heavily on the guests' minds and checked the worst excesses of an unregulated drinking culture. In addition, every symposium began and ended with prayers to the gods, particularly to Dionysus, the giver of wine, and to the Agathos Daimon, the good demon or spirit.

Another important point to note is that the symposium was a vehicle by which culture was transmitted. Politics also featured at the symposium. In fact, many of the songs that the drinkers sang were politically inspired.

This is a transcript from the video series The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World. Watch it now, on Wondrium.

Clubs in Ancient Greece

Another way to relax was by going to a club. Clubs became particularly important in the Hellenistic era, that is to say in the period following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. They usually had a religious dimension-many of them were organized around the cult of a specific deity. These clubs were especially favored by foreigners.

Clubs were particularly numerous in trading centers like the Piraeus (the port of Athens), on the island of Delos, and on the island of Rhodes, largely because they served to facilitate commercial ties between their members.

Many of them functioned, too, as burial societies. Once a person was officially enrolled and so long as he continued paying his dues, he was guaranteed not only a decent burial but also periodic deliveries of food and drink at his tomb.

At the club, one could socialize, do business deals, arrange marriage contracts, gossip, enjoy a good meal, and relax. Clubs also enabled citizens and foreigners, Greeks and non-Greeks, and even slaves and free men to come into contact with one another on a somewhat equal footing.

Athletic Contests in Ancient Greece

Athletic contests were a very important part of Greek culture. The most important athletic contests were attached to the four great Panhellenic (all-Greek) festivals that were held in southern central Greece and the northern Peloponnese.

The four in question were the Olympic Games, held in honor of Zeus at Olympia; the Pythian Games, held in honor of Apollo at Delphi; the Isthmian Games, held in honor of Poseidon at Corinth; and the Nemean Games, also held in honor of Zeus at Nemea.

One of these festivals took place every year, which meant that athletes and spectators always had something to look forward to. The events included the foot race, boxing, wrestling, pankration (a combination of boxing, wrestling, and judo), hoplitodromos (a race in hoplite or heavy armour), pentathlon, horse racing, and chariot racing. The athletes competed naked-or at least that is how they appear on Greek vases-although scholars have sometimes doubted if that was really the case.

At the games, one could also attend musical contests, including flute-playing, lyre-playing, singing, tragedy, comedy, and satyric drama, and competitions in the composition and recitation of epic verse. The games were the high point of the Greek calendar. They took precedence over everything else that was happening in Greece. If a war was in progress, it had to be suspended. On the way to and from the games, one was under the protection of the gods and guaranteed safe-conduct, even when passing through enemy territory.

Learn more about being Greek.

Theater in Ancient Greece

People in ancient Greece loved attending the theater. At first, they could only see productions in Athens and its demes, but by the Hellenistic period, theaters were being established throughout the Greek world. Productions were state-sponsored and, initially, plays were performed only once, although gradually revivals became commonplace.

The most prestigious theater festival was the City Dionysia held in Athens, at which both tragedies and comedies were performed in the theater of Dionysus on the southern slope of the Acropolis. People sat in a section or wedge of the theater that was reserved exclusively for members of a particular tribe. So this was yet another way in which relaxation took on a civic flavor.

Relaxation Opportunities for Women in
Ancient Greece

In ancient Greece, there were many more opportunities for men to relax than there were for women. A well-bred woman used to spend most of her time cooped up in the home. She would never be seen in public unless she was chaperoned. She was not allowed to attend the symposium. She was not permitted to attend the games because Greek athletes participated naked. There is no information available about whether she was even permitted to attend the theater.

The limited ways in which women could relax is one of the clearest indicators of their confined status in the Greek world. There were generally only three activities that a woman could indulge in: she could occasionally host or visit her female friends; she could participate in religious festivals, those that were open to both men and women and those that were exclusive to women (so long as she was accompanied out of the house at all times); and finally, she could enjoy the company of her husband once he returned home, either at lunch or late at night.

To conclude, it is clear that in ancient Greece, relaxation had many of the aspects of work, and conversely, work had many of the aspects of relaxation, since both, to a large degree, were forms of civic expression.

Learn more about women in ancient Greece.

Common Questions about Sources of Relaxation and Entertainment in Ancient Greece

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greece: Sources of Relaxation and Entertainment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greece saw people leading very relaxed lives. Most of the people were wealthy enough to not have to work for a living. When they were not dealing with a crisis, such as war, famine, illness, or bereavement-and those, of course, were all too frequent-even fairly poor Greeks led more relaxed lives than most do today.

# data[].attributes.body
5 Facts About Ares

1. Ares is the Greek God of War, one of the 12 Olympian Gods
2. He's the son of Zeus and Hera, both of them hated him
3. Ares is depicted holding a spear and wearing a helmet
4. He was characterized as a coward, despite being the God of War.
5. He was the father of at least three of Hercules' enemies

Link: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/gods/ares/

# data[].attributes.body
the theater                        https://www.pbs.org
museums and galleries https://www.mapsofworld.com
horseback riding
running
wrestling

https://lisbdnet.com

# data[].attributes.body
Ancient Greeks took entertainment seriously, since it was the only thing they really had back then. One main source was drama. 3 genres of drama they would practice were

1. satyr plays

2. comedy

3. tragedy

# data[].attributes.body
1. Hera was Queen of Olympian gods and is the Goddess of Marriage, Family and Childbirth.
2.Athena is the Olympian goddess of wisdom and war and the adored patroness of the city of Athens
3., Chaos was the primal feature of the universe, a shadowy realm of mass and energy from which much of what is powerful (and mostly negative and dark) in the world would stem forth in later genealogies.
4. Bia was a Titan goddess in Greek mythology
5. Aether was one of the primordial deities in Greek mythology
Source: https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Aether/aether.htmlSource: https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Bia/bia.htmlSource:
https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Chaos/chaos.html

# data[].attributes.body
1. The ancient greeks took their entertainment very seriously.
2. They did have performed dramas.
3. Comedy, satyr, and tragedy were the types they preferred.
4. Comedy started out mocking me for their power.
5. Aristotle said comedy cleansed the heart.
https://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/24c.html#:~:text=The%20Ancient%20Greeks%20took%20their,most%20important%20of%20all%2C%20tragedy.&text=The%20first%20master%20of%20comedy%20was%20the%20playwright%20Aristophanes.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/24c.html#:~:
1) Greek statuette. Two strolling actors with comedy masks in the Louvre, Paris

The Ancient Greeks took their entertainment very seriously and used drama as a way of investigating the world they lived in, and what it meant to be human.The three genres of drama were comedy, satyr plays, and most important of all, tragedy.

2)Comedy: The first comedies were mainly satirical and mocked men in power for their vanity and foolishness. The first master of comedy was the playwright Aristophanes. Much later Menander wrote comedies about ordinary people and made his plays more like sit-coms.

Tragedy: Tragedy dealt with the big themes of love, loss, pride, the abuse of power and the fraught relationships between men and gods. Typically the main protagonist of a tragedy commits some terrible crime without realizing how foolish and arrogant he has been. Then, as he slowly realizes his error, the world crumbles around him. The three great playwrights of tragedy were Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

# data[].attributes.body
In Ancient Greek, women had basically zero rights of any kind, including political. Women were to birth children and run the household. If they didn't birth men, the husband would be very disappointed, as the male population was more popular back then.

# data[].attributes.body
Every town usually had different government policies. The 3 well known policies were
Democracy-ruled by the citizens of the city
Monarchy-ruled by one powered individual
Oligarchy-ruled by selected group w/ power

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z87tn39/articles/zc8yb9q

1.Ancient Greek homes were built around a courtyard or garden. The walls were often made from wood and mud bricks.
2.Most people lived in villages or in the countryside. Many Greeks were poor and life was hard, because farmland, water and timber for building were scarce.
3.Children played with small pottery figures, and dolls made of rags, wood, wax or clay - some of these dolls even had moveable arms and legs.
4.So what was on the menu in ancient Greece? For breakfast, Greeks might eat fruit with bread dipped in wine.
5.Only rich people ate a lot of meat. They would eat hares, deer and wild boar killed by hunters. Octopus was a favourite seafood.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What was it like to live in ancient Greece?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What was it like to live in ancient Greece? Learn about Greek family-life, fashion and food in this BBC Bitesize year 5/6 history guide.

# data[].attributes.body
Ancient Greek culture is noted for its government, art, architecture, philosophy, and sports, all of which became foundations for modern western society.

# data[].attributes.body
Entertainment in Ancient Greek
Charoit riding
Pankration
Discus throw
Jumping
Horse racing
https://lisbdnet.com/what-did-ancient-greeks-do-for-entertainment/#:~:text=The%20Ancient%20Greeks%20took%20their,most%20important%20of%20all%2C%20tragedy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
what did ancient greeks do for entertainment - Lisbdnet.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The ancient Greeks loved listening to music, going to theatrical productions, creating and viewing different types of art, meeting with friends and...

# data[].attributes.body
Greeks had 4 ranks in society
Upper class
The metics (middle class)
The freedmen (lower class)
and
The slave class (lowest class)
https://study.com/academy/lesson/ancient-greece-social-class-system.html#:~:text=Course%20125K%20views-,Greek%20Social%20Classes,a%20foreigner%2C%20or%20a%20slave.&text=Athenian%20society%20was%20ultimately%20divided,freedmen%3B%20and%20the%20slave%20class.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Specialists in luxury holidays. We take pride in offering some of the best hotels in the world and will tailor make your dream holiday at an affordable price.

# data[].attributes.body
Most Greeks are named after a religious saint. A very important tradition is that everyone who has a name coming from a saint celebrated by the church celebrates his name on a given day of the year. On the "name day" of someone, his friends and family visit him without invitation and offer wishes and small presents.

https://www.greeka.com/greece-culture/traditions/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Do you have a question about Greece and the Greek islands? Where to stay? Where to eat? And more?
Do not hesitate to ask the community! Greeka team and its community members will be delighted to help you!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Traditions in Greece & the islands | Greeka

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do you have a question about Greece and the Greek islands? Where to stay? Where to eat? And more? Do not hesitate to ask the community! Greeka team and its community members will be delighted to help you!

# data[].attributes.body
theater:tragedy, comedy and the satyr play.

chariot racing: In ancient Greece, one of the most gripping--and dangerous--athletic events for both horses and men was the chariot race, a sport that dates back at least to 700 BC.

Running: In Ancient Greece, the history of running can be traced back to 776 BC.

Wrestling: Greek wrestling was a grappling combat sport practiced by the Ancient Greeks.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Zeus
2. Hera
3. Poseidon
4. Demeter
5. Athena
6. Apollo
7. Artemis
8. Ares
9. Hephaestus
10. Aphrodite
11. Hermes
12. Hestia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the twelve Olympians are the major deities of the Greek pantheon, commonly considered to be Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus. They were called Olympians because, according to tradition, they resided on Mount Olympus.

Although Hades was a major ancient Greek god and was the brother of the first generation of Olympians (Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia), his realm was the underworld, far from Olympus, and thus was not usually considered to be one of the Olympians.

Besides the twelve Olympians, there were many other cultic groupings of twelve gods.

The Olympians were a race of deities, primarily consisting of a third and fourth generation of immortal beings, worshipped as the principal gods of the Greek pantheon and so named because of their residency atop Mount Olympus. They gained their supremacy in a ten-year-long war of gods, in which Zeus led his siblings to victory over the previous generation of ruling gods, the Titans. They were a family of gods, the most important consisting of the first generation of Olympians, offspring of the Titans Cronus and Rhea: Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter and Hestia, along with the principal offspring of Zeus: Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Dionysus. Although Hades was a major deity in the Greek pantheon, and was the brother of Zeus and the other first generation of Olympians, his realm was far away from Olympus in the underworld, and thus he was not usually considered to be one of the Olympians. Olympic gods can be contrasted to chthonic gods including Hades, by mode of sacrifice, the latter receiving sacrifices in a (βόθρος, "pit") or (μέγαρον, "sunken chamber") rather than at an altar.

The canonical number of Olympian gods was twelve, but besides the (thirteen) principal Olympians listed above, there were many other residents of Olympus, who thus might be considered to be Olympians. Heracles became a resident of Olympus after his apotheosis and married another Olympian resident Hebe. According to Hesiod, the children of Styx: Zelus (Envy), Nike (Victory), Kratos (Strength), and Bia (Force), "have no house apart from Zeus, nor any dwelling nor path except that wherein God leads them, but they dwell always with Zeus." Some others who might be considered Olympians, include the Muses, the Graces, Iris, Dione, Eileithyia, the Horae, and Ganymede.

Besides the twelve Olympians, there were many other various cultic groupings of twelve gods throughout ancient Greece. The earliest evidence of Greek religious practice involving twelve gods ( Greek: δωδεκάθεον, dōdekátheon, from δώδεκα dōdeka, "twelve" and θεοί theoi, "gods") comes no earlier than the late sixth century BC. According to Thucydides, an altar of the twelve gods was established in the agora of Athens by the archon Pisistratus (son of Hippias and the grandson of the tyrant Pisistratus), in c. 522 BC. The altar became the central point from which distances from Athens were measured and a place of supplication and refuge.

Olympia apparently also had an early tradition of twelve gods. The Homeric Hymn to Hermes (c. 500 BC) has the god Hermes divide a sacrifice of two cows he has stolen from Apollo, into twelve parts, on the banks of the river Alpheus (presumably at Olympia):

"Next glad-hearted Hermes dragged the rich meats he had prepared and put them on a smooth, flat stone, and divided them into twelve portions distributed by lot, making each portion wholly honorable."

Pindar, in an ode written to be sung at Olympia c. 480 BC, has Heracles sacrificing, alongside the Alpheus, to the "twelve ruling gods":

"He [Heracles] enclosed the Altis all around and marked it off in the open, and he made the encircling area a resting-place for feasting, honoring the stream of the Alpheus along with the twelve ruling gods."

Another of Pindar's Olympian odes mentions "six double altars." Herodorus of Heraclea (c. 400 BC) also has Heracles founding a shrine at Olympia, with six pairs of gods, each pair sharing a single altar.

Many other places had cults of the twelve gods, including Delos, Chalcedon, Magnesia on the Maeander, and Leontinoi in Sicily. As with the twelve Olympians, although the number of gods was fixed at twelve, the membership varied. While the majority of the gods included as members of these other cults of twelve gods were Olympians, non-Olympians were also sometimes included. For example, Herodorus of Heraclea identified the six pairs of gods at Olympia as: Zeus and Poseidon, Hera and Athena, Hermes and Apollo, the Graces and Dionysus, Artemis and Alpheus, and Cronus and Rhea. Thus, while this list includes the eight Olympians: Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Athena, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, and Dionysus, it also contains three clear non-Olympians: the Titan parents of the first generation of Olympians, Cronus and Rhea, and the river god Alpheus, with the status of the Graces (here apparently counted as one god) being unclear.

Plato connected "twelve gods" with the twelve months, and implies that he considered Pluto one of the twelve in proposing that the final month be devoted to him and the spirits of the dead.

The Roman poet Ennius gives the Roman equivalents (the Dii Consentes) as six male-female complements, preserving the place of Vesta (Greek Hestia), who played a crucial role in Roman religion as a state goddess maintained by the Vestals.

There is no single canonical list of the twelve Olympian gods. The thirteen gods and goddesses most commonly considered to be one of the twelve Olympians are listed below.

Greek

Roman

Image

Functions and attributes

Zeus Jupiter
King of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus; god of the sky, lightning, thunder, law, order and justice.
The youngest child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. Brother and husband of Hera and brother of Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and Hestia. He had many affairs with goddesses and mortals, such as his sister Demeter, the Titan Leto, mortals Leda and Alcmene, and more.[25]

His symbols include the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree, bull, scepter, and scales.

Hera Juno
Queen of the gods and the goddess of marriage, women, childbirth and family.
The youngest daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Sister and wife of Zeus. Being the goddess of marriage, she frequently tried to get revenge on Zeus' lovers and their children.
Her symbols include the peacock, cuckoo, and cow.

Poseidon Neptune
God of the seas, water, storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and horses.
The middle son of Cronus and Rhea. Brother of Zeus and Hades. Married to the Nereid Amphitrite; although, as with many of the male Greek gods, he had many lovers.
His symbols include the horse, bull, dolphin, and trident.

Demeter Ceres
Goddess of the harvest, fertility, agriculture, nature and the seasons. She presided over grains and the fertility of the earth.
The middle daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Also the lover of Zeus and Poseidon, and the mother of Persephone, Despoine, Arion.
Her symbols include the poppy, wheat, torch, cornucopia, and pig.

Athena Minerva
Goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare.[26]
The daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Metis, she rose from her father's head fully grown and in full battle armor.
Her symbols include the owl and the olive tree.

Apollo /
Apollon
Apollo
God of light, the Sun, prophecy, philosophy, archery, truth, inspiration, poetry, music, arts, manly beauty, medicine, healing, and plague.
The son of Zeus and Leto, and the twin brother of Artemis.
His symbols include the Sun, bow and arrow, lyre, swan, and mouse.

Artemis Diana
Goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, virginity, the Moon, archery, childbirth, protection and plague.
The daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo.
Her symbols include the Moon, horse, deer, hound, she-bear, snake, cypress tree, and bow and arrow.

Ares Mars
God of war, violence, bloodshed and manly virtues.
The son of Zeus and Hera, all the other gods despised him except Aphrodite. His Latin name, Mars, gave us the word " martial."
His symbols include the boar, serpent, dog, vulture, spear, and shield.

Aphrodite Venus
Goddess of love, pleasure, passion, procreation, fertility, beauty and desire.
The daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Dione, or perhaps born from the sea foam after Uranus' blood dripped into the sea after being castrated by his youngest son, Cronus, who then threw his father's genitals into the sea. Married to Hephaestus, although she had many adulterous affairs, most notably with Ares. Her name gave us the word " aphrodisiac", while her Latin name, Venus, gave us the word " venereal".
Her symbols include the dove, bird, apple, bee, swan, myrtle, and rose.

Hephaestus Vulcan
Master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of the forge, craftsmanship, invention, fire and volcanoes.
The son of Hera, either by Zeus or through parthenogenesis. Married to Aphrodite. His Latin name, Vulcan, gave us the word " volcano."
His symbols include fire, anvil, axe, donkey, hammer, tongs, and quail.

Hermes Mercury
Messenger of the gods; god of travel, commerce, communication, borders, eloquence, diplomacy, thieves, and games. He was also the guide of dead souls.
The son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. The second-youngest Olympian, just older than Dionysus.
His symbols include the caduceus (staff entwined with two snakes), winged sandals and cap, stork, and tortoise (whose shell he used to invent the lyre).

Most lists of the "twelve Olympians" consist of the above eleven plus either Hestia or Dionysus

Hestia Vesta
Goddess of the hearth, fire and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family; she was born into the first Olympian generation and was one of the original twelve Olympians.
She is the first child of Cronus and Rhea, the elder sister of Hades, Demeter, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus.

Some lists of the Twelve Olympians omit her in favor of Dionysus, but the speculation that she gave her throne to him in order to keep the peace seems to be modern invention.

Dionysus /
Bacchus
Bacchus
God of wine, the grape vine, fertility, festivity, ecstasy, madness and resurrection. Patron god of the art of theatre.
The son of Zeus and the mortal Theban princess Semele. Married to the Cretan princess Ariadne. The youngest Olympian god, as well as the only one to have a mortal mother.
His symbols include the grapevine, ivy, cup, tiger, panther, leopard, dolphin, goat, and pinecone.

Burkert, Walter, Greek Religion, Harvard University Press, 1985. ISBN 0-674-36281-0.

Gadbery, Laura M., "The Sanctuary of the Twelve Gods in the Athenian Agora: A Revised View", Hesperia 61 (1992), pp. 447-489.

Gantz, Timothy, Early Greek Myth: A Guide to Literary and Artistic Sources, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, Two volumes: ISBN 978-0-8018-5360-9 (Vol. 1), ISBN 978-0-8018-5362-3 (Vol. 2).

Hansen, William, William F. Hansen, Classical Mythology: A Guide to the Mythical World of the Greeks and Romans, Oxford University Press, 2005. ISBN 9780195300352.

Hard, Robin, The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology: Based on H.J. Rose's "Handbook of Greek Mythology", Psychology Press, 2004, ISBN 9780415186360. Google Books.

Herodotus; Histories, A. D. Godley (translator), Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1920; ISBN 0674991338. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.

Hesiod, , in The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, Massachusetts., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.

Homer, The Iliad with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, Massachusetts., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.

Homer; The Odyssey with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, PH.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, Massachusetts., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1919. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.

Homeric Hymn to Hermes (4), in The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, Massachusetts., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.

Long, Charlotte R., The Twelve Gods of Greece and Rome, Brill Archive, Jan 1, 1987. Google Books

Müller, Karl Otfried, Ancient Art and Its Remains: Or, A Manual of the Archaeology of Art, translated by John Leitch, B. Quaritch, 1852.

Pindar, Odes, Diane Arnson Svarlien. 1990.

Plato, in Plato in Twelve Volumes, Vols. 10 & 11 translated by R.G. Bury. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1967 & 1968. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library

Rutherford, Ian, "Canonizing the Pantheon: the Dodekatheon in Greek Religion and its Origins" in The Gods of Ancient Greece: Identities and Transformations, editors Jan N. Bremmer, Andrew Erskine, Edinburgh University Press 2010. ISBN 978-0748637980. Online version

Thomas, Edmund, "From the pantheon of the gods to the Pantheon of Rome" in Pantheons: Transformations of a Monumental Idea, editors Richard Wrigley, Matthew Craske, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2004. ISBN 9780754608080.

Thucydides, Thucydides translated into English; with introduction, marginal analysis, notes, and indices. Volume 1., Benjamin Jowett. translator. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1881. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the twelve Olympians are the major deities of the Greek pantheon, commonly considered to be Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus. They were called Olympians because, according to tradition, they resided on Mount Olympus.

# data[].attributes.body
The Greeks were polytheistic, meaning they believed in multiple Gods. There was a hierarchy of deities, with Zeus, the king of the gods, having a level of control over all the others, although he was not almighty.

About Religion in Ancient Greece - Greek Boston

https://www.greekboston.com

# data[].attributes.body
1. Roughly three centuries after the Late Bronze Age collapse of Mycenaean Greece, Greek urban poleis began to form in the 8th century BC, ushering in the Archaic period and colonization of the Mediterranean Basin.
2. In Western history, the era of classical antiquity was immediately followed by the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine
3. Classical Greek culture, especially philosophy, had a powerful influence on ancient Rome, which carried a version of it throughout the Mediterranean and much of Europe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Parthenon, a temple dedicated to Athena, located on the Acropolis in Athens, is one of the most representative symbols of the culture and sophistication of the ancient Greeks

Ancient Greece ( Greek: Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th-9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( c. 600 AD), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically related city-states and other territories. Most of these regions were officially unified only once, for 13 years, under Alexander the Great's empire from 336 to 323 BC. In Western history, the era of classical antiquity was immediately followed by the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine period.

Three centuries after the Late Bronze Age collapse of Mycenaean Greece, Greek urban poleis began to form in the 8th century BC, ushering in the Archaic period and the colonization of the Mediterranean Basin. This was followed by the age of Classical Greece, from the Greco-Persian Wars to the 5th to 4th centuries BC, and which included the Golden Age of Athens. The conquests of Alexander the Great spread Hellenistic civilization from the western Mediterranean to Central Asia. The Hellenistic period ended with the conquest of the eastern Mediterranean world by the Roman Republic, and the annexation of the Roman province of Macedonia in Roman Greece, and later the province of Achaea during the Roman Empire.

Classical Greek culture, especially philosophy, had a powerful influence on ancient Rome, which carried a version of it throughout the Mediterranean and much of Europe. For this reason, Classical Greece is generally considered the cradle of Western civilization, the seminal culture from which the modern West derives many of its founding archetypes and ideas in politics, philosophy, science, and art.

Chronology

Classical antiquity in the Mediterranean region is commonly considered to have begun in the 8th century BC (around the time of the earliest recorded poetry of Homer) and ended in the 6th century AD.

Classical antiquity in Greece was preceded by the Greek Dark Ages ( c. 1200 - c. 800 BC), archaeologically characterised by the protogeometric and geometric styles of designs on pottery. Following the Dark Ages was the Archaic Period, beginning around the 8th century BC, which saw early developments in Greek culture and society leading to the Classical Period from the Persian invasion of Greece in 480 BC until the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. The Classical Period is characterized by a "classical" style, i.e. one which was considered exemplary by later observers, most famously in the Parthenon of Athens. Politically, the Classical Period was dominated by Athens and the Delian League during the 5th century, but displaced by Spartan hegemony during the early 4th century BC, before power shifted to Thebes and the Boeotian League and finally to the League of Corinth led by Macedon. This period was shaped by the Greco-Persian Wars, the Peloponnesian War, and the Rise of Macedon.

Following the Classical period was the Hellenistic period (323-146 BC), during which Greek culture and power expanded into the Near and Middle East from the death of Alexander until the Roman conquest. Roman Greece is usually counted from the Roman victory over the Corinthians at the Battle of Corinth in 146 BC to the establishment of Byzantium by Constantine as the capital of the Roman Empire in 330 AD. Finally, Late Antiquity refers to the period of Christianization during the later 4th to early 6th centuries AD, consummated by the closure of the Academy of Athens by Justinian I in 529.

Historiography

The Victorious Youth (c. 310 BC) is a rare, water-preserved bronze sculpture from ancient Greece.

The historical period of ancient Greece is unique in world history as the first period attested directly in comprehensive, narrative historiography, while earlier ancient history or protohistory is known from much more fragmentary documents such as annals, king lists, and pragmatic epigraphy.

Herodotus is widely known as the "father of history": his are eponymous of the entire field. Written between the 450s and 420s BC, Herodotus' work reaches about a century into the past, discussing 6th century BC historical figures such as Darius I of Persia, Cambyses II and Psamtik III, and alluding to some 8th century BC persons such as Candaules. The accuracy of Herodotus' works is debated.

Herodotus was succeeded by authors such as Thucydides, Xenophon, Demosthenes, Plato and Aristotle. Most were either Athenian or pro-Athenian, which is why far more is known about the history and politics of Athens than of many other cities. Their scope is further limited by a focus on political, military and diplomatic history, ignoring economic and social history.

Archaic period

Dipylon Vase of the late Geometric period, or the beginning of the Archaic period, c. 750 BC

In the 8th century BC, Greece began to emerge from the Dark Ages, which followed the collapse of the Mycenaean civilization. Literacy had been lost and the Mycenaean script forgotten, but the Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet, modifying it to create the Greek alphabet. Objects inscribed with Phoenician writing may have been available in Greece from the 9th century BC, but the earliest evidence of Greek writing comes from graffiti on Greek pottery from the mid-8th century. Greece was divided into many small self-governing communities, a pattern largely dictated by its geography: every island, valley and plain is cut off from its neighbors by the sea or mountain ranges.

The Lelantine War ( c. 710 - c. 650 BC) is the earliest documented war of the ancient Greek period. It was fought between the important ( city-states) of Chalcis and Eretria over the fertile Lelantine plain of Euboea. Both cities seem to have declined as a result of the long war, though Chalcis was the nominal victor.

A mercantile class arose in the first half of the 7th century BC, shown by the introduction of coinage in about 680 BC.[where? ]This seems to have introduced tension to many city-states, as their aristocratic regimes were threatened by the new wealth of merchants ambitious for political power. From 650 BC onwards, the aristocracies had to fight to maintain themselves against populist tyrants. A growing population and a shortage of land also seem to have created internal strife between rich and poor in many city-states.

In Sparta, the Messenian Wars resulted in the conquest of Messenia and enserfment of the Messenians, beginning in the latter half of the 8th century BC. This was an unprecedented act in ancient Greece, which led to a social revolution in which the subjugated population of helots farmed and labored for Sparta, whilst every Spartan male citizen became a soldier of the Spartan army permanently in arms. Rich and poor citizens alike were obliged to live and train as soldiers, an equality that defused social conflict. These reforms, attributed to Lycurgus of Sparta, were probably complete by 650 BC.

Athens suffered a land and agrarian crisis in the late 7th century BC, again resulting in civil strife. The Archon (chief magistrate) Draco made severe reforms to the law code in 621 BC (hence " draconian"), but these failed to quell the conflict. Eventually, the moderate reforms of Solon (594 BC), improving the lot of the poor but firmly entrenching the aristocracy in power, gave Athens some stability.

By the 6th century BC, several cities had emerged as dominant in Greek affairs: Athens, Sparta, Corinth, and Thebes. Each of them had brought the surrounding rural areas and smaller towns under their control, and Athens and Corinth had become major maritime and mercantile powers as well.

Colonisation of the Mediterranean by the 6th century BC: Phoenician settlements in red, Greek areas in blue, and other territories as marked

Rapidly increasing population in the 8th and 7th centuries BC had resulted in the emigration of many Greeks to form colonies in Magna Graecia ( Southern Italy and Sicily), Asia Minor and further afield. The emigration effectively ceased in the 6th century BC by which time the Greek world had, culturally and linguistically, become much larger than the area of present-day Greece. Greek colonies were not politically controlled by their founding cities, although they often retained religious and commercial links with them.

The Greek colonies of Sicily, especially Syracuse, were soon drawn into prolonged conflicts with the Carthaginians. These conflicts lasted from 600 BC to 265 BC, when the Roman Republic allied with the Mamertines to fend off the new tyrant of Syracuse, Hiero II, and then the Carthaginians. As a result, Rome became the new dominant power against the fading strength of the Sicilian Greek cities and the fading Carthaginian hegemony. One year later, the First Punic War erupted.

In this period, Greece and its overseas colonies enjoyed huge economic development in commerce and manufacturing, with rising general prosperity. Some studies estimate that the average Greek household grew fivefold between 800 and 300 BC, indicating a large increase in average income.[citation needed ]

In the second half of the 6th century BC, Athens fell under the tyranny of Pisistratus followed by his sons Hippias and Hipparchus. However, in 510 BC, at the instigation of the Athenian aristocrat Cleisthenes, the Spartan king Cleomenes I helped the Athenians overthrow the tyranny, possibly attracted by silver deposits at Laurion. Sparta and Athens promptly turned on each other, at which point Cleomenes I installed Isagoras as a pro-Spartan archon. Eager to secure Athens' independence from Spartan control, Cleisthenes proposed a political revolution: that all citizens share power, regardless of status, making Athens a " democracy". The democratic enthusiasm of the Athenians swept out Isagoras and threw back the Spartan-led invasion to restore him. The advent of democracy cured many of the social ills of Athens and ushered in the Golden Age.

Classical Greece

In 499 BC, the Ionian city states under Persian rule rebelled against their Persian-supported tyrant rulers. Supported by troops sent from Athens and Eretria, they advanced as far as Sardis and burnt the city before being driven back by a Persian counterattack. The revolt continued until 494, when the rebelling Ionians were defeated. Darius did not forget that Athens had assisted the Ionian revolt, and in 490 he assembled an armada to retaliate. Though heavily outnumbered, the Athenians-supported by their Plataean allies-defeated the Persian hordes at the Battle of Marathon, and the Persian fleet turned tail.

Map showing events of the first phases of the Greco-Persian Wars

Delian League ("Athenian Empire"), immediately before the Peloponnesian War in 431 BC

Ten years later, a second invasion was launched by Darius' son Xerxes. The city-states of northern and central Greece submitted to the Persian forces without resistance, but a coalition of 31 Greek city states, including Athens and Sparta, determined to resist the Persian invaders. At the same time, Greek Sicily was invaded by a Carthaginian force. In 480 BC, the first major battle of the invasion was fought at Thermopylae, where a small rearguard of Greeks, led by three hundred Spartans, held a crucial pass guarding the heart of Greece for several days; at the same time Gelon, tyrant of Syracuse, defeated the Carthaginian invasion at the Battle of Himera.

The Persians were decisively defeated at sea by a primarily Athenian naval force at the Battle of Salamis, and on land in 479 BC at the Battle of Plataea. The alliance against Persia continued, initially led by the Spartan Pausanias but from 477 by Athens, and by 460 Persia had been driven out of the Aegean. During this long campaign, the Delian League gradually transformed from a defensive alliance of Greek states into an Athenian empire, as Athens' growing naval power intimidated the other league states. Athens ended its campaigns against Persia in 450, after a disastrous defeat in Egypt in 454, and the death of Cimon in action against the Persians on Cyprus in 450.

As the Athenian fight against the Persian empire waned, conflict grew between Athens and Sparta. Suspicious of the increasing Athenian power funded by the Delian League, Sparta offered aid to reluctant members of the League to rebel against Athenian domination. These tensions were exacerbated in 462 BC when Athens sent a force to aid Sparta in overcoming a helot revolt, but this aid was rejected by the Spartans. In the 450s, Athens took control of Boeotia, and won victories over Aegina and Corinth. However, Athens failed to win a decisive victory, and in 447 lost Boeotia again. Athens and Sparta signed the Thirty Years' Peace in the winter of 446/5, ending the conflict.

Despite the treaty, Athenian relations with Sparta declined again in the 430s, and in 431 BC the Peloponnesian War began. The first phase of the war saw a series of fruitless annual invasions of Attica by Sparta, while Athens successfully fought the Corinthian empire in northwest Greece and defended its own empire, despite a plague which killed the leading Athenian statesman Pericles. The war turned after Athenian victories led by Cleon at Pylos and Sphakteria, and Sparta sued for peace, but the Athenians rejected the proposal. The Athenian failure to regain control of Boeotia at Delium and Brasidas' successes in northern Greece in 424 improved Sparta's position after Sphakteria. After the deaths of Cleon and Brasidas, the strongest proponents of war on each side, a peace treaty was negoitiated in 421 by the Athenian general Nicias.

The peace did not last, however. In 418 BC allied forces of Athens and Argos were defeated by Sparta at Mantinea. In 415 Athens launched an ambitious naval expedition to dominate Sicily; the expedition ended in disaster at the harbor of Syracuse, with almost the entire army killed, and the ships destroyed. Soon after the Athenian defeat in Syracuse, Athens' Ionian allies began to rebel against the Delian league, while Persia began to once again involve itself in Greek affairs on the Spartan side. Initially the Athenian position continued relatively strong, with important victories at Cyzicus in 410 and Arginusae in 406. However, in 405 the Spartan Lysander defeated Athens in the Battle of Aegospotami, and began to blockade Athens' harbour; driven by hunger, Athens sued for peace, agreeing to surrender their fleet and join the Spartan-led Peloponnesian League. Following the Athenian surrender, Sparta installed an oligarchic regime, the Thirty Tyrants, in Athens, one of a number of Spartan-backed oligarchies which rose to power after the Peloponnesian war. Spartan predominance did not last: after only a year, the Thirty had been overthrown.

The first half of the fourth century saw the major Greek states attempt to dominate the mainland; none were successful, and their resulting weakness led to a power vacuum which would eventually be filled by Macedon under Philip II and then Alexander the Great. In the immediate aftermath of the Peloponnesian war, Sparta attempted to extend their own power, leading Argos, Athens, Corinth, and Thebes to join against them. Aiming to prevent any single Greek state gaining the dominance that would allow it to challenge Persia, the Persian king initially joined the alliance against Sparta, before imposing the Peace of Antalcidas ("King's Peace") which restored Persia's control over the Anatolian Greeks.

By 371 BC, Thebes was in the ascendancy, defeating Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra, killing the Spartan king Cleombrotus I, and invading Laconia. Further Theban successes against Sparta in 369 led to Messenia gaining independence; Sparta never recovered from the loss of Messenia's fertile land and the helot workforce it provided. The rising power of Thebes led Sparta and Athens to join forces; in 362 they were defeated by Thebes at the Battle of Mantinea. In the aftermath of Mantinea, none of the major Greek states were able to dominate. Though Thebes had won the battle, their general Epaminondas was killed, and they spent the following decades embroiled in wars with their neighbours; Athens, meanwhile, saw its second naval alliance, formed in 377, collapse in the mid-350s.

The power vacuum in Greece after the Battle of Mantinea was filled by Macedon, under Philip II. In 338 BC, he defeated a Greek alliance at the Battle of Chaeronea, and subsequently formed the League of Corinth. Philip planned to lead the League to invade Persia, but was murdered in 336 BC. His son Alexander the Great was left to fulfil his father's ambitions. After campaigns against Macedon's western and northern enemies, and those Greek states that had broken from the League of Corinth following the death of Philip, Alexander began his campaign against Persia in 334 BC. He conquered Persia, defeating Darius III at the Battle of Issus in 333 BC, and after the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC proclaimed himself king of Asia. From 329 BC he led expeditions to Bactria and then India; further plans to invade Arabia and North Africa were halted by his death in 323 BC.

Hellenistic Greece

Alexander Mosaic, National Archaeological Museum, Naples

The period from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 until the death of Cleopatra, the last Macedonian ruler of Egypt, is known as the Hellenistic period. In the early part of this period, a new form of kingship developed based on Macedonian and Near Eastern traditions. The first Hellenistic kings were previously Alexander's generals, and took power in the period following his death, though they were not part of existing royal lineages and lacked historic claims to the territories they controlled. The most important of these rulers in the decades after Alexander's death were Antigonus I and his son Demetrius in Macedonia and Greece, Ptolemy in Eygpt, and Seleucus I in Syria and the former Persian empire; smaller Hellenistic kingdoms included the Attalids in Anatolia and the Greco-Bactrian kingdom.

The major Hellenistic realms included the Diadochi kingdoms: Also shown on the map: The orange areas were often in dispute after 281 BC. The Attalid dynasty occupied some of this area. Not shown: Indo-Greek Kingdom.

In the early part of the Hellenistic period, the exact borders of the Hellenistic kingdoms were not settled. Antigonus attempted to expand his territory by attacking the other successor kingdoms until they joined against him, and he was killed at the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC. His son Demetrius spent many years in Seleucid captivity, and his son, Antigonus II, only reclaimed the Macedonian throne around 276. Meanwhile, the Seleucid kingdom gave up territory in the east to the Indian king Chandragupta Maurya in exchange for war elephants, and later lost large parts of Persia to the Parthian Empire. By the mid-third century, the kingdoms of Alexander's successors was mostly stable, though there continued to be disputes over border areas.

During the Hellenistic period, the importance of "Greece proper" (the territory of modern Greece) within the Greek-speaking world declined sharply. The great capitals of Hellenistic culture were Alexandria in the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Antioch in the Seleucid Empire.

The conquests of Alexander had numerous consequences for the Greek city-states. It greatly widened the horizons of the Greeks and led to a steady emigration of the young and ambitious to the new Greek empires in the east. Many Greeks migrated to Alexandria, Antioch and the many other new Hellenistic cities founded in Alexander's wake, as far away as present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom and the Indo-Greek Kingdom survived until the end of the first century BC.

The city-states within Greece formed themselves into two leagues; the Achaean League (including Thebes, Corinth and Argos) and the Aetolian League (including Sparta and Athens). For much of the period until the Roman conquest, these leagues were at war, often participating in the conflicts between the Diadochi (the successor states to Alexander's empire).

The Antigonid Kingdom became involved in a war with the Roman Republic in the late 3rd century. Although the First Macedonian War was inconclusive, the Romans, in typical fashion, continued to fight Macedon until it was completely absorbed into the Roman Republic (by 149 BC). In the east, the unwieldy Seleucid Empire gradually disintegrated, although a rump survived until 64 BC, whilst the Ptolemaic Kingdom continued in Egypt until 30 BC when it too was conquered by the Romans. The Aetolian league grew wary of Roman involvement in Greece, and sided with the Seleucids in the Roman-Seleucid War; when the Romans were victorious, the league was effectively absorbed into the Republic. Although the Achaean league outlasted both the Aetolian league and Macedon, it was also soon defeated and absorbed by the Romans in 146 BC, bringing Greek independence to an end.

Roman Greece

The Greek peninsula came under Roman rule during the 146 BC conquest of Greece after the Battle of Corinth. Macedonia became a Roman province while southern Greece came under the surveillance of Macedonia's prefect; however, some Greek poleis managed to maintain a partial independence and avoid taxation. The Aegean Islands were added to this territory in 133 BC. Athens and other Greek cities revolted in 88 BC, and the peninsula was crushed by the Roman general Sulla. The Roman civil wars devastated the land even further, until Augustus organized the peninsula as the province of Achaea in 27 BC.

Greece was a key eastern province of the Roman Empire, as the Roman culture had long been in fact Greco-Roman. The Greek language served as a lingua franca in the East and in Italy, and many Greek intellectuals such as Galen would perform most of their work in Rome.

Map showing the major regions of mainland ancient Greece and adjacent "barbarian" lands

The territory of Greece is mountainous, and as a result, ancient Greece consisted of many smaller regions, each with its own dialect, cultural peculiarities, and identity. Regionalism and regional conflicts were prominent features of ancient Greece. Cities tended to be located in valleys between mountains, or on coastal plains, and dominated a certain area around them.

In the south lay the Peloponnese, consisting of the regions of Laconia (southeast), Messenia (southwest), Elis (west), Achaia (north), Korinthia (northeast), Argolis (east), and Arcadia (center). These names survive to the present day as regional units of modern Greece, though with somewhat different boundaries. Mainland Greece to the north, nowadays known as Central Greece, consisted of Aetolia and Acarnania in the west, Locris, Doris, and Phocis in the center, while in the east lay Boeotia, Attica, and Megaris. Northeast lay Thessaly, while Epirus lay to the northwest. Epirus stretched from the Ambracian Gulf in the south to the Ceraunian Mountains and the Aoos river in the north, and consisted of Chaonia (north), Molossia (center), and Thesprotia (south). In the northeast corner was Macedonia, originally consisting Lower Macedonia and its regions, such as Elimeia, Pieria, and Orestis. Around the time of Alexander I of Macedon, the Argead kings of Macedon started to expand into Upper Macedonia, lands inhabited by independent Macedonian tribes like the Lyncestae, Orestae and the Elimiotae and to the west, beyond the Axius river, into Eordaia, Bottiaea, Mygdonia, and Almopia, regions settled by Thracian tribes. To the north of Macedonia lay various non-Greek peoples such as the Paeonians due north, the Thracians to the northeast, and the Illyrians, with whom the Macedonians were frequently in conflict, to the northwest. Chalcidice was settled early on by southern Greek colonists and was considered part of the Greek world, while from the late 2nd millennium BC substantial Greek settlement also occurred on the eastern shores of the Aegean, in Anatolia.

Colonization

Ancient Greek colonies in the archaic period

The Temple of Concordia, Valle dei Templi, Magna Graecia, in present-day Italy

During the Archaic period, the Greek population grew beyond the capacity of the limited arable land of Greece proper, resulting in the large-scale establishment of colonies elsewhere: according to one estimate, the population of the widening area of Greek settlement increased roughly tenfold from 800 BC to 400 BC, from 800,000 to as many as -10 million. This was not simply for trade, but also to found settlements. These Greek colonies were not, as Roman colonies were, dependent on their mother-city, but were independent city-states in their own right.

Greeks settled outside of Greece in two distinct ways. The first was in permanent settlements founded by Greeks, which formed as independent poleis. The second form was in what historians refer to as ; trading posts which were occupied by both Greeks and non-Greeks and which were primarily concerned with the manufacture and sale of goods. Examples of this latter type of settlement are found at Al Mina in the east and Pithekoussai in the west. From about 750 BC the Greeks began 250 years of expansion, settling colonies in all directions. To the east, the Aegean coast of Asia Minor was colonized first, followed by Cyprus and the coasts of Thrace, the Sea of Marmara and south coast of the Black Sea.

Eventually, Greek colonization reached as far northeast as present-day Ukraine and Russia ( Taganrog). To the west the coasts of Illyria, Southern Italy (the so-called " Magna Graecia") were settled, followed by Southern France, Corsica, and even eastern Spain. Greek colonies were also founded in Egypt and Libya. Modern Syracuse, Naples, Marseille and Istanbul had their beginnings as the Greek colonies Syracusae (Συράκουσαι), Neapolis (Νεάπολις), Massalia (Μασσαλία) and Byzantion (Βυζάντιον). These colonies played an important role in the spread of Greek influence throughout Europe and also aided in the establishment of long-distance trading networks between the Greek city-states, boosting the economy of ancient Greece.

Politics and society

Political structure

Marble bust of Pericles with a Corinthian helmet, Roman copy of a Greek original, Museo Chiaramonti, Vatican Museums; Pericles was a key populist political figure in the development of the radical Athenian democracy.[68]

Ancient Greece consisted of several hundred relatively independent city-states (). This was a situation unlike that in most other contemporary societies, which were either tribal or kingdoms ruling over relatively large territories. Undoubtedly, the geography of Greece-divided and sub-divided by hills, mountains, and rivers-contributed to the fragmentary nature of ancient Greece. On the one hand, the ancient Greeks had no doubt that they were "one people"; they had the same religion, same basic culture, and same language. Furthermore, the Greeks were very aware of their tribal origins; Herodotus was able to extensively categorise the city-states by tribe. Yet, although these higher-level relationships existed, they seem to have rarely had a major role in Greek politics. The independence of the poleis was fiercely defended; unification was something rarely contemplated by the ancient Greeks. Even when, during the second Persian invasion of Greece, a group of city-states allied themselves to defend Greece, the vast majority of poleis remained neutral, and after the Persian defeat, the allies quickly returned to infighting.

Thus, the major peculiarities of the ancient Greek political system were its fragmentary nature (and that this does not particularly seem to have tribal origin), and the particular focus on urban centers within otherwise tiny states. The peculiarities of the Greek system are further evidenced by the colonies that they set up throughout the Mediterranean, which, though they might count a certain Greek polis as their 'mother' (and remain sympathetic to her), were completely independent of the founding city.

Inevitably smaller poleis might be dominated by larger neighbors, but conquest or direct rule by another city-state appears to have been quite rare. Instead the poleis grouped themselves into leagues, membership of which was in a constant state of flux. Later in the Classical period, the leagues would become fewer and larger, be dominated by one city (particularly Athens, Sparta and Thebes); and often poleis would be compelled to join under threat of war (or as part of a peace treaty). Even after Philip II of Macedon "conquered" the heartlands of ancient Greece, he did not attempt to annex the territory or unify it into a new province, but compelled most of the poleis to join his own Corinthian League.

Government and law

Initially many Greek city-states seem to have been petty kingdoms; there was often a city official carrying some residual, ceremonial functions of the king (), e.g., the archon basileus in Athens. However, by the Archaic period and the first historical consciousness, most had already become aristocratic oligarchies. It is unclear exactly how this change occurred. For instance, in Athens, the kingship had been reduced to a hereditary, lifelong chief magistracy () by c. 1050 BC; by 753 BC this had become a decennial, elected archonship; and finally by 683 BC an annually elected archonship. Through each stage, more power would have been transferred to the aristocracy as a whole, and away from a single individual.

Inevitably, the domination of politics and concomitant aggregation of wealth by small groups of families was apt to cause social unrest in many poleis. In many cities a tyrant (not in the modern sense of repressive autocracies), would at some point seize control and govern according to their own will; often a populist agenda would help sustain them in power. In a system wracked with class conflict, government by a 'strongman' was often the best solution.

Athens fell under a tyranny in the second half of the 6th century BC. When this tyranny was ended, the Athenians founded the world's first democracy as a radical solution to prevent the aristocracy regaining power. A citizens' assembly (the ), for the discussion of city policy, had existed since the reforms of Draco in 621 BC; all citizens were permitted to attend after the reforms of Solon (early 6th century), but the poorest citizens could not address the assembly or run for office. With the establishment of the democracy, the assembly became the mechanism of government; all citizens had equal privileges in the assembly. However, non-citizens, such as metics (foreigners living in Athens) or slaves, had no political rights at all.

After the rise of democracy in Athens, other city-states founded democracies. However, many retained more traditional forms of government. As so often in other matters, Sparta was a notable exception to the rest of Greece, ruled through the whole period by not one, but two hereditary monarchs. This was a form of diarchy. The Kings of Sparta belonged to the Agiads and the Eurypontids, descendants respectively of Eurysthenes and Procles. Both dynasties' founders were believed to be twin sons of Aristodemus, a Heraclid ruler. However, the powers of these kings were held in check by both a council of elders (the ) and magistrates specifically appointed to watch over the kings (the ).

Social structure

Only free, land-owning, native-born men could be citizens entitled to the full protection of the law in a city-state. In most city-states, unlike the situation in Rome, social prominence did not allow special rights. Sometimes families controlled public religious functions, but this ordinarily did not give any extra power in the government. In Athens, the population was divided into four social classes based on wealth. People could change classes if they made more money. In Sparta, all male citizens were called , meaning "peers". However, Spartan kings, who served as the city-state's dual military and religious leaders, came from two families.

Gravestone of a woman with her slave child-attendant, c. 100 BC

Slaves had no power or status. They had the right to have a family and own property, subject to their master's goodwill and permission, but they had no political rights. By 600 BC, chattel slavery had spread in Greece. By the 5th century BC, slaves made up one-third of the total population in some city-states. Between 40-80% of the population of Classical Athens were slaves. Slaves outside of Sparta almost never revolted because they were made up of too many nationalities and were too scattered to organize. However, unlike later Western culture, the ancient Greeks did not think in terms of race.

Most families owned slaves as household servants and laborers, and even poor families might have owned a few slaves. Owners were not allowed to beat or kill their slaves. Owners often promised to free slaves in the future to encourage slaves to work hard. Unlike in Rome, freedmen did not become citizens. Instead, they were mixed into the population of , which included people from foreign countries or other city-states who were officially allowed to live in the state.

City-states legally owned slaves. These public slaves had a larger measure of independence than slaves owned by families, living on their own and performing specialized tasks. In Athens, public slaves were trained to look out for counterfeit coinage, while temple slaves acted as servants of the temple's deity and Scythian slaves were employed in Athens as a police force corralling citizens to political functions.

Sparta had a special type of slaves called . Helots were Messenians enslaved en masse during the Messenian Wars by the state and assigned to families where they were forced to stay. Helots raised food and did household chores so that women could concentrate on raising strong children while men could devote their time to training as hoplites. Their masters treated them harshly, and helots revolted against their masters several times. In 370/69 BC, as a result of Epaminondas' liberation of Messenia from Spartan rule, the helot system there came to an end and the helots won their freedom. However, it did continue to persist in Laconia until the 2nd century BC.

Mosaic from Pompeii depicting Plato's academy

For most of Greek history, education was private, except in Sparta. During the Hellenistic period, some city-states established public schools. Only wealthy families could afford a teacher. Boys learned how to read, write and quote literature. They also learned to sing and play one musical instrument and were trained as athletes for military service. They studied not for a job but to become an effective citizen. Girls also learned to read, write and do simple arithmetic so they could manage the household. They almost never received education after childhood.

Boys went to school at the age of seven, or went to the barracks, if they lived in Sparta. The three types of teachings were: grammatistes for arithmetic, kitharistes for music and dancing, and Paedotribae for sports.

Boys from wealthy families attending the private school lessons were taken care of by a paidagogos, a household slave selected for this task who accompanied the boy during the day. Classes were held in teachers' private houses and included reading, writing, mathematics, singing, and playing the lyre and flute. When the boy became 12 years old the schooling started to include sports such as wrestling, running, and throwing discus and javelin. In Athens, some older youths attended academy for the finer disciplines such as culture, sciences, music, and the arts. The schooling ended at age 18, followed by military training in the army usually for one or two years.

Only a small number of boys continued their education after childhood, as in the Spartan agoge. A crucial part of a wealthy teenager's education was a mentorship with an elder, which in a few places and times may have included pederasty.[citation needed ] The teenager learned by watching his mentor talking about politics in the , helping him perform his public duties, exercising with him in the gymnasium and attending symposia with him. The richest students continued their education by studying with famous teachers. Some of Athens' greatest such schools included the Lyceum (the so-called Peripatetic school founded by Aristotle of Stageira) and the Platonic Academy (founded by Plato of Athens). The education system of the wealthy ancient Greeks is also called Paideia.[citation needed ]

At its economic height in the 5th and 4th centuries BC, the free citizenry of Classical Greece represented perhaps the most prosperous society in the ancient world, some economic historians considering Greece one of the most advanced pre-industrial economies. In terms of wheat, wages reached an estimated 7-12 kg daily for an unskilled worker in urban Athens, 2-3 times the 3.75 kg of an unskilled rural labourer in Roman Egypt, though Greek farm incomes too were on average lower than those available to urban workers.

While slave conditions varied widely, the institution served to sustain the incomes of the free citizenry: an estimate of economic development drawn from the latter (or derived from urban incomes alone) is therefore likely to overstate the true overall level despite widespread evidence for high living standards.

Greek hoplite and Persian warrior depicted fighting, on an ancient kylix, 5th century BC

At least in the Archaic Period, the fragmentary nature of ancient Greece, with many competing city-states, increased the frequency of conflict but conversely limited the scale of warfare. Unable to maintain professional armies, the city-states relied on their own citizens to fight. This inevitably reduced the potential duration of campaigns, as citizens would need to return to their own professions (especially in the case of, for example, farmers). Campaigns would therefore often be restricted to summer. When battles occurred, they were usually set piece and intended to be decisive. Casualties were slight compared to later battles, rarely amounting to more than five percent of the losing side, but the slain often included the most prominent citizens and generals who led from the front.

The scale and scope of warfare in ancient Greece changed dramatically as a result of the Greco-Persian Wars. To fight the enormous armies of the Achaemenid Empire was effectively beyond the capabilities of a single city-state. The eventual triumph of the Greeks was achieved by alliances of city-states (the exact composition changing over time), allowing the pooling of resources and division of labor. Although alliances between city-states occurred before this time, nothing on this scale had been seen before. The rise of Athens and Sparta as pre-eminent powers during this conflict led directly to the Peloponnesian War, which saw further development of the nature of warfare, strategy and tactics. Fought between leagues of cities dominated by Athens and Sparta, the increased manpower and financial resources increased the scale and allowed the diversification of warfare. Set-piece battles during the Peloponnesian war proved indecisive and instead there was increased reliance on attritionary strategies, naval battles and blockades and sieges. These changes greatly increased the number of casualties and the disruption of Greek society.

Athens owned one of the largest war fleets in ancient Greece. It had over 200 triremes each powered by 170 oarsmen who were seated in 3 rows on each side of the ship. The city could afford such a large fleet-it had over 34,000 oarsmen-because it owned a lot of silver mines that were worked by slaves.

According to Josiah Ober, Greek city-states faced approximately a one-in-three chance of destruction during the archaic and classical period.

Philosophy

The carved busts of four ancient Greek philosophers, on display in the British Museum. From left to right: Socrates, Antisthenes, Chrysippus, and Epicurus.

Ancient Greek philosophy focused on the role of reason and inquiry. In many ways, it had an important influence on modern philosophy, as well as modern science. Clear unbroken lines of influence lead from ancient Greek and Hellenistic philosophers, to medieval Muslim philosophers and Islamic scientists, to the European Renaissance and Enlightenment, to the secular sciences of the modern day.

Neither reason nor inquiry began with the ancient Greeks. Defining the difference between the Greek quest for knowledge and the quests of the elder civilizations, such as the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians, has long been a topic of study by theorists of civilization.

The first known philosophers of Greece were the pre-Socratics, who attempted to provide naturalistic, non-mythical descriptions of the world. They were followed by Socrates, one of the first philosophers based in Athens during its golden age whose ideas, despite being known by second-hand accounts instead of writings of his own, laid the basis of Western philosophy. Socrates' disciple Plato, who wrote The Republic and established a radical difference between ideas and the concrete world, and Plato's disciple Aristotle, who wrote extensively about nature and ethics, are also immensely influential in Western philosophy to this day. The later Hellenistic philosophy, also originating in Greece, is defined by names such as Antisthenes ( cynicism), Zeno of Citium ( stoicism) and Plotinus ( Neoplatonism).

Literature and theatre

The ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, 4th century BC

The earliest Greek literature was poetry and was composed for performance rather than private consumption. The earliest Greek poet known is Homer, although he was certainly part of an existing tradition of oral poetry. Homer's poetry, though it was developed around the same time that the Greeks developed writing, would have been composed orally; the first poet to certainly compose their work in writing was Archilochus, a lyric poet from the mid-seventh century BC. Tragedy developed around the end of the archaic period, taking elements from across the pre-existing genres of late archaic poetry. Towards the beginning of the classical period, comedy began to develop-the earliest date associated with the genre is 486 BC, when a competition for comedy became an official event at the City Dionysia in Athens, though the first preserved ancient comedy is Aristophanes' Acharnians, produced in 425.

A scene from the Iliad: Hypnos and Thanatos carrying the body of Sarpedon from the battlefield of Troy; detail from an Attic white-ground lekythos, c. 440 BC

Like poetry, Greek prose had its origins in the archaic period, and the earliest writers of Greek philosophy, history, and medical literature all date to the sixth century BC. Prose first emerged as the writing style adopted by the presocratic philosophers Anaximander and Anaximenes-though Thales of Miletus, considered the first Greek philosopher, apparently wrote nothing. Prose as a genre reached maturity in the classical era, and the major Greek prose genres-philosophy, history, rhetoric, and dialogue-developed in this period.

The Hellenistic period saw the literary centre of the Greek world move from Athens, where it had been in the classical period, to Alexandria. At the same time, other Hellenistic kings such as the Antigonids and the Attalids were patrons of scholarship and literature, turning Pella and Pergamon respectively into cultural centres. It was thanks to this cultural patronage by Hellenistic kings, and especially the Museum at Alexandria, that so much ancient Greek literature has survived. The Library of Alexandria, part of the Museum, had the previously unenvisaged aim of collecting together copies of all known authors in Greek. Almost all of the surviving non-technical Hellenistic literature is poetry, and Hellenistic poetry tended to be highly intellectual, blending different genres and traditions, and avoiding linear narratives. The Hellenistic period also saw a shift in the ways literature was consumed-while in the archaic and classical periods literature had typically been experienced in public performance, in the Hellenistic period it was more commonly read privately. At the same time, Hellenistic poets began to write for private, rather than public, consumption.

With Octavian's victory at Actium in 31 BC, Rome began to become a major centre of Greek literature, as important Greek authors such as Strabo and Dionysius of Halicarnassus came to Rome. The period of greatest innovation in Greek literature under Rome was the "long second century" from approximately 80 AD to around 230 AD. This innovation was especially marked in prose, with the development of the novel and a revival of prominence for display oratory both dating to this period.

Music and dance

Music was present almost universally in Greek society, from marriages and funerals to religious ceremonies, theatre, folk music and the ballad-like reciting of epic poetry. There are significant fragments of actual Greek musical notation as well as many literary references to ancient Greek music. Greek art depicts musical instruments and dance. The word music derives from the name of the Muses, the daughters of Zeus who were patron goddesses of the arts.

Science and technology

Ancient Greek mathematics contributed many important developments to the field of mathematics, including the basic rules of geometry, the idea of formal mathematical proof, and discoveries in number theory, mathematical analysis, applied mathematics, and approached close to establishing integral calculus. The discoveries of several Greek mathematicians, including Pythagoras, Euclid, and Archimedes, are still used in mathematical teaching today.

The Greeks developed astronomy, which they treated as a branch of mathematics, to a highly sophisticated level. The first geometrical, three-dimensional models to explain the apparent motion of the planets were developed in the 4th century BC by Eudoxus of Cnidus and Callippus of Cyzicus. Their younger contemporary Heraclides Ponticus proposed that the Earth rotates around its axis. In the 3rd century BC, Aristarchus of Samos was the first to suggest a heliocentric system. Archimedes in his treatise The Sand Reckoner revives Aristarchus' hypothesis that "the fixed stars and the Sun remain unmoved, while the Earth revolves about the Sun on the circumference of a circle". Otherwise, only fragmentary descriptions of Aristarchus' idea survive. Eratosthenes, using the angles of shadows created at widely separated regions, estimated the circumference of the Earth with great accuracy. In the 2nd century BC Hipparchus of Nicea made a number of contributions, including the first measurement of precession and the compilation of the first star catalog in which he proposed the modern system of apparent magnitudes.

The Antikythera mechanism, a device for calculating the movements of planets, dates from about 80 BC and was the first ancestor of the astronomical computer. It was discovered in an ancient shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera, between Kythera and Crete. The device became famous for its use of a differential gear, previously believed to have been invented in the 16th century, and the miniaturization and complexity of its parts, comparable to a clock made in the 18th century. The original mechanism is displayed in the Bronze collection of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, accompanied by a replica.

The ancient Greeks also made important discoveries in the medical field. Hippocrates was a physician of the Classical period, and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is referred to as the " father of medicine" in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field as the founder of the Hippocratic school of medicine. This intellectual school revolutionized medicine in ancient Greece, establishing it as a discipline distinct from other fields that it had traditionally been associated with (notably theurgy and philosophy), thus making medicine a profession.

Art and architecture

The Temple of Hera at Selinunte, Sicily

The art of ancient Greece has exercised an enormous influence on the culture of many countries from ancient times to the present day, particularly in the areas of sculpture and architecture. In the West, the art of the Roman Empire was largely derived from Greek models. In the East, Alexander the Great's conquests initiated several centuries of exchange between Greek, Central Asian and Indian cultures, resulting in Greco-Buddhist art, with ramifications as far as Japan. Following the Renaissance in Europe, the humanist aesthetic and the high technical standards of Greek art inspired generations of European artists. Well into the 19th century, the classical tradition derived from Greece dominated the art of the Western world.

Religion was a central part of ancient Greek life. Though the Greeks of different cities and tribes worshipped similar gods, religious practices were not uniform and the gods were thought of differently in different places. The Greeks were polytheistic, worshipping many gods, but as early as the sixth century BC a pantheon of twelve Olympians began to develop. Greek religion was influenced by the practices of the Greeks' near eastern neighbours at least as early as the archaic period, and by the Hellenistic period this influence was seen in both directions.

The most important religious act in ancient Greece was animal sacrifice, most commonly of sheep and goats. Sacrifice was accompanied by public prayer, and prayer and hymns were themselves a major part of ancient Greek religious life.

The civilization of ancient Greece has been immensely influential on language, politics, educational systems, philosophy, science, and the arts. It became the Leitkultur of the Roman Empire to the point of marginalizing native Italic traditions. As Horace put it,

Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit et artis / intulit agresti Latio ( 2.1.156f.)

Captive Greece took captive her uncivilised conqueror and instilled her arts in rustic Latium.

Via the Roman Empire, Greek culture came to be foundational to Western culture in general. The Byzantine Empire inherited Classical Greek-Hellenistic culture directly, without Latin intermediation, and the preservation of Classical Greek learning in medieval Byzantine tradition further exerted a strong influence on the Slavs and later on the Islamic Golden Age and the Western European Renaissance. A modern revival of Classical Greek learning took place in the Neoclassicism movement in 18th- and 19th-century Europe and the Americas.

References

Bibliography

Further reading

Shanks, Michael (1996). Classical Archaeology of Greece. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-203-17197-7.

Brock, Roger, and Stephen Hodkinson, eds. 2000. Alternatives to Athens: Varieties of political organization and community in ancient Greece. Oxford and New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

Cartledge, Paul, Edward E. Cohen, and Lin Foxhall. 2002. Money, labour and land: Approaches to the economies of ancient Greece. London and New York: Routledge.

Cohen, Edward. 1992. Athenian economy and society: A banking perspective. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press.

Hurwit, Jeffrey. 1987. The art and culture of early Greece, 1100-480 B.C. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Univ. Press.

Kinzl, Konrad, ed. 2006. A companion to the Classical Greek world. Oxford and Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Morris, Ian, ed. 1994. Classical Greece: Ancient histories and modern archaeologies. Cambridge, UK, and New York: Cambridge Univ. Press.

Pomeroy, Sarah, Stanley M. Burstein, Walter Donlan, and Jennifer Tolbert Roberts. 2008. Ancient Greece: A political, social, and cultural history. 2d ed. New York: Oxford Univ. Press.

Rhodes, Peter J. 2006. A history of the Classical Greek world: 478-323 BC. Blackwell History of the Ancient World. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Whitley, James. 2001. The archaeology of ancient Greece. Cambridge, UK, and New York: Cambridge Univ. Press.

External links

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greece ( Greek: Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th-9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( c. 600 AD), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically related city-states and other territories.

# data[].attributes.body
Upper class: People who are wealthy and fat pigs.
Middle class: they are just like normal civilians living
commoners class: people who live off of trading with people
Poor class: people who don't have money or a place to live and is hard for them to survive
Slave Class: People who are owned by people and have to do there dirty work.

https://study.com/academy/lesson/ancient-greece-social-class-system.html#:~:text=Greek%20Social%20Classes,-In%20ancient%20Greece&text=You%20were%20either%20a%20free,a%20foreigner%2C%20or%20a%20slave.&text=Athenian%20society%20was%20ultimately%20divided,those%20born%20to%20Athenian%20parents.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greece Social Class System - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn about the social class system of ancient Greece. Explore the roles and lives of the upper class, middle class, lower class, and slave class...

# data[].attributes.body
1. boys in anchient greese when to school at 7 years old
2.throwing a apple at someone ment you love them
3.they loved baths and took sevrel baths a day
4.they warent allowed to live with their familys till after they go to miltary at 30
5. the word idiot ment anyone who wasnt a politicion

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ancient Greece was a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to c. 5th centuries BC to the end of antiquity (c. 600 AD).

Classical Greek culture, especially philosophy, had a powerful influence on the Roman Empire, which carried a version of it to many parts of the Mediterranean Basin and Europe. For this reason, Classical Greece is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the foundation of modern Western culture and is considered the cradle of Western civilization.

The cradle of democracy, slavery, and nudity-here are 18 interesting facts about the Greek world of antiquity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
18 Interesting Facts About Ancient Greece You Probably Didn't Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greece was a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to c. 5th centuries BC to the end of antiquity (c. 600 AD). Classical Greek culture, especially philosophy, had a powerful influence on the Roman Empire, which carried a version of it to many parts of the Mediterranean Basin and Europe.

# data[].attributes.body
They considered Jews and Christians to be atheists

They most recognized the 12 major Olympian gods and goddesses

A god Zeus is the king of lightning they worshiped him

They believed that being religious would help them live better

They believed that gods would take care of them when they die

# data[].attributes.body
-They celebrate name days even more than birthdays.
- The first day of the month is important as it symbolizes new beginnings.
- They wear charms to protect themselves from the evil eye curse.
- They smash plates and throw flowers to show appreciation for music at parties.
- To start of spring they wear red and white thread bracelets then when they see the first sign on spring, like a flowering tree, they tie their bracelet on the tree.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Name Days

It is true that the tradition of "name days" exists in many European countries, but in Greece, these name days are strongly respected and celebrated. For many Greeks, the name day celebration is actually more important than a birthday, especially for adults, and it is customary to call and congratulate someone on their name day. The person celebrating often treats his/her guests to either an open house or for a drink at a taverna.

First Day of the Month

Kalo Mina (good month) is a traditional greeting you will hear on the first day of the month. Important to Greek culture, the first day of the month symbolizes a new beginning. Greeks greet each other to wish good things for the month ahead.

Evil Eye (Mati)

Perhaps the most notorious superstition that Greece shares with Turkey (as well as other places) is the belief that the evil eye is a curse ( matiasma) cast by an envious or jealous person. To protect yourself against it, Greeks believe you must wear a charm. This is what the famous blue pieces of glass with an eye painted on are for.

Spitting

If you have seen my Big Fat Greek Wedding, you are familiar with this. Greeks believe spitting chases the devil and evil away. Greeks do not actually spit but actually say ' ftou, ftou, ftou ' (three times no less). It is common to spit when someone mentions a bad piece of news or a death, when someone comments on the beauty or health of someone, or even when complimenting a baby or a child, so that the comment doesn't give the person the evil eye.

Name Giving

In Greece, some names are very common. This comes from an ancient tradition that was intended to ensure the continuation of a name. The firstborn is named after a grandparent: if it is a boy, he takes the name of his paternal grandfather. If it is a girl, she takes the name of the maternal grandmother. It is also common that the first child is named after the father's parents, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl. It is not uncommon to find cousins with the same names, though they can be adapted or nicknamed differently to avoid confusion. In recent years, many parents have chosen not to follow this tradition, or instead use the grandparent's name as a middle name.

Another interesting fact is that a child doesn't have a name until he or she is baptized. Until then, the baby is called "baby".

Saints' Day Celebrations

All year round, saints' days are celebrated in chapels and churches, mostly in rural settings, although it is possible to see them in bigger cities. On this day, a panigyri, or festival, is organized after a mass. The feast includes free food and drink, traditional music and dancing until the next morning. On islands, these panigyri can sometimes be accompanied by processions and marching bands.

Plate Smashing

Another tradition Greeks are famous for is the smashing of plates. While the origins of this practice are obscure, it is associated with the expression of joy and happiness, or to show appreciation for the music played at a party. This tradition was banned in 1969 and replaced in live music clubs () by throwing flowers at the feet of the singer, or at each other. You may still see some plate smashing in private celebrations, although plaster plates are more likely to be used.

The Christmas Boat

Traditionally, Greeks didn't decorate with a Christmas tree but a Christmas boat. It was only in 1833, when Bavarian King Otto celebrated his first Christmas on the throne of Greece, that the Christmas tree tradition was introduced to the country. As a symbol of the seafaring nation, the boat was decorated in honor of the sailors returning home to their families around Christmas time. Nowadays, the tradition is making a comeback, not only in the islands, but also on the mainland.

Martis

Greeks celebrate spring with an age-old tradition of martis, a red and white bracelet made of thread, which is worn during the whole month of March. The white symbolizes purity while the red represents passion and life. In ancient times, the bracelet was made to protect the person wearing it from disease and from the spring sun. When the wearer sees the first signs of spring, whether a flowering tree or a swallow, he/she must tie the bracelet to a tree. It is truly a beautiful sight. Other countries also practice this tradition, such as Bulgaria.

Tuesday the 13th

While many consider Friday the 13 th a day of bad luck, for Greeks it is Tuesday the 13 th. This date is linked with the fall of Constantinople (today Istanbul) on that day, back in 1204.

Krevati

A unique tradition happens before a Greek wedding day. The krevati (literally meaning bed) is a tradition where the bride-to-be and her single friends come together and decorate the couple's future marriage bed with fresh bedding and decorations, and throw gifts, money and rice on it. Even small children are placed in it. This ritual is done to promote prosperity and fertility for the couple. (This tradition is not always observed in modern-day Greece.)

Easter Celebrations

Easter, not Christmas, is the most important religious celebration for Greeks. If you ever get a chance to visit the country at this time, you will truly have an unforgettable experience. From Lent (and even Carnival, or Apokries) to Easter, the Greek calendar is filled with traditions and rituals that many Greeks still observe.

Kicking things off, the Thursday of the second week of Carnival is known as Tsiknopempti, or Burnt Thursday. Greeks traditionally get together and grill meat on this day. In Athens, you can even see staff at tavernas grilling in the streets. The occasion is a joyful celebration.

The whole of Holy Week is also full of traditions, with the dyeing of eggs (in red) to symbolize the sacrifice of Christ, the decoration of the epitaphios (the tomb of Christ) with flowers, and the many processions. The night of Holy Saturday is the pinnacle of celebrations, with a special ceremony that the majority of Greeks attend. People dress well and gather at the local church, where all lights are turned off, to symbolize the darkness of Jesus' tomb. The priest lights a candle with the Eternal Flame, brought especially for the occasion from Jerusalem, and sings the Christos Anesti psalm (Christ has risen). The flame is then offered to everyone present.

On Easter Sunday itself, families enjoy a traditional Easter lunch, which may last well into the late afternoon, with roasted lamb on a pit and many other delicious dishes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It is true that the tradition of "name days" exists in many European countries, but in Greece, these name days are strongly respected and celebrated. For many Greeks, the name day celebration is actually more important than a birthday, especially for adults, and it is customary to call and congratulate someone on their name day.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Government/
1. Greece had 4 common systems of government: democracy, monarchy, oligarchy, and tyranny.
2. In the Greece democracy any male citizen could vote in the Assembly of Athens.
3. In the Greek monarchy in times of peace the kings were kept in check by ephors.
4. Syracuse of Sicily was the most famous tyrant.
5. In Athens the rules and laws were enforced by magistrates.

# data[].attributes.body
Athenian society was ultimately divided into four main social classes: the upper class; the metics, or middle class; the lower class, or freedmen; and the slave class.  This group can be further divided into three subclasses:

1. The aristocracy, including politicians, top military officials, and the landed elite

2. Villagers, who owned less productive land

3. The merchants, who controlled much of the manufacturing and trade of Athens

4. The middle class, or metics, though born free, received less of the benefits of Athenian society. Since they were foreigners, they were not granted the rights of citizens and couldn't hold titles to land or serve in politics, but were still required to pay taxes and serve in the military.

5: Below the metics were the freedmen or commoners of society. This group was made up of former slaves who had won their freedom and gained some basic legal and social privileges.

At the very bottom of society were the slaves.

# data[].attributes.body
Theatre was big in Ancient Greece because there weren't many things to do.  People loved watching plays with their families and performers loved acting. Some theatres could seat over 10,000 people.

Drama and Theater - Ancient Greece - Ducksters
https://www.ducksters.com

# data[].attributes.body
the greeks built statues of gods and godesses to oner them

# data[].attributes.body
1.  Easter is one of the most important holidays in Greece. The have many traditions and eat great food during this holiday.
2. Name day celebration is a day that people celebrate they're name that is usually a Greek god or goddess. They consider it more important than their birthday.
3. Engagement is a celebration for the Greeks, and the man usually asks the womens father for her hand in marriage.
4. Greece holds many festivals and carnivals throughout the year. Sometimes they're held to worship gods. People dress up, sing, and dance during them.
5. Superstitions are a very popular thing in Greece, many people believe if you don't worship gods then they'll be angry or punish you.

https://www.historyforkids.net/ancient-greek-culture.html#:~:text=Some%20of%20the%20most%20important,and%20be%20with%20their%20family.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greek Culture - History for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Different cities in Ancient Greece had different cultures and traditions. Some of the cities had their own personal cultures and many of the cultures were based around philosophy, drama, architecture, science, theater and more. Paleolithic Era During the Paleolithic era was the Golden Age and this w…

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.historyforkids.net/ancient-greek-religion.html
1)Religion is very important to the Greeks they think that it helps keep them safe.
2) The Ancient Greeks thought that the gods would take of them when they died.
3)They believe in many different gods and goddesses.
4) They believed if the gods were happy then good things will happen but if they were angry bad things would happen.
5) A temple was a place where they had statues and where people came to worship.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
History for kids - Free history network for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ancient Greek Religion

Religion was very important to the Ancient Greeks and they believed that religion was important to keep them safe and to help them to live a better and happier life.

The Ancient Greeks believed that the gods would take care of them when they died if they showed them the right love and respect.

Gods and goddesses

There were many different gods and goddesses that the Ancient Greeks worshiped.

The people believed in all of the gods and they believed that the gods controlled everything that happened, rather it was good or bad.

Each part of a Greeks life was ruled by a different god. The gods were in control of the weather, of having children, of health, of money and of everything that went on.

The Greeks believed that if the gods were happy then there would be good things that happened but if the gods got angry, bad things would come.

Since the people wanted the gods to be happy, they would build places in their homes and shrines in their homes so that they could give praise to the gods.

There were also shrines throughout the towns where people could come to pray, worship and leave the gods gifts.

Temples

Temples were built in almost every city that would be set for one god.

The god would then be worshipped in that city.

If someone needed something from one of the gods in another city, they would travel to that city and would go into the temple and would worship and pray to the gods.

The temple was a place where statues of the gods would be and people could worship, pray and leave gifts in the temple.

The temple was taken care of by the priest and the priest had one of the most important jobs in the town.

Many ceremonies and festivals would take place outside of the temple and people would come together and worship, play music, dress up and have festivals for their god.

Priests

The priests were considered some of the most important people in the town.

They had a job to keep the temples nice for the gods and goddesses.

It was up to the priest to make sure that the gods and goddesses stayed happy and that their temple was holy.

The priests were able to talk to the gods and would take the peoples questions and hopes to the gods for them.

The priests were considered to be a friend of the people and were trusted and loved.

It was not easy to be a priest and there were only two ways that it could happen.

The first way was if your mother or your father were a priest then the job would be handed down to the oldest child.

The second way to become a priest in Ancient Greece was to be appointed as a priest by a priest that was dying.

It was the job of the priest to make sure that the temple stayed clean, that it was protected and that the people that visited the temple were taken care of.

Gods and goddesses

There were many important gods and goddess in Ancient Greece and these included

Zeus who was the god of the sky and rain,

Poseidon who was the god of the sea, Hades, the god of the underworld,

Aphrodite the goddess of having children and Hestia, the goddess of the home.

There were many other gods and goddesses that took care of things like animals, birds, music, protector gods and more.

The Ancient Greeks believed that the gods and goddesses came from the Earth and the sky and that the gods and goddesses had lives just like theirs.

The believed that the gods and goddesses loved to play, have fun, argue, have children and liked to play music and have big celebrations.

Gods and Goddesses of Mount Olympus

The Ancient Greeks believed that the ten most important gods and goddesses lived on Mount Olympus.

They believed that the gods and goddesses that lived there were a big family.

Facts About Ancient Greek Religion:

Most of the festivals were given to honor the gods and goddesses.

Temples were built for the gods and goddesses to live in.

The temples were decorated with paintings, statues and other artwork.

People asked the gods to do things for them like help them to have children and help them to be healthy.

People thought the gods and goddesses lived at Mount Olympus because it was so cloudy that no one could see the top of the mountain.

What Did You Learn?

1. Who did the Ancient Greeks worship? The Ancient Greeks worshipped different gods and goddesses.

2. Why were the gods and goddesses important? The gods and goddesses were important because they controlled everything that happened in their life.

3. What would happen if things were going good in the town? If things were going good in the town it would mean that the gods and goddesses were happy.

4. Where did the Ancient Greeks believe the gods and goddesses came from? They believed that the gods and goddesses came from the Earth and the sky.

5. Where was it believed that the most 10 important Ancient Greek gods lived? The Ancient Greeks believed that the 10 most important gods and goddesses lived on top of Mount Olympus.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greek Religion - History for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Religion was very important to the Ancient Greeks and they believed that religion was important to keep them safe and to help them to live a better and happier life. The Ancient Greeks believed that the gods would take care of them when they died if they showed them the right love and respect.

# data[].attributes.body
Family is extremely important to Greeks and is based on social structure. Although, men were usually the "better half", the women would take care of children and keep the house tidy.

The Importance of Family for Ancient Greeks - 811 Words | 123 Help Me
https://www.123helpme.com

# data[].attributes.body
https://thedramateacher.com/overview-of-ancient-greek-theatre/

The western theater began in the 6th century

The City of Dionysian play festival in Athens  started in march and lasted for a couple days

the Greek theater held an orchestra where they would  wear masks and dance to lower the gods

they had amphitheaters kind of like a stadium which performances took place in the middle.

music was a main part of the Greek theater

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Useful Ancient Greek Theatre Facts for Students | The Drama Teacher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Overview of ancient Greek theatre for drama students and teachers: plays, playwrights, theatres, acting, music, dancing, costumes, masks.

# data[].attributes.body
1)Literature and theater, which were very intertwined, were important in ancient Greek society. Greek theater began in the sixth century BCE in Athens with the performance of tragedy plays at religious festivals.
2)Baptisms were also important in Greek culture. Washing off peoples sins.
3)Politics was a big part of Ancient Greek culture and during the 19th century. Politics resulted in a lot of wars.
4) Greeks used music to represent a lot of things. and was used for events and rituals.
5) Food was also used for many events. Many of the feasts would include wine that was grown right in the persons yard or farm.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
History for kids - Free history network for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ancient Greek Culture

Ancient Greek culture was marked by intellectual thought, artistic expression, and democratic governance. Renowned for advancements in philosophy, science, and drama, they forged principles that shaped Western civilization. Their mythical pantheon and iconic architectural styles, like the Parthenon, remain influential to this day.

Ancient Greek Culture Facts

Greeks invented democracy, first used in Athens.

The Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece.

Greek theatre introduced tragedy and comedy.

Greeks believed in a pantheon of gods.

Philosophy was born in ancient Greece.

The Parthenon is a symbol of ancient Greece.

Greeks introduced the concept of citizenship.

Ancient Greek Philosophy

Ancient Greek philosophy, embodied by thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, was a cornerstone of their culture. They investigated ethics, reality, and knowledge, shaping future disciplines like moral philosophy, metaphysics, and epistemology.

This tradition cultivated critical thinking and a culture of inquiry, influencing areas from science to politics to art. Such intellectual rigor fueled the advancements of the Classical Age, making Greece a beacon of civilization.

Greek Mythology

Greek mythology deeply influenced ancient Greek culture. It consisted of stories about gods, heroes, and creatures that taught moral lessons and explained nature. These myths shaped religion, inspired epic poems like the Iliad and Odyssey, and drove artistic and architectural creativity. Today, they stand as lasting symbols of the ancient Greeks' beliefs and imagination.

Classical Athens

Classical Athens, flourishing in the 5th and 4th centuries BC, was the cradle of ancient Greek culture. It pioneered democracy and nurtured ideas on philosophy and arts. Figures like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle emerged here, shaping intellectual history. Landmarks like the Parthenon symbolize its cultural significance. Essentially, Athens represents the zenith of Greek civilization.

Greek Tragedy and Comedy

Greek tragedy and comedy were vital in ancient Greek culture. Emerging in 5th century BC Athens, these drama forms were public spaces for debate. Tragedies explored fate and morality, while comedies satirized society and politics. Works by Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes continue to influence literature and theatre today.

Parthenon

The Parthenon is a key symbol of ancient Greek culture, showcasing their architectural skills and faith. Constructed in the 5th century BC, this temple honored Athena and exemplified the Doric style. It functioned as a worship place and a treasury, reflecting religion's role in state affairs. The Parthenon's enduring legacy highlights Greece's influence on world history and architecture.

Socratic Method

The Socratic method, named after the philosopher Socrates, greatly influenced ancient Greek culture. It used questioning to stimulate critical thinking and uncover belief contradictions, fostering a culture of learning. This approach democratized knowledge, promoting the idea that anyone could attain wisdom through inquiry. The method shaped Greek education and has since influenced Western teaching methods.

Olympic Games (Ancient)

The Olympic Games were pivotal in ancient Greek culture, showcasing physical strength, competition, and honor. Held every four years in Olympia and dedicated to Zeus, these games brought together athletes from different city-states, symbolizing unity.

Winners were hailed as heroes, reflecting the Greek respect for excellence. The modern Olympic Games continue this tradition, emphasizing Greece's lasting cultural impact.

Hellenistic Period

The Hellenistic Period began after Alexander the Great's conquests in the 4th century BC, expanding Greek culture across a vast empire. This era saw the Greek language, art, philosophy, and architecture blend with local cultures, creating a diverse, cosmopolitan society. It marked a period of great advancements in sciences, literature, and arts, showing the adaptable and expansive nature of Greek culture.

Homeric Epics (Iliad, Odyssey)

The Homeric Epics, the Iliad, and the Odyssey are cornerstones of ancient Greek culture, reflecting their heroic ideals and mythology. These 8th-century BC poems told stories of heroism and morality, shaping societal values. They were integral to Greek education and identity. Furthermore, they provide insights into ancient Greek social and political life, underscoring their cultural significance.

Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens is a key symbol of Greek history and ancient Greek culture, representing their architectural prowess. This religious and civic center housed the Parthenon, showcasing the classical Greek aesthetic of balance and beauty. It reflects the Greeks' reverence for their gods and civic duties. Today, the Acropolis symbolizes Greek historical influence and achievement.

Paleolithic Era

The Paleolithic Era predates ancient Greek culture but is crucial for understanding human civilization's early stages. As a time of primitive hunter-gatherer societies, it marked the emergence of our species and laid the groundwork for subsequent cultural and technological progress, including the rise of ancient Greek civilization.

The Paleolithic era was the Golden Age and this was a time when Ancient Greeks worked to increase their culture.

Architecture was important and Greeks realized the importance of building things such as theaters, temples, and stadiums.

Greek Democracy

Greek democracy, especially in Classical Athens, is a cornerstone of ancient Greek culture. It allowed citizens to participate directly in governance, promoting civic responsibility and open debate. This system encouraged intellectual progress through freedom of thought and speech. Despite its shortcomings, Greek democracy laid the foundations for Western political thought, showcasing the influential nature of Greek culture.

Politics

Politics played a central role in ancient Greek culture, emphasizing citizen participation and democratic governance. Greek city-states like Athens and Sparta implemented various political systems, including direct democracy.

Citizens actively engaged in decision-making, legislative assemblies, and public debates. This influence extended to law, education, and social dynamics. The legacy of ancient Greek politics continues to inspire modern democracy.

Politics was a big part of Ancient Greek culture and during the 19 th century, the Greeks saw different monarchies and royal people that were becoming popular.

Politics came and there were many fights that happened.

The military also became powerful and the Greeks were always ready to fight and defend their territory.

Music

The Greeks loved music and they would play music in the festivals and they would use music to tell stories and to tell about the life of others.

Children as young as six years old would learn to start playing music on different instruments.

The instruments would be played as entertainment, for celebrations and festivals, and for the gods.

Food

Food was important and people, especially the wealthy, would have large feasts and would take pride in the food and drinks that they served.

Many of the feasts would include wine that was grown right in the person's yard or farm.

Spices were used in Greece such as onions, fennel, garlic, and other special spices.

Some of the most popular foods include chicken, pork, fish, yogurt, olive oil, octopus, zucchini, grapes, apples, figs, dates, and other fresh ingredients. Other foods that were important to the culture were salads that were made out of cucumbers, onions, olives, green pepper, cheese and olive oil.

Holidays

Some of the most important holidays were Easter, Engagement, Name Day celebrations, Baptisms, Weddings, Carnivals, and Festivals.

Easter is considered one of the most important holidays because it is celebrated, and the people of Ancient Greece would use Easter as a time to eat and be with their family.

Name Day

Name Day celebration is a religious celebration that is considered more important than a person's birthday.

Most people were named after a saint and so when it was a Name Day celebration, the families got together and they honor the person that was born by having good food and drinks.

Engagement

When a man and a woman become engaged, Engagement is a celebration.

It is Greek tradition that women would go into a big city and men would ask the woman's father if he could marry her.

Marriage

Marriage is one of the most important celebrations in Ancient Greece. The celebrations are rituals and they take place in the place where the bride's father will pick the bride and then she will move from his house to her husband's house where she will become the daughter of his mom and dad.

There are many marriage celebrations and rituals that take place during the wedding where there are banquets, songs, music, dancing, and more.

Baptism

People of Ancient Greece believed in getting baptized and some of them would take place a year after a baby was born. The baby would be blessed by a priest and would be put into a towel and celebrated.

Festivals and Carnivals

Cities of Ancient Greece would have their own celebrations, carnivals, and festivals. Some of the festivals would be to worship the gods.

One of the most important festivals of Ancient Greece was the wine festival which is to celebrate Dionysus who is the god of wine.

In the festivals, people would wear costumes and there would be music, dancing, and fun.

Superstitions

The Ancient Greeks have many superstitions. Many of them believe that the gods would curse them or be angry if they did not worship them or pray to them in the temple.

The Greeks believed that there were ghosts and spirits and they would come out and haunt the people if the gods were mad.

Pythagorean Theorem

The Pythagorean Theorem, credited to Pythagoras, showcases ancient Greek culture's significant contributions to mathematics. This theorem states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

It revolutionized mathematics, enabling precise calculations and advancements in various fields. The Pythagorean Theorem reflects the Greeks' dedication to logical reasoning and pursuit of knowledge, leaving a lasting legacy in ancient Greek intellectual achievements.

Fun Facts About Ancient Greek Culture:

What Did You Learn?

Many Ancient Greeks believed that eating beans was wrong because they had the souls of dead people in them.

Gods were part of the stories that the Ancient Greeks told.

Mythological creatures such as Medusa and Cerberus were part of the tales that the Ancient Greeks told.

Some of the Olympic games included boxing, javelin, chariot racing, and wrestling.

Wrestlers had to be the strongest people in the city and had to wrestle with no clothes on.

Most slaves only wore loincloths which were small strips of fabric that were wrapped around their waists.

There were many statues of the gods and goddesses placed all around the city. Many statues were inside the temple.

There is an Ancient Greek legend that the Greeks hid inside a wooden horse and beat the city of Troy.

Some of the theaters that were built were made to hold more than 15,000 people.

Ancient Greeks had festivals that would honor and celebrate the gods such as Zeus.

1. What were some interesting things that the Greeks believed in? The Greeks believed in different superstitions and they believed that the gods took care of them.

2. What were some of the festivals and carnivals for? The festivals and carnivals were for different celebrations and some of them were to celebrate the gods.

3. Was food an important part of Ancient Greek culture? Yes! Food was a very important part of Ancient Greek culture and it was used for celebrations, feasts, and more. There were many different spices and foods that were cooked during Ancient Greek times.

4. What kind of fun did the Ancient Greeks have? The Ancient Greeks loved to listen to music and go to the theater. They also loved to watch sports at the stadium.

5. Were sports a big part of Ancient Greek culture? Yes! Sports were a big part of Ancient Greek culture and the stadiums would be the home for games and even the Olympics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greek Culture - History for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greek culture was marked by intellectual thought, artistic expression, and democratic governance. Renowned for advancements in philosophy, science, and drama, they forged principles that shaped Western civilization. Their mythical pantheon and iconic architectural styles, like the Parthenon, remain influential to this day. Ancient Greek Culture Facts Greeks invented democracy, first used in Athens.

# data[].attributes.headline
Ancient Athenian class system(Conner Griffith)

# data[].attributes.subject
Ancient Athenian class system(Conner Griffith)

# data[].attributes.body
There were 4 social classes in Athens comprised of the Upper class, Middle class, Lower class, and the Slave class. The Upper class was comprised of large landowners, politicians, and Merchants. The Middle class was comprised of trade workers. The lower class was comprised of freed slaves and low payed workers. The slave class was comprised of slaves.
https://online.maryville.edu/social-science-degrees/social-culture-ancient-greece/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Modern society owes a lot to the ancient Greeks. The lives that they led, their belief system, and even the way they created buildings have left lasting impressions that can still be seen today. For many, ancient Greece is considered to be the cradle of Western civilization. By taking a look at their way of life, it is possible to see some similarities to today's world as well as some of the traditions that were pushed aside in exchange for others. The fact the people vote in a democracy, read using an alphabet, and enjoy the Olympics every couple of years can all be traced back to the ancient Greeks.

Social Hierarchy

There were four main social classes of people within Athens. The highest class was made up of people born in Athens. Others from different locations could never aspire to fit in with this social group. This upper class was responsible for everything from the government to education and philosophy. If there was any type of work that needed to be done, slaves were required. Most homes in ancient Greece had slaves to take on these menial tasks. The middle class was made up of people that may not have been born in Athens but were working hard at their trade. They were considered free but weren't given the same rights permitted to the upper class. The lower class of people were just one step above the slaves. In fact, many were once slaves that had gained their freedom. They had even fewer rights than the middle class. And finally, slaves were at the bottom of the social hierarchy. They had no authority and absolutely no rights. Many of the slaves were brought in from other countries. In some cases, their work could eventually pay for their freedom. Sparta had a slightly different social arrangement, with only three classes: citizens, slaves, and craftsmen or traders.

Society

The city-state was the central part of ancient Greek life. It was here that all institutions of government, religion, and learning were housed. It was also here that the first principles of democracy were created. In Athens, the people started out with a monarch but transitioned to a government made up of assemblymen who were able to vote. In Sparta, society was set up a little differently, as the focus was on soldiers and war. In both Athens and Sparta, men played an active role in public life, spending time participating in government, learning new things, or working. Meanwhile, the women stayed within the home to carry out the tasks for the household. While slaves may have done most of the upkeep of the home, Greek women were focused on managing their homes. Many would sew clothing for their families or to sell.

Education

The education of boys and girls varied greatly in ancient Greece. Girls received an education from their mothers and were taught things like weaving and skills necessary to manage a household. Many were also taught to read and write. Boys attended schools and had a much more varied educational experience. In addition to reading and writing, they were also schooled in things like poetry, math, and physical education. While the training was strict, the experience paled in comparison to that of the students of Sparta. Spartan boys were removed from their families at the age of seven and started their work toward becoming soldiers. Because the girls would one day be the mothers of more soldiers, they were taught things like athletics and even dancing to ensure that they remained in good physical shape.

Art

Greek art has had a tremendous influence on the world around us. Think about how many places pillars can be seen in architecture: This is a contribution from the Greeks. The Parthenon is a great example of this style of architecture, and when comparing this structure to something like the White House, the similarities are striking. Outside of architecture, Greek theater is something else that continues to influence the modern world, as the two major genres of theater, comedy and tragedy, were created by the Greeks, forming the basis of modern plays, movies, and TV shows. Today, some art from ancient Greece is still around, including pottery, which gives some indication of what life in Greece may have been like and offers insight into their religious beliefs, including mythology. Among the most famous Greek sculptures still in existence is the Venus de Milo.

Religion

The religion in ancient Greece was polytheistic, and their gods not only looked human but could take on human form and interact with others at will. Zeus was the ruler of the gods, along with his wife, Hera. Temples were built to honor a specific god, and each god or goddess would have his or her own domain. For example, Poseidon was considered to be the god of the sea, while Demeter was the goddess of the harvest. Works like The Iliad and The Odyssey provide more information about the gods and goddesses that the people believed in and what their different characteristics were.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Culture of Ancient Greece | Maryville Online

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Modern society owes a lot to the ancient Greeks. The lives that they led, their belief system, and even the way they created buildings have left lasting impressions that can still be seen today. For many, ancient Greece is considered to be the cradle of Western civilization.

# data[].attributes.body
Easter is considered one of the most important holidays in Ancient Greece. Other honorable mentions are Engagement, Name Day Celebration (when a holy person is commemorated by the Greek Orthodox Church), Baptisms, Weddings, Carnivals, and Festivals.

What are the name days in Greece?

https://greecetravelideas.com

# data[].attributes.body
Some things people in ancient Greece include:
1) Chariot racing
2) Wrestling
3) Dinning out
4) Horseback riding
5) Circuses
https://lisbdnet.com/what-did-ancient-greeks-do-for-entertainment/#:~:text=The%20Ancient%20Greeks%20took%20their,most%20important%20of%20all%2C%20tragedy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
what did ancient greeks do for entertainment - Lisbdnet.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The ancient Greeks loved listening to music, going to theatrical productions, creating and viewing different types of art, meeting with friends and...

# data[].attributes.body
1.Ancient Greek homes were built around a courtyard or garden.

2.Family is extremely important to Greeks and is based on social structure

3.Many women were married by the age of 14 or 16, while men commonly married around the age of 30.

4.The ancient Greeks kept themselves busy and there were plenty of chores, distractions and entertainments available to keep daily life varied.

5.In 2019, the fertility rate in Greece was at 1.35 children per woman.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
​

The painting

The scene shows an Athenian family. In the centre stands a man who is clearly a warrior. He wears body armour made of layers of linen glued together so that it was light but strong. He holds a spear and the round shield typical of the heavy infantry called hoplites. At his waist he has a sword. His head and face are protected by a helmet and he wears bronze greaves on his legs. He shakes hands with the man on the left, who is shown to be older through the staff that he carries. These two figures are commonly taken to be father and son. On the right a woman stands holding a wine jug and a special type of bowl, known as a phiale, which was used to pour wine as an offering to the gods. She may be the younger man's mother or his wife. Although the handshake and the offering to the gods are potentially ambiguous, this scene is interpreted as one of departure for, rather than return from, war.

The younger man

Written sources about Greek and especially Athenian customs of the period allow us to understand something of the background of this representation. When he was a five-day old baby, the young man's father accepted him into the family by carrying him around the hearth of the family home. If the baby had been weak or sickly, he would probably have been taken outside the city boundary and left to die, though it is suggested by some scholars that the importance of having a son and the high mortality rate of babies might have given him a chance of being rescued by a childless family. After ten days he received his name and for the rest of his early years he was brought up by the women of the household. In Athens, as in most other Greek cities, boys continued their education in the home and through their interactions with the men of the family; the sons of better-off families sometimes had professional teachers or went out to school. At the heart of a young man's education were the values and skills he needed to take on his future responsibilities as citizen and head of his family: understanding the family business, the skills of argument and public-speaking, knowledge of literature and culture, and especially physical fitness and the arts of warfare. At the age of 21 he was received into the citizen body of Athens and could take part in the running of his city. All male citizens were expected to fight for their city. The very wealthy were cavalry; those who could afford to buy the necessary equipment fought as hoplites; others served as lightly armed troops and, in Athens, the poorest as rowers in the navy.

The older man

At Athens as elsewhere in Greece the family household, known as the oikos, was the basic unit of society. The oldest male was the head of the oikos, which consisted of his wife, his sons and unmarried daughters, the sons' wives and children and the slaves. He was ultimately responsible for the well-being of the oikos, controlling its property and wealth and arranging his sons' and daughters' marriages. Landowning and agriculture were considered the most prestigious ways of earning a living in classical Athens, and even poor farmers were more highly respected than men who made money from commerce or manufacture. Average life expectancy for a man in ancient Greece was around forty years, with only about a fifth of men reaching the age of fifty and fewer again reaching sixty. When the head of the oikos died, his eldest son took over his responsibilities, even to the extent of becoming the guardian of his own mother if she was still alive.

The ideal lifestyle for the Athenian man was to have enough wealth to be able to live a life of public duty, dedicating himself to carrying out his cult responsibilities, taking part in social activities and playing his role as a citizen by holding public office and participating in the political life of the city. Men were very much the public face of the oikos as also of the larger political units in Greece.

The woman

In contrast, an ancient Greek woman's role was confined almost entirely to the home. Women had two main responsibilities: to run the house and to produce children, preferably sons. Women's life expectancy was lower than men's owing to the dangers of childbirth. Girls were married as young as twelve and could be expected to start having children within the first years of marriage. Running the home involved looking after the young children, ensuring the house had the supplies of food and other goods it needed and supervising any slaves in cooking, cleaning and purchasing supplies. Cloth making was an important aspect of a woman's duties. Because of its practical importance for the oikos, spinning and weaving also acquired a symbolic meaning: where war was the epitome of a man's role, making cloth was that of a woman.

Women also played an active role in the realm of religion - the woman on this pot is preparing a ritual libation to try to secure the gods' assistance in allowing her son or husband to return home. Religion was the only arena in which women participated prominently in the public life of the city. Many cults - in the case of Athens, the cult of Athena herself - required priestesses and /or female attendants. Women were also seen playing a public role in the context of funerals and the commemoration of the dead. Wealth and status (free citizen or resident alien) further affected the degree to which a household could afford or wished to forego the labour of women in the fields, fetching water or selling goods in the market in order to keep them isolated in the house.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching History with 100 Objects - An Athenian family

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This stamnos or wine-jar from Athens was painted in the red-figure technique by an artist scholars have named the Achilles Painter. It shows the departure of a warrior for war with members of his family around him.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Athletic Contests
2. Theater
3. Symposia
4. Relaxation treatments
5. Clubs
https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/ancient-greece-sources-of-relaxation-and-entertainment/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Since the ancient Greeks felt that life was much too valuable to be spent working, they had many sources of relaxation and entertainment. So what activities did an ancient Greek indulge in for relaxation? And did the men and women have equal opportunities to socialize and relax?

The men in ancient Greece also participated in athletic contests. Special arenas were created for athletic events, such as the one pictured here.
(Image: Georgios Kritsotakis/Shutterstock)

Ancient Greece saw people leading very relaxed lives. Most of the people were wealthy enough to not have to work for a living. When they were not dealing with a crisis, such as war, famine, illness, or bereavement-and those, of course, were all too frequent-even fairly poor Greeks led more relaxed lives than most do today.

Symposia in Ancient Greece

A symposium was basically a drinking party. It was held in a private home in a semi-formal setting. The wealthy men used to get together to drink for pleasure and engage in physically or intellectually stimulating activities.

Symposia could take a variety of forms, depending on the temperament, age, social class, proclivities, and mood of the guests. A symposium could range from being one where there were highly cultivated discussions to one where the drink overflowed and the guests indulged in sexual intercourse.

However, the awareness and pride of being a citizen weighed heavily on the guests' minds and checked the worst excesses of an unregulated drinking culture. In addition, every symposium began and ended with prayers to the gods, particularly to Dionysus, the giver of wine, and to the Agathos Daimon, the good demon or spirit.

Another important point to note is that the symposium was a vehicle by which culture was transmitted. Politics also featured at the symposium. In fact, many of the songs that the drinkers sang were politically inspired.

This is a transcript from the video series The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World. Watch it now, on Wondrium.

Clubs in Ancient Greece

Another way to relax was by going to a club. Clubs became particularly important in the Hellenistic era, that is to say in the period following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. They usually had a religious dimension-many of them were organized around the cult of a specific deity. These clubs were especially favored by foreigners.

Clubs were particularly numerous in trading centers like the Piraeus (the port of Athens), on the island of Delos, and on the island of Rhodes, largely because they served to facilitate commercial ties between their members.

Many of them functioned, too, as burial societies. Once a person was officially enrolled and so long as he continued paying his dues, he was guaranteed not only a decent burial but also periodic deliveries of food and drink at his tomb.

At the club, one could socialize, do business deals, arrange marriage contracts, gossip, enjoy a good meal, and relax. Clubs also enabled citizens and foreigners, Greeks and non-Greeks, and even slaves and free men to come into contact with one another on a somewhat equal footing.

Athletic Contests in Ancient Greece

Athletic contests were a very important part of Greek culture. The most important athletic contests were attached to the four great Panhellenic (all-Greek) festivals that were held in southern central Greece and the northern Peloponnese.

The four in question were the Olympic Games, held in honor of Zeus at Olympia; the Pythian Games, held in honor of Apollo at Delphi; the Isthmian Games, held in honor of Poseidon at Corinth; and the Nemean Games, also held in honor of Zeus at Nemea.

One of these festivals took place every year, which meant that athletes and spectators always had something to look forward to. The events included the foot race, boxing, wrestling, pankration (a combination of boxing, wrestling, and judo), hoplitodromos (a race in hoplite or heavy armour), pentathlon, horse racing, and chariot racing. The athletes competed naked-or at least that is how they appear on Greek vases-although scholars have sometimes doubted if that was really the case.

At the games, one could also attend musical contests, including flute-playing, lyre-playing, singing, tragedy, comedy, and satyric drama, and competitions in the composition and recitation of epic verse. The games were the high point of the Greek calendar. They took precedence over everything else that was happening in Greece. If a war was in progress, it had to be suspended. On the way to and from the games, one was under the protection of the gods and guaranteed safe-conduct, even when passing through enemy territory.

Learn more about being Greek.

Theater in Ancient Greece

People in ancient Greece loved attending the theater. At first, they could only see productions in Athens and its demes, but by the Hellenistic period, theaters were being established throughout the Greek world. Productions were state-sponsored and, initially, plays were performed only once, although gradually revivals became commonplace.

The most prestigious theater festival was the City Dionysia held in Athens, at which both tragedies and comedies were performed in the theater of Dionysus on the southern slope of the Acropolis. People sat in a section or wedge of the theater that was reserved exclusively for members of a particular tribe. So this was yet another way in which relaxation took on a civic flavor.

Relaxation Opportunities for Women in
Ancient Greece

In ancient Greece, there were many more opportunities for men to relax than there were for women. A well-bred woman used to spend most of her time cooped up in the home. She would never be seen in public unless she was chaperoned. She was not allowed to attend the symposium. She was not permitted to attend the games because Greek athletes participated naked. There is no information available about whether she was even permitted to attend the theater.

The limited ways in which women could relax is one of the clearest indicators of their confined status in the Greek world. There were generally only three activities that a woman could indulge in: she could occasionally host or visit her female friends; she could participate in religious festivals, those that were open to both men and women and those that were exclusive to women (so long as she was accompanied out of the house at all times); and finally, she could enjoy the company of her husband once he returned home, either at lunch or late at night.

To conclude, it is clear that in ancient Greece, relaxation had many of the aspects of work, and conversely, work had many of the aspects of relaxation, since both, to a large degree, were forms of civic expression.

Learn more about women in ancient Greece.

Common Questions about Sources of Relaxation and Entertainment in Ancient Greece

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greece: Sources of Relaxation and Entertainment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greece saw people leading very relaxed lives. Most of the people were wealthy enough to not have to work for a living. When they were not dealing with a crisis, such as war, famine, illness, or bereavement-and those, of course, were all too frequent-even fairly poor Greeks led more relaxed lives than most do today.

# data[].attributes.body
1. They worshiped many different gods (good and bad).
2. Ancient Greek religion lasted for more than a thousand years.
3. They are a polytheistic which means they believe in more than one god.
4. Some historians state that ancient Greek religion was partially derived from nearby civilizations, namely the Minoan religion and the ancient Egyptian religion.
5. Mythologies have demonstrated Mount Olympus to be the home of the major Greek gods.
https://schoolhistory.co.uk/ancient-world/ancient-greece/ancient-greek-religion/#:~:text=Ancient%20Greek%20religion%20is%20a,and%20either%20Hestia%20or%20Dionysus.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Let's find out more about Ancient Greek Religion!

Ancient Greek religion is a mixture of beliefs, mythology, rituals, and daily practices. The ancient Greeks worshipped a variety of gods. The most important deities were the twelve Olympians: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus. Each of these major gods and goddesses had their own stories, powers, roles, and contributions to Greek society. The ancient religion of Greece stretched far west to Spain, east to the Indus River, and across the Mediterranean world. It also had a palpable impact on the ancient Roman religion.

History of ancient Greek religion

After a period of time, Greek heroes were identified with divine figures, regarding their achievements and contributions to society, wars, politics, art, and to the state.

For instance, one famous hero was called by the name "Zeus Agamemnon". The ancient Greek religion evolved through time, becoming more complex and fascinating. Gradually, it became more rooted in Greece from the archaic times through the Hellenistic period, and to the period of the Roman Empire.

Origins

The origin of the ancient Greek religion is somewhat blurred. Some historians suggest that it goes back to the farmers of Neolithic Greece, prior to the Bronze Age or Helladic period.

For instance, Poseidon was believed to be the god of the sea and earthquakes by the Mycenaeans, also known as the first Greeks. Many other gods did not exist at that time, like Apollo and Aphrodite. Less than half of the Mycenaeans' temples survived and withstood the
dark ages of Greece.

Some historians state that ancient Greek religion was partially derived from nearby civilizations, namely the Minoan religion and the ancient Egyptian religion.

There is a theory named "the great goddess". This theory presents a belief of a great goddess being the creator of all. However, the great goddess was replaced by the idea of the god father, in almost every ancient polytheistic religion. For example, Zeus was shown as the king of all gods, and the sky father, though he was not the first divine entity in the ancient Greek religion.

Archaic and Classical Periods Hellenistic Period

The Hellenistic period highlights the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. and the Roman conquest of Greece in 146 B.C.

The elements of Greek religious practices slightly changed. Large sites were built for major gods not only in Greece, but also in Rome.

Some new cults were fused with the ancient Grecian religion, such as Atargatis from Syria, and Isis from Egypt.

This period witnessed many philosophical movements, developing social and religious examination. Animal sacrifices were questioned, and criticised as "unnecessary", even though a minority were educated and a number of questionable facts about the ancient Greek religion were presented. The majority of the population continued celebrating festivals and religious rituals.

Roman Empire Decline Period

Rome's expansion in different empires, religions, and cultures marked the decline of Greco-Roman polytheism.

The first emperor who converted to Christianity was Constantine I.

At that time, religions like Christianity and Mithraism became increasingly famous. Christianity was tolerated as a belief system in Rome. However, historians argue that Greece remained divided between Christian and pagan communities. They were both separated; the polytheistic Greeks continued to practice their religious rites, while Christians started building their own complexes.

Later in time, the Roman emperor Julian fought to cease any form of polytheism; however, it was not with the sword. The Roman Christians were spreading the message on a large scale. Pagans still coexisted with Christians at that time, under the policy of religious tolerance.

Theodosius I was the first emperor who enforced strict laws, banning pagan religion and its practices.

Temples were destroyed, and polytheism became prohibited even in personal religious practices at home. Then in 393 A.D., the last Olympic Games were held.

Ancient Greek beliefs
Variety of gods

Ancient Greek religion was based on the worship of numerous deities. Their gods had a hierarchic order, with Zeus as the king of the gods.

Since ancient stories recount that Zeus had saved all his brothers and sisters, the throne was his predicted destiny. He had the power to control every divine or earthly destiny. Zeus had control over everything, but every Greek god or goddess had its own power and responsibility. Zeus was the sky god, Poseidon had the sea and earthquakes, Helios was the sun god, and Hades ruled the underworld.

In myths, Ancient Greek deities were depicted in human forms, and they were able to transform into animal figures,
or be attributed with natural phenomena.

Ancient Greek gods acted as humans, in behaviour, and habits. Like humans, the gods had to accept their fate, which was out of their control. The Greeks developed a belief system demonstrating that not all gods were mighty and righteous, and all of them had to obey Moirai (fate). The Greek gods sometimes opposed each other. An ancient myth about the Trojan War argues that Aphrodite, Areas, and Apollo supported the Trojan, while Hera, Athena, and Poseidon stood with the Greeks.

Some Greek gods were associated with Greek cities, and these cities hosted their festivals and worshiped cults.

Ancient Greek Mythology

Greek Mythology revolves around stories that describe the relationship between gods and nature, gods and men, and also gods with respect to other gods.

Two of the famous myths are the heroic story of Heracles and the fated voyage of Odysseus. The Greek mythology consisted of a variety of entities - the predominant ones being gods and humans. However, their stories depicted the existence of titans before the gods and humans. There were also giants, like the one-eyed giant Cyclops.

Various fascinating stories were orally handed down from one generation to another. After a great period of time, the Grecian artists wrote them down in the form of poetry and plays. Nowadays, these pieces of writing are taken and analysed as literary works.

Greeks did not demonstrate the creation of the world in their mythology.

Sacred Writings

Religious texts were not considered relevant or necessary in ancient Greek society.
Morality Afterlife
Sanctuaries and temples

Sanctuaries usually included temples built within them. An typical ancient sanctuary consisted of a temenos around a sacred statue and an altar for offerings. The interior of the temples served no purpose but to be the place of the god's statue.

Temenos means a piece of ground surrounding or adjacent to a temple.

Altars were often large because rituals and sacrifices were carried out there. Later in time, temples provided services to people. Priests or priestesses were also believed to be wiser than men, for they mirrored the god's divine knowledge.

Temples usually had a statue of the god or goddesses, since these structures were regarded as houses of the deity. They were made of wood or terracotta,
sometimes of gold and ivory.

The most famous statues are Phidias' Athena Parthenos and the statue of Zeus.

Temples restricted entry during casual days of the year to priests only. Citizens were not allowed to enter the temple of god, regardless of their gender or social class. However, restrictions did not include virgins. It was believed that temples should preserve their sacred aspect - the reason why young girls were allowed to enter the holy premises.

Practices
Ceremonies

There were no unified religious practices across Greece since there were no priestly classes.

Religious practices were organised locally, and they differed from one city to another. Traditions of ancient Greeks paved the way for their religious practices and ceremonies.

When celebrating a particular god, ancient Greek ceremonies took place on altars. The Greeks would bring many offerings and leave them at the altar.

Sacrifices usually included animals, as they could be decapitated on the altar and burnt there to honour the gods.

Festivals

Ancient Greeks celebrated many festivals during the year.

Each major god or goddess had at least one festival. Festivals were not held in the same city. They were celebrated in different regions. Ancient Grecian games were also part of the festivals, such as the Panhellenic Games and the ancient Olympic Games. These religious practices were held at the sanctuary of Zeus.

Sacrifice

When celebrating a god or goddess, the Greeks usually sang hymns and prayers, and offered sacrifices.

The sacrifices were always of domestic animals. The chosen animal was usually decorated and guided by a girl who had a basket on her head, in which the knife was placed. The act of the sacrifice was carried out on the altar after various rituals. When the animal died, women cheered in high-pitched tones. After that, the blood of the animal was poured across the altar, and the meat was prepared for the participants to feast on.

Ancient Greeks believed that animals were glad to be taken
as a sacrifice for the deity.

Sacrifices also included simpler offerings such as throwing grains in the sacred fire. Sometimes, fluids like olive oil and honey were spilled on the altar.

Role of Women In Society

Personal Religion

Although there were public practices of the ancient Greek religion, it was more sacred when personal.

Ceremonies, festivals, and rituals to the dead only unified Greeks at particular times of the year. Most often, ancient Greek religion is depicted as more of a personal religion.

In early times, temples were places for individual purposes. Anyone could seek the gods' help with hymns and prayers at any time of the year. Offerings were left in the temples almost every day.

Ancient Greeks naturally interpreted signs from nature or animals as an indicator from the gods about the future. It was believed that the Gods appreciated personal prayers and offerings.

The ancient Greek religion was a personal polytheistic religion, shared by common sense, and handed down orally through generations. This religion unified the Greeks, and made them more productive in the arts, architecture, and politics. Indeed, the ancient Greeks are regarded as very intellectual, and their civilisation is one of the richest in the ancient world.

Image sources:

1. https://www.shorthistory.org/ancient-civilizations/ancient-greece/ancient-greek-religion/

2. http://www.evanwilliamsmusic.info/dodekatheon-sketches.html

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greek Religion Facts, Worksheets, History, Beliefs, Sanctuaries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greek religion is a mixture of beliefs, mythology, rituals, and daily practices. The ancient Greeks worshipped a variety of gods. The most important deities were the twelve Olympians: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus.

# data[].attributes.body
1. There were three groups of male citizens. Aristocrats were upper class, artisans and traders were middle class, and farmers were lower class.
2. Women belonged to each of these three classes, but they weren't considered citizens.
3. Children were not citizens, but they belonged to their family's class.
4. Slaves were not citizens and had civil duties or military duties.
5. Foreigners were not citizens and fell below men in the class system.

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/483/ancient-greek-society/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Although ancient Greek Society was dominated by the male citizen, with his full legal status, right to vote, hold public office, and own property, the social groups which made up the population of a…

# data[].attributes.body
1. In ancient Greece, the social system started off fairly simple. You were either a free man, a foreigner, or a slave.
2. Athenian society was ultimately divided into four main social classes: the upper class; the metics, or middle class; the lower class, or freedmen; and the slave class.
3. Ancient Greece relied heavily on imported goods. Their economy was defined by that dependence. Agricultural trade was of great importance because the soil in Greece was of poor quality which limited crop production.
4. These items were traded domestically among the various city-states in Ancient Greece.
5. The government was not heavily involved in the trade business of ancient Greece except when it came to grain.
https://onlinebusiness.northeastern.edu/masters-in-finance-msf/knowledge/business-in-ancient-greece/#:~:text=Ancient%20Greece%20relied%20heavily%20on,quality%20which%20limited%20crop%20production.&text=These%20items%20were%20traded%20domestically,city%2Dstates%20in%20Ancient%20Greece.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Northeastern University D'Amore-McKim School of Business

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Trading what you have for what you don't have is the basis for the idea of import and export. Civilizations throughout time have used this trade of goods to survive and thrive. As early as Homer and Hesiod, we can see written evidence of the existence of trade and merchants to buy and sell goods. This simple form of exchange is at the heart of business all over the world.

Ancient Greece relied heavily on imported goods. Their economy was defined by that dependence. Agricultural trade was of great importance because the soil in Greece was of poor quality which limited crop production. However, some food items could be produced in the Mediterranean climate such as olives, olive oil, figs, honey, meat, cheeses, and wine. These items were traded domestically among the various city-states in Ancient Greece. These could also be exchanged for other necessary items from other countries. In addition to food, Greek pottery was also valued. Ancient Greece's position in the Mediterranean allowed them to control some crucial trade routes and seaports. Some popular imports at the time were salt fish, wheat, papyrus, wood, glass, and metals such as tin, copper and silver.

In addition to trade with products, the Greek's also used currency. The drachma was a silver coin used by the ancient Greeks. The drachma dates back to the mid-6th century BC and is one of the world's earliest coins. One drachma was valued to be equal to a handful of arrows. By the 5th century BC, the Athenian drachma became the preferred version of the coin and the monetary unit used throughout the Hellenistic world. Eventually, the drachma evolved into other types of coins and currency types.

The government was not heavily involved in the trade business of ancient Greece except when it came to grain. Grain was vital to the survival of the Greek people and was controlled by purchasers known as sitones. Officials ensured the quality of the grain that went to the markets to be sold and prices were regulated.

Taxes were a part of the ancient Greek business system. They were imposed on the movement of goods through road and transit taxes. Levies were placed on imports and exports at the seaports. Special courts were established and private banks were able to perform currency exchanges and protect deposits.

Taxes in Ancient Greece were progressive. This means the taxes were imposed on the wealthy who were the most able to pay them. They thought of taxation as a matter of ethics. They believed that a society's liberty or oppression was expressed through their system of taxation. Income was not taxed. Taxes were, for the most part, voluntary. They were considered "liturgy" which in ancient Greek literally translated to "the work of the people."

This idea had its roots in mythology. Prometheus created humanity and was its greatest benefactor. The Goddess Athena gave the olive tree to be a symbol of prosperity and peace. The idea was that the rich should absorb the expenses of the city such as improvements to infrastructure or for military spending. Those that gave the funds for a project received honor and prestige. Sometimes, they competed to be the most honorable, resulting in many new buildings constructed while the wealthy sought these accolades.

The liturgy with the highest prestige was donating funds for the navy. The seaports were a crucial part of the business of ancient Greece and they had to be protected. The benefactor to the navy was known as a trierarch. They were responsible for building and maintaining warships. These warships kept the ports and waterways safe from pirates. In some cases, the trierarch was also responsible for the operation of the warship. He could, however, hire a specialist do that type of work.

Another thing funded by the wealthy were festivals and events. The Panathenaic Games were a theatrical festival paid for by these funds. The benefactor had to select a team and fund its training to prepare to participate in athletic, dramatic, or musical contests during festivals held primarily in Athens. The trophies won would often be shared with the contestants and some of them survive today to be viewed and enjoyed by modern people.

General Ancient Greece Resources

Ancient Greek Economics

Ancient Currencies

Recommended Readings
What Really Caused the Housing Bubble? What Are The Differences Between Stocks and Bonds? Northeastern University Online MSF Program

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Business in Ancient Greece | Northeastern University

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Trading what you have for what you don't have is the basis for the idea of import and export. Civilizations throughout time have used this trade of goods to survive and thrive. As early as Homer and Hesiod, we can see written evidence of the existence of trade and merchants to buy and sell goods.

# data[].attributes.body
People in greece absolutely loved drama and plays and loved to not work and just relax.
one way that ancients greeks relaxed was going to symposia which are drinking parties
another form of entertainment was going to clubs.they also like to watch athletic games. They loved going to theatres and plays. they also liked to go to religious events and other parties. https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/ancient-greece-sources-of-relaxation-and-entertainment/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Since the ancient Greeks felt that life was much too valuable to be spent working, they had many sources of relaxation and entertainment. So what activities did an ancient Greek indulge in for relaxation? And did the men and women have equal opportunities to socialize and relax?

The men in ancient Greece also participated in athletic contests. Special arenas were created for athletic events, such as the one pictured here.
(Image: Georgios Kritsotakis/Shutterstock)

Ancient Greece saw people leading very relaxed lives. Most of the people were wealthy enough to not have to work for a living. When they were not dealing with a crisis, such as war, famine, illness, or bereavement-and those, of course, were all too frequent-even fairly poor Greeks led more relaxed lives than most do today.

Symposia in Ancient Greece

A symposium was basically a drinking party. It was held in a private home in a semi-formal setting. The wealthy men used to get together to drink for pleasure and engage in physically or intellectually stimulating activities.

Symposia could take a variety of forms, depending on the temperament, age, social class, proclivities, and mood of the guests. A symposium could range from being one where there were highly cultivated discussions to one where the drink overflowed and the guests indulged in sexual intercourse.

However, the awareness and pride of being a citizen weighed heavily on the guests' minds and checked the worst excesses of an unregulated drinking culture. In addition, every symposium began and ended with prayers to the gods, particularly to Dionysus, the giver of wine, and to the Agathos Daimon, the good demon or spirit.

Another important point to note is that the symposium was a vehicle by which culture was transmitted. Politics also featured at the symposium. In fact, many of the songs that the drinkers sang were politically inspired.

This is a transcript from the video series The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World. Watch it now, on Wondrium.

Clubs in Ancient Greece

Another way to relax was by going to a club. Clubs became particularly important in the Hellenistic era, that is to say in the period following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. They usually had a religious dimension-many of them were organized around the cult of a specific deity. These clubs were especially favored by foreigners.

Clubs were particularly numerous in trading centers like the Piraeus (the port of Athens), on the island of Delos, and on the island of Rhodes, largely because they served to facilitate commercial ties between their members.

Many of them functioned, too, as burial societies. Once a person was officially enrolled and so long as he continued paying his dues, he was guaranteed not only a decent burial but also periodic deliveries of food and drink at his tomb.

At the club, one could socialize, do business deals, arrange marriage contracts, gossip, enjoy a good meal, and relax. Clubs also enabled citizens and foreigners, Greeks and non-Greeks, and even slaves and free men to come into contact with one another on a somewhat equal footing.

Athletic Contests in Ancient Greece

Athletic contests were a very important part of Greek culture. The most important athletic contests were attached to the four great Panhellenic (all-Greek) festivals that were held in southern central Greece and the northern Peloponnese.

The four in question were the Olympic Games, held in honor of Zeus at Olympia; the Pythian Games, held in honor of Apollo at Delphi; the Isthmian Games, held in honor of Poseidon at Corinth; and the Nemean Games, also held in honor of Zeus at Nemea.

One of these festivals took place every year, which meant that athletes and spectators always had something to look forward to. The events included the foot race, boxing, wrestling, pankration (a combination of boxing, wrestling, and judo), hoplitodromos (a race in hoplite or heavy armour), pentathlon, horse racing, and chariot racing. The athletes competed naked-or at least that is how they appear on Greek vases-although scholars have sometimes doubted if that was really the case.

At the games, one could also attend musical contests, including flute-playing, lyre-playing, singing, tragedy, comedy, and satyric drama, and competitions in the composition and recitation of epic verse. The games were the high point of the Greek calendar. They took precedence over everything else that was happening in Greece. If a war was in progress, it had to be suspended. On the way to and from the games, one was under the protection of the gods and guaranteed safe-conduct, even when passing through enemy territory.

Learn more about being Greek.

Theater in Ancient Greece

People in ancient Greece loved attending the theater. At first, they could only see productions in Athens and its demes, but by the Hellenistic period, theaters were being established throughout the Greek world. Productions were state-sponsored and, initially, plays were performed only once, although gradually revivals became commonplace.

The most prestigious theater festival was the City Dionysia held in Athens, at which both tragedies and comedies were performed in the theater of Dionysus on the southern slope of the Acropolis. People sat in a section or wedge of the theater that was reserved exclusively for members of a particular tribe. So this was yet another way in which relaxation took on a civic flavor.

Relaxation Opportunities for Women in
Ancient Greece

In ancient Greece, there were many more opportunities for men to relax than there were for women. A well-bred woman used to spend most of her time cooped up in the home. She would never be seen in public unless she was chaperoned. She was not allowed to attend the symposium. She was not permitted to attend the games because Greek athletes participated naked. There is no information available about whether she was even permitted to attend the theater.

The limited ways in which women could relax is one of the clearest indicators of their confined status in the Greek world. There were generally only three activities that a woman could indulge in: she could occasionally host or visit her female friends; she could participate in religious festivals, those that were open to both men and women and those that were exclusive to women (so long as she was accompanied out of the house at all times); and finally, she could enjoy the company of her husband once he returned home, either at lunch or late at night.

To conclude, it is clear that in ancient Greece, relaxation had many of the aspects of work, and conversely, work had many of the aspects of relaxation, since both, to a large degree, were forms of civic expression.

Learn more about women in ancient Greece.

Common Questions about Sources of Relaxation and Entertainment in Ancient Greece

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greece: Sources of Relaxation and Entertainment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greece saw people leading very relaxed lives. Most of the people were wealthy enough to not have to work for a living. When they were not dealing with a crisis, such as war, famine, illness, or bereavement-and those, of course, were all too frequent-even fairly poor Greeks led more relaxed lives than most do today.

# data[].attributes.body
1)There were three types of government in Greece, Democracy, monarchy, and oligarchy. 2) Only men could vote but only if they completed their military training and were considered a citizen. 3)If your name was chosen you would be on the council for one year.4) public lawsuits had a jury of 501 people. 5) For private lawsuits the jury had 201 people.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kids learn about the Government of Ancient Greece. The history of this world civilization.

# data[].attributes.body
In ancient Greek there were three separate social classes, and those three were: Native Spartans, Free Foreigners, and Helots. As a Greek society these three classes evolved with Greek. As Greece and the social systems evolved so did the flexibility of the social structure. https://study.com/academy/lesson/ancient-greece-social-class-system.html#:~:text=In%20ancient%20Greece%2C%20the%20social,a%20foreigner%2C%20or%20a%20slave.&text=Athenian%20society%20was%20ultimately%20divided,freedmen%3B%20and%20the%20slave%20class.

# data[].attributes.body
1. They preformed dramas
2. They did Athletic contest
3. Also the do clubs
4. They did theater
5. They also had drinking parties witch is called symposium
https://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/24c.html#:~:text=The%20Ancient%20Greeks%20took%20their,most%20important%20of%20all%2C%20tragedy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Different Types of Greek Drama and their importance

# data[].attributes.body
Entertainment
1. Tragedy plays
2.Comedy plays
3.Drama plays
4.theaters were used.
5.   Competition of plays

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Greek theatre began in the 6th century BCE in Athens with the performance of tragedy plays at religious festivals. These, in turn, inspired the genre of Greek comedy plays. The two types of Greek drama would be hugely popular and performances spread around the Mediterranean and influenced Hellenistic and Roman theatre.

As a consequence of their lasting popularity, the works of such great playwrights as Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes formed the foundation upon which all modern theatre is based. In a similar way, the architecture of the ancient Greek theatre has continued to inspire the design of theatres today.

The Origins of Tragedy

The exact origins of tragedy ( tragōida) are debated amongst scholars. Some have linked the rise of the genre to an earlier art form, the lyrical performance of epic poetry. Others suggest a strong link with the rituals performed in the worship of Dionysos such as the sacrifice of goats - a song ritual called trag-ōdia - and the wearing of masks. Indeed, Dionysos became known as the god of theatre and perhaps there is another connection - the drinking rites which resulted in the worshippers losing full control of their emotions and in effect becoming another person, much as actors ( hupokritai) hope to do when performing. The music and dance of Dionysiac ritual was most evident in the role of the chorus and the music provided by an aulos player, but rhythmic elements were also preserved in the use of first, trochaic tetrameter and then iambic trimeter in the delivery of the spoken words.

Plays were performed in an open-air theatre ( theatron) with wonderful acoustics and seemingly open to all of the male populace (the presence of women is contested). From the mid-5th century BCE entrance was free. The plot of a tragedy was almost always inspired by episodes from Greek mythology, which we must remember were often a part of Greek religion. As a consequence of this serious subject matter, which often dealt with moral right and wrongs and tragic no-win dilemmas, violence was not permitted on the stage, and the death of a character had to be heard from offstage and not seen. Similarly, at least in the early stages of the genre, the poet could not make comments or political statements through his play.

Due to the restricted number of actors each performer had to take on multiple roles where the use of masks, costumes, voice & gesture became extremely important.

The early tragedies had only one actor who would perform in costume and wear a mask, allowing him to impersonate gods. Here we can see perhaps the link to earlier religious ritual where proceedings might have been carried out by a priest. Later, the actor would often speak to the leader of the chorus, a group of up to 15 actors (all male) who sang and danced but did not speak. This innovation is credited to Thespis c. 520 BCE (origin of the word thespian). The actor also changed costumes during the performance (using a small tent behind the stage, the skēne, which would later develop into a monumental façade) and so break the play into distinct episodes. Later, these would develop into musical interludes. Eventually, three actors were permitted on stage but no more - a limitation which allowed for equality between poets in competition. However, a play could have as many non-speaking performers as required, so that plays with greater financial backing could put on a more spectacular production. Due to the restricted number of actors then, each performer had to take on multiple roles where the use of masks, costumes, voice, and gesture became extremely important.

Competition & Celebrated Playwrights

The most famous competition for the performance of tragedy was as part of the spring festival of Dionysos Eleuthereus or the City Dionysia in Athens. The archon, a high-ranking official of the city, decided which plays would be performed in competition and which citizens would act as chorēgoi and have the honour of funding their production while the state paid the poet and lead actors. Each selected poet would submit three tragedies and one satyr play, a type of short parody performance on a theme from mythology with a chorus of satyrs, the wild followers of Dionysos. The plays were judged on the day by a panel, and the prize for the winner of such competitions, besides honour and prestige, was often a bronze tripod cauldron. From 449 BCE there were also prizes for the leading actors ( prōtagōnistēs).

Playwrights who regularly wrote plays in competition became famous, and the three most successful were Aeschylus (c. 525 - c. 456 BCE), Sophocles (c. 496-406 BCE), and Euripides (c. 484-407 BCE). Aeschylus was known for his innovation, adding a second actor and more dialogue, and even creating sequels. He described his work as 'morsels from the feast of Homer' (Burn 206). Sophocles was extremely popular and added a third actor to the performance as wells as painted scenery. Euripides was celebrated for his clever dialogues, realism, and habit of posing awkward questions to the audience with his thought-provoking treatment of common themes. The plays of these three were re-performed and even copied into scripts for 'mass' publication and study as part of every child's education.

Greek Comedy - Origins

The precise origins of Greek comedy plays are lost in the mists of prehistory, but the activity of men dressing as and mimicking others must surely go back a long way before written records. The first indications of such activity in the Greek world come from pottery, where decoration in the 6th century BCE frequently represented actors dressed as horses, satyrs, and dancers in exaggerated costumes. Another early source of comedy is the poems of Archilochus (7th century BCE) and Hipponax (6th century BCE) which contain crude and explicit sexual humour. A third origin, and cited as such by Aristotle, lies in the phallic songs which were sung during Dionysiac festivals.

A Greek Comedy Play

Although innovations occurred, a comedy play followed a conventional structure. The first part was the parados where the Chorus of as many as 24 performers entered and performed a number of song and dance routines. Dressed to impress, their outlandish costumes could represent anything from giant bees with huge stingers to knights riding another man in imitation of a horse or even a variety of kitchen utensils. In many cases the play was actually named after the Chorus, e.g., Aristophanes' .

The second phase of the show was the agon which was often a witty verbal contest or debate between the principal actors with fantastical plot elements and the fast changing of scenes which may have included some improvisation. The third part of the play was the parabasis, when the Chorus spoke directly to the audience and even directly spoke for the poet. The show-stopping finale of a comedy play was the exodos when the Chorus gave another rousing song and dance routine.

As in tragedy plays, all performers were male actors, singers, and dancers. One star performer and two other actors performed all of the speaking parts. On occasion, a fourth actor was permitted but only if non-instrumental to the plot. Comedy plays allowed the playwright to address more directly events of the moment than the formal genre of tragedy. The most famous comedy playwrights were Aristophanes (460 - 380 BCE) and Menander (c. 342-291 BCE) who won festival competitions just like the great tragedians. Their works frequently poked fun at politicians, philosophers, and fellow artists, some of whom were sometimes even in the audience. Menander was also credited with helping to create a different version of comedy plays known as New Comedy (so that previous plays became known as Old Comedy). He introduced a young romantic lead to plays, which became, along with several other stock types such as a cook and a cunning slave, a popular staple character. New Comedy also saw more plot twists, suspense, and treatment of common people and their daily problems.

Legacy

New plays were continuously being written and performed, and with the formation of actors' guilds in the 3rd century BCE and the mobility of professional troupes, Greek theatre continued to spread across the Mediterranean with theatres becoming a common feature of the urban landscape from Magna Graecia to Asia Minor. In the Roman world plays were translated and imitated in Latin, and the genre gave rise to a new art form from the 1st century BCE, pantomime, which drew inspiration from the presentation and subject matter of Greek tragedy. Theatre was now firmly established as a popular form of entertainment and it would endure right up to the present day. Even the original 5th-century BCE plays have continued to inspire modern theatre audiences with their timeless examination of universal themes as they are regularly re-performed around the world, sometimes, as at Epidaurus, in the original theatres of ancient Greece.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Greek theatre began in the 6th century BCE in Athens with the performance of tragedy plays at religious festivals. These, in turn, inspired the genre of Greek comedy plays. The two types of Greek drama...

# data[].attributes.body
The Ancient Greeks were polytheistic meaning they believed in man gods and goddesses. One Goddess is Artemis. She is the twin sister of the god Apollo. shes is the goddess of wild animals, the hunt, vegetation and of chastity and childbirth. she has also been called the goddess of the moon. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-Greek-goddess

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Artemis, in Greek religion, the goddess of wild animals, the hunt, and vegetation and of chastity and childbirth; she was identified by the Romans with Diana. Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo. Among the rural populace, Artemis was the favourite goddess. Her character and function varied greatly from place to place, but, apparently, behind all forms lay the goddess of wild nature, who danced, usually accompanied by nymphs, in mountains, forests, and marshes. Artemis embodied the sportsman's ideal, so besides killing game she also protected it, especially the young; this was the Homeric significance of the title Mistress of Animals.

The worship of Artemis probably flourished in Crete or on the Greek mainland in pre-Hellenic times. Many of Artemis's local cults, however, preserved traces of other deities, often with Greek names, suggesting that, upon adopting her, the Greeks identified Artemis with nature divinities of their own. The virginal sister of Apollo is very different from the many-breasted Artemis of Ephesus, for example.

Dances of maidens representing tree nymphs ( dryads) were especially common in Artemis's worship as goddess of the tree cult, a role especially popular in the Peloponnese. Throughout the Peloponnese, bearing such epithets as Limnaea and Limnatis (Lady of the Lake), Artemis supervised waters and lush wild growth, attended by nymphs of wells and springs (naiads). In parts of the peninsula her dances were wild and lascivious.

Outside the Peloponnese, Artemis's most familiar form was as Mistress of Animals. Poets and artists usually pictured her with the stag or hunting dog, but the cults showed considerable variety. For instance, the Tauropolia festival at Halae Araphenides in Attica honoured Artemis Tauropolos (Bull Goddess), who received a few drops of blood drawn by sword from a man's neck.

The frequent stories of the love affairs of Artemis's nymphs are supposed by some to have originally been told of the goddess herself. The poets after Homer, however, stressed Artemis's chastity and her delight in the hunt, dancing and music, shadowy groves, and the cities of just men. The wrath of Artemis was proverbial, for to it myth attributed wild nature's hostility to humans. Yet Greek sculpture avoided Artemis's unpitying anger as a motif. In fact, the goddess herself did not become popular as a subject in the great sculptural schools until the relatively gentle 4th-century-bce spirit prevailed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Artemis, in Greek religion, the goddess of wild animals, the hunt, and vegetation and of chastity and childbirth; she was identified by the Romans with Diana. She was the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo. Among the rural populace, Artemis was the favorite goddess.

# data[].attributes.body
1) Greece came up with democracy.
2) Greece also had monarchy and oligarchy.
3) Greece came up with the senate.
4) Before Greece was combined it was a bunch of small kingdoms.
5) Each small kingdom was ruled by a local king who decided how the next ruler was elected.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You may have heard that ancient Greece invented democracy, but democracy was only one type of government employed by the Greeks, and when it first evolved, many Greeks thought it a bad idea.

In the pre-Classical period, ancient Greece was composed of small geographic units ruled by a local king. Over time, groups of the leading aristocrats replaced the kings. Greek aristocrats were powerful, hereditary noblemen and wealthy landowners whose interests were at odds with the majority of the populace.

Ancient Greece Had Many Governments

In ancient times, the area that we call Greece was many independent, self-governing city-states. The technical, much-used term for these city-states is (the plural of ). We're familiar with the governments of the 2 leading poleis, Athens and Sparta.

Poleis joined together voluntarily for protection against the Persians. Athens served as the head [ technical term to learn: hegemon] of the Delian League.

The aftermath of the Peloponnesian War eroded the integrity of the poleis, as successive poleis dominated each other. Athens was temporarily forced to give up its democracy.

Then the Macedonians, and later, the Romans incorporated the Greek poleis into their empires, putting an end to the independent polis.

Probably one of the first things learned from history books or classes on ancient Greece is that the Greeks invented democracy. Athens originally had kings, but gradually, by the 5th century B.C., it developed a system that required active, ongoing participation of the citizens. Rule by the demes or people is a literal translation of the word "democracy".

While virtually all citizens were allowed to participate in democracy, citizens did not include:

women

children

enslaved people

resident aliens, including those from other Greek poleis

This means that the majority were excluded from the democratic process.

The democratization of Athens was gradual, but the germ of it, the assembly, was part of the other poleis, even Sparta.

Democracy Didn't Just Mean Everyone Votes

The modern world looks at democracy as a matter of electing men and women (in theory our equals, but in practice already powerful people or those we look up to) by voting, perhaps once a year or four. The Classical Athenians might not even recognize such limited participation in the government as a democracy.

Democracy is rule by the people, not rule by majority vote, although voting -- quite a lot of it -- was part of the ancient procedure, as was selection by lot. Athenian democracy included the appointment of citizens to the office and active participation in the running of the country.

Citizens didn't just elect their favorites to represent them. They sat on court cases in very large numbers, perhaps as high as 1500 and as low as 201, voted, by various not necessarily precise methods, including estimation of hands raised, and spoke their minds on everything affecting the community in the assembly [ technical term to learn: ecclesia], and they might be selected by lot as one of the equal numbers of magistrates from each of the tribes to sit on the council [ technical term to learn: Boule].

When we think of tyrants, we think of oppressive, autocratic rulers. In ancient Greece, tyrants could be benevolent and supported by the populace, although not usually the aristocrats. However, a tyrant did not gain supreme power by constitutional means; nor was he the hereditary monarch. Tyrants seized power and generally maintained their position by means of mercenaries or soldiers from another polis. Tyrants and oligarchies (the aristocratic rule by the few) were the main forms of government of the Greek poleis after the fall of the kings.

Sparta was less interested than Athens in following the will of the people. The people were supposed to be working for the good of the state. However, just as Athens experimented with a novel form of government, so also was Sparta's system unusual. Originally, monarchs ruled Sparta, but over time, Sparta hybridized its government:

the kings remained, but there were 2 of them at a time so one could go to war

there were also 5 annually-elected ephors

a council of 28 elders [technical term to learn: Gerousia]

an assembly of the people

The kings were a monarchical element, the ephors and Gerousia were an oligarchic component, and the assembly was a democratic element.

At the time of Philip of Macedonia and his son Alexander the Great, the government of Macedonia was monarchical. Macedonia's monarchy was not only hereditary but powerful, unlike Sparta whose kings held circumscribed powers. Although the term may not be accurate, captures the essence of the Macedonian monarchy. With the Macedonian victory over mainland Greece at the Battle of Chaeronea, the Greek poleis ceased to be independent but were forced to join the Corinthian League.

Usually, the types of government relevant to ancient Greece are listed as three: Monarchy, Oligarchy (generally synonymous with rule by the aristocracy), and Democracy. Simplifying, Aristotle divided each into good and bad forms. Democracy in its extreme form is mob rule. Tyrants are a type of monarch, with their own self-serving interests paramount. For Aristotle, oligarchy was a bad type of aristocracy. Oligarchy, which means rule by the few, was rule by and for the wealthy for Aristotle. He preferred rule by the aristocrats who were, by definition, those who were the best. They would operate to reward merit and in the interests of the state.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Points to Know About Ancient Greek Government

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Democracy was only one type of government employed by the Ancient Greeks. Government varied from place to place and evolved over time.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Hades never truly ever caused mischeif

2. Hades was the most loyal out of his brothers. He remained loyal to Persephone.

3. It is never recorded that Hades saught revenge on mortals, despite not being commonly worshipped.

4. He didn't murder others for trying to steal Persephone.

5. He never plotted against his younger brother, Zues.

# data[].attributes.body
Some activities that the Ancient Greeks performed for entertainment include:

- Boxing
- Chariot Racing
- Olympic Activities (Discus Throw, Running, Jumping)
- Wrestling
- Horse Racing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
what did ancient greeks do for entertainment - Lisbdnet.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The ancient Greeks loved listening to music, going to theatrical productions, creating and viewing different types of art, meeting with friends and...

# data[].attributes.body
1) The main Greek religion is polytheistic
2) Zeus is the ruler of all of the Greek gods.
3) All of the gods and goddesses lived at the top of Mount Olympus.
4) The Greeks believed all the gods and goddess came from Gaia and Uranos.
5) Priests looked after temples and visitors that came to the temples.
http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/greece/greekgods.htm

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Interesting Fact: The Greeks believed the gods and goddesses had human qualities.

Religion was important to the ancient Greeks because they believed that it would make their lives better while they were living. They also believed the gods would take care of them when they died.

The Ancient Greeks believed in many different gods and goddesses. The Greeks believed that these gods and goddesses controlled everything in their lives and the environment. There was a god for every aspect of their lives. It was important to please the gods; happy gods helped you, but unhappy gods punished you. People had special places in their homes where they could pray to the gods. There were also public shrines in all sorts of places where people could pray and leave presents.
Temples
The Greeks, to show the gods how important they were, built temples in every town for one god or goddess. The temples were not like modern places of worship, for ordinary people to pray in. They were homes for statues of gods, which were cared for by priests. Religious ceremonies and festivals went on outside the temple.
Priests
Priests were important people in the community. They were believed to have the power to talk to the gods and so were respected and trusted.

There were only two ways you could become a priest. Either your mother or father was a priest or you were made a priest by a dying priest.

A priest main job was to look after the temples and the visitors to the temples.
Greek Gods
The Ancient Greeks believed that all the gods came from Gaia (the Earth) and Uranos (the sky).They thought they were like adult humans - always falling in love, arguing, having children, playing music and partying. Like the Romans, the Greeks believed that different gods were responsible for different things.
Click here for a list of the Greek Gods Mount Olympus
The Greeks believed that twelve most important gods and goddesses lived at the top of Mount Olympus. They were a family and, just like a human family, they argued as well as looking after each other.

Mount Olympus, in northern Greece, is the highest mountain in the country. It was believed to be the home of the gods, because it was often so cloudy and no-one could see its summit.
Who was the ruler of the Greek gods?
The ruler of the gods was Zeus. His symbol was the thunderbolt.
Click here for a list of the Greek Gods

More Interesting Facts:

Many festivals were held in honour of the gods.

The Greeks built temples to be the gods and goddesses homes. The temples showed how wealthy and powerful the city was. Rich cities, like Athens, built temples of the best stone, and decorated them with paintings, statues and carvings.

People prayed and gave offerings to gods to grant their wishes; for a good harvest, a good journey, for their children to become beautiful etc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Religion and Ancient Greece Gods for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Interesting Fact: The Greeks believed the gods and goddesses had human qualities. Religion was important to the ancient Greeks because they believed that it would make their lives better while they were living. They also believed the gods would take care of them when they died.

# data[].attributes.body
Theaters were invented by the ancient Greeks. They could hold up to 14,000 people. Early Greek theaters were built on hill sides and were circular. There were never more than three actors on stage at one time and they were almost always men or boys. The plays were either comedies or tragedies.
Olympic games began around 776 BCE. They were held every 4 years to honor zeus. Over 40,000 spectators would come to watch the events. In the Ancient Greek long jump, instead of taking a running jump athletes took a short run up carrying a heavy weight in each hand, which they swung forward as they jumped from a standing position.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Theatres were invented by the Greeks. They could hold up to 14,000 people and audiences would come from all over Greece. Early Greek theatres were usually built into hillsides and were circular, so that all members of the audience could hear what the actors were saying. There were never more than three actors on stage at one time and they were almost always men or boys.

The plays were either comedies or tragedies. The actors wore masks ( like the one pictured on the right) so that the audience members sitting far away could easily spot different characters. But the masks muffled the actors' voices, so they had to speak very loudly to be heard by the audience.

To help the actors, in front of the stage was the chorus. They would chant songs or explain the background to the story being acted out.

2,700 years of the Olympic Games!

The Olympic Games began around 776 BCE. They were held at Olympia every four years, in honour of Zeus, who was the father and most powerful of all the gods ( Zeus is shown on the coin pictured opposite).

Over 40,000 spectators would come to watch the events. The games started off with just one event: a sprint across the stadium. Gradually more events were added, including javelin, discus, chariot racing, boxing and the long jump.

People still compete in many of these events, but today they are usually very different and much safer. In the Ancient Greek long jump, instead of taking a running jump athletes took a short run up carrying a heavy weight in each hand, which they swung forward as they jumped from a standing position. The heavy weights pulled the athlete forward in order to give them a longer jump.

Glossary

Chorus - a group of people who sing together

Comedy - showing the funny side of a story

Compete - to try to win or do something better than another person

Spectators - people who watch an event, like a sport or a play

Tragedy - a serious story, or a lesson about right and wrong

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greeks: Everyday Life, Beliefs and Myths

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Theatres were invented by the Greeks. They could hold up to 14,000 people and audiences would come from all over Greece. Early Greek theatres were usually built into hillsides and were circular, so that all members of the audience could hear what the actors were saying.

# data[].attributes.body
1) They worshiped many gods who each did something different

2) Ancient Greek religion is a mixture of beliefs, mythology, rituals, and daily practices.

3)  The most important deities were the twelve Olympians: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus.

4) The sole requirements for the Greeks were to believe that the gods existed and to perform ritual and sacrifice, through which the gods received their due.

5) Greek religion affected their daily lives because they made so many things for their gods and did every day things like sacrifices and games for their gods.

# data[].attributes.headline
1. The Greeks used drama as entertainment     Zach S

# data[].attributes.subject
1. The Greeks used drama as entertainment     Zach S

# data[].attributes.body
2.  the Greeks used tragedy as one of the forms of drama.

3.  They used comedy as entertainment

4.The actor wore masks.

5.2,700 years of Olympic games

# data[].attributes.body
1.  Ancient Greeks used to listen to music and watch plays put on by there folks.
2. Greeks also used to host footraces on the streets for little money.
3. Greeks would also do discus throws for competitions.
4. Over 40,000 people would come to these copetitions like horse racing. This was very popular.
5. Greek daredevils would explore the Samaria Gorge and make maps for the citizens of Greece.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
what did ancient greeks do for fun - Lisbdnet.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The ancient Greeks loved listening to music, going to theatrical productions, creating and viewing different types of art, meeting with friends and...

# data[].attributes.body
Ancient Greeks went to museums, galleries, and, theatre for entertainment.

# data[].attributes.body
The greeks had  many different forms of government. They had democracies, monarchy, and an oligarchy. Ancient Greek Government | Twinkl

# data[].attributes.body
The main events are......
1.chariot racing (chariot racing was made in the ancient world, a popular form of contest between small two-wheeled vehicles drawn by two-, four-, or six-horse teams.

2.horseback riding

3.running

4.wrestling

5.drama

# data[].attributes.body
The greeks did drama plays. Aeschylus was a greek playwright. Theaters were invented in greece. They started the olympic games. The Olympics originally had 1 game.
https://www.mylearning.org/stories/ancient-greeks-everyday-life-beliefs-and-myths/412
https://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/24c.html#:~:text=The%20Ancient%20Greeks%20took%20their,most%20important%20of%20all%2C%20tragedy.&text=The%20first%20master%20of%20comedy%20was%20the%20playwright%20Aristophanes.

# data[].attributes.body
In Greek religion they worship many gods. One of their gods are Zeus. Zeus is the god of the sky. Another Greek god Hera. Hera is the god of Marriage. Poseidon is the god of the Sea. Another Greek God is Demeter. Demeter is the goddess agriculture.  Another Greek god is Ares. Ares is the god of war.

# data[].attributes.body
The anchinet greeks preformed drama plays and explored the outside world for entertainment. The Different Types of Greek Drama and their importance - PBS

# data[].attributes.body
The greeks worshiped many different gods and goddesess. The all represented somthing in the natural world.https://www.twinkl.com/blog/the-greek-gods-and-goddesses-facts-for-kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Greek Gods and Goddesses: Facts for Kids - Twinkl Blog

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Instant access to inspirational lesson plans, schemes of work, assessment, interactive activities, resource packs, PowerPoints, teaching ideas at Twinkl!

# data[].attributes.body
1. What they did for entertainment was that they did chariot races, horseback riding, running, wrestling, and more.
2. For their running, they did long jumps. Instead of them taking a running jump, they took a short run up while carrying a heavy weight in both hands, which they swung forward as they jumped from a standing position.
3. The weight carried them forward instead of them running.
4. For the chariot races, they hooked a horse to a two-wheeled cart (called a chariot). They had up to 10 people race at a time.
5. The horses raced up to two to four hours.

# data[].attributes.body
Entertainment

1. Theater

2. Archaeological sites

3. Museums

4. Galleries

5. Clubs

6. Athletic Contesthttps://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/ancient-greece-sources-of-relaxation-and-entertainment/

# data[].attributes.body
1.Traditionally Greeks are named after a religious saint like the name Hellenic.
2.For ester they buy old or make their own Easter candles, they then would take these candles to their church.
3.On Christmas eve children leave their houses and go around their neighborhood to sing Greek Christmas carols and usually rewarded with sweets, dried fruit or change.
4. The first day of the moth is kinds of a big deal because they say that the first day of each moth is a new beginning and they wish each other great thing for the rest of the month.
5.They smash plates to symbolize happiness, joy or music appreciation at a party. They call it plate smashing.

# data[].attributes.body
Women had no rights. The olny people who could vote or own properety were men who were citizens.    Gender Relations and Sexual Behavior in Ancient Greece

# data[].attributes.body
Anichent greeks had many different forms of art. Their building teqniuquies were very strong. They also had very gifted philosifers and scientists. Introduction to Greek architecture (article) | Khan Academy

# data[].attributes.body
1. the would go to theaters, they would do dramas and comedies.
2. they would like to play hockey.
3. they would race horse called chariot racing 4.they love listing to music.
5. they would play discus throw.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What activities did Greeks do for fun?

The Ancient Greeks, specifically the boys, enjoyed physical activities, such as playing hockey. The boys often played their games naked so girls could not watch them play. Ancient Greeks also enjoyed going to the theater for their entertainment.

How do Athenians relax?

Hardly surprisingly, the Athenians were able to spend most of their day relaxing. A typical Athenian usually rose before dawn and, assuming he lived in Athens or its environs, he took a leisurely stroll down to the Agora. The Agora was located in the heart of the city, directly to the north of the Acropolis.

What did ancient Greek people do in their free time?

In Ancient Greece, leisure mainly served as an activity that took up the entire day for the elite, whereas for the slaves it consisted of the little time free from the orders of the master. It was mainly used to engage in intellectual conversations, and plain activities like sports.

What were the two main types of plays performed by the Greeks?

There were two main types of plays that the Greeks performed: tragedies and comedies.

Tragedy - Greek tragedies were very serious plays with a moral lesson. They usually told the story of a mythical hero who would eventually meet his doom because of his pride.

Comedy - Comedies were more light-hearted than tragedies.
How much money do you need in Greece?

How much money will you need for your trip to Greece? You should plan to spend around €123 ($146) per day on your vacation in Greece, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, €32 ($38) on meals for one day and €24 ($28) on local transportation.

What did people do for leisure in ancient Greece?

Going to a brothel was a great way to enjoy one's leisure time in ancient Greece. Gladiators were armed combatants, often slaves, who would fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowd. This was a recreational activity that any class of citizen could enjoy, as the fights were open to every level of citizen to watch.

What are the best things to do in Greece?

From surfing to hiking and from cycling to sailing, the list of things to do in Greece is endless! Whether you're an adventure lover or a history nerd, there are Greece activities for every taste and budget that will make you fall even deeper in love with Greece. Let us plan the trip of your dreams!

Why was the Olympic Games important to ancient Greece?

The Olympic Games began in Greece as a series of athletic competitions among representatives of city-states around ancient Greece. These games were held in the honor of the Greek god Zeus. Originally they only lasted for one day and competitors only competed in one event: the stadion race.

What was the way of life in ancient Greece?

Philosophy in ancient Greece was seen not only as a means of recreation, but also as a way of life. Great philosophers like Plato and Aristotle spoke of and debated about topics such as politics, metaphysics, ethics, logic, rhetoric, and more. They inspired those that followed them as well as cultures today.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What activities did Greeks do for fun? – SidmartinBio

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Ancient Greeks, specifically the boys, enjoyed physical activities, such as playing hockey. The boys often played their games naked so girls could not watch them play. Ancient Greeks also enjoyed going to the theater for their entertainment.

# data[].attributes.body
1.Ancient Greeks kept themselves busy and there are plenty  of cores for them to do
2.men take a big part in public
3.Women lived more active lives than other city-state
4. in the hot Greece summers social life in Greece tends to be outside.
5.when at sundown much of the Greeks strolls up and down the main street

# data[].attributes.body
1) Greek religion has lasted longer than one thousand years!
2) Most Greeks believe in a god
3) They would do festivals for gods that were  honored
4) Zeus is the god of weather
5) Sacred writings survive in the forms of Hymn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The gods

The early Greeks personalized every aspect of their world, natural and cultural, and their experiences in it. The earth, the sea, the mountains, the rivers, custom-law ( themis), and one's share in society and its goods were all seen in personal as well as naturalistic terms. When Achilles fights with the River in the Iliad, the River speaks to Achilles but uses against him only such weapons as are appropriate to a stream of water. In Hesiod what could be distinguished as anthropomorphic deities and personalizations of natural or cultural phenomena both beget and are begotten by each other. Hera is of the first type-goddess of marriage but not identified with marriage. Earth is evidently of the second type, as are, in a somewhat different sense, Eros and Aphrodite (god and goddess of sexual desire) and Ares (god of war). These latter are personalized and anthropomorphized, but their worshippers may be "filled" with them. Some deities have epithets that express a particular aspect of their activities. Zeus is known as Zeus Xenios in his role as guarantor of guests. It is possible that Xenios was originally an independent deity, absorbed by Zeus as a result of the Olympo-centric tendencies of Greek religion encouraged by the poems of Homer and Hesiod.

In Homer the gods constitute essentially a super- aristocracy. The worshippers of these gods do not believe in reward or punishment after death; one's due must come in this life. Every success shows that the gods are well disposed, for the time being at least; every failure shows that some god is angry, usually as a result of a slight, intended or unintended, rather than from the just or unjust behaviour of one mortal to another. The Greeks knew what angered their mortal aristocracy and extrapolated from there. Prayer and sacrifice, however abundant, could not guarantee that the gods would grant success. The gods might prefer peace on Olympus to helping their worshippers. These are not merely literary fictions; they reflect the beliefs of people who knew that though it might be necessary to offer prayer and sacrifice to the gods, it was not sufficient. Greeks and Trojans sacrificed to their gods to ensure divine support in war and at other times of crisis. It was believed that Zeus, the strongest of the gods, had favoured the Trojans, while Hera had favoured the Greeks. Yet Troy fell, like many another city. The Homeric poems here offer an explanation for something that the Greek audience might at any time experience themselves.

Giraudon-Art Resource, New York

There is no universal determinism in Homer or in other early writers. Moira ("share") denotes one's earthly portion, all the attributes, possessions, goods, or ills that together define one's position in society. Homeric society is stratified, from Zeus to the meanest beggar. To behave in accordance with one's share is to behave in accordance with one's status; even a beggar may go beyond his share, though he is likely to be punished for it. Zeus, the most powerful entity in Homer's universe, certainly has the power to go beyond his share; but if he does so, the other gods will not approve. And Zeus may be restrained, unless he feels that his "excellence," his ability to perform the action, is being called into question. Then he may insist on displaying his excellence, as do Achilles and Agamemnon, whose values coincide with those of Zeus in such matters.

In Homer, hērōī denotes the greatest of the living warriors. The cults of these mighty men developed later around their tombs. Heroes were worshipped as the most powerful of the dead, who were able, if they wished, to help the inhabitants of the polis in which their bones were buried. Thus, the Spartans brought back the bones of Orestes from Tegea. Historical characters might be elevated to the status of heroes at their deaths. During the Peloponnesian War, the inhabitants of Amphipolis heroized the Spartan general Brasidas, who had fought so well and bravely and died in their defense. It is power, not righteousness, that distinguishes the hero; it is the feeling of awe before the old, blind Oedipus that stimulates the Thebans and the Athenians to quarrel over his place of burial. Since they are the mightiest of the dead, heroes receive offerings suitable for chthonic (underworld) deities.

Cosmogony

Of several competing cosmogonies in Archaic Greece, Hesiod's Theogony is the only one that has survived in more than fragments. It records the generations of the gods from Chaos (literally, "Yawning Gap") through Zeus and his contemporaries to the gods who had two divine parents (e.g., Apollo and Artemis, born of Zeus and Leto) and the mortals who had one divine parent (e.g., Heracles, born of Zeus and Alcmene). Hesiod uses the relationships of the deities, by birth, marriage, or treaty, to explain why the world is as it is and why Zeus, the third supreme deity of the Greeks, has succeeded in maintaining his supremacy-thus far-where his predecessors failed. Essentially, Zeus is a better politician and has the balance of power, practical wisdom, and good counsel on his side. (Whether Hesiod or some earlier thinker produced this complex nexus of relationships, with which Hesiod could account for virtually anything that had occurred or might occur in the future, the grandeur of this intellectual achievement should not be overlooked.)

Mortals

In the period in Greece between Homer and about 450 bc the language of relationships between god and god, mortal and god, and lower-status mortal with higher-status mortal was the same. The deities remained a super-aristocracy. There was a scale of power and excellence on which the position of every mortal and every deity could be plotted. Both god and mortal were likely to resent any attempt of an inferior to move higher on the scale. It constituted hybris ("overweening pride," or hubris) for a Greek hērōs to claim that he would have a safe voyage whether or not the gods were willing; it was likewise hubris for Electra to presume to criticize the behaviour of her mother, Clytemnestra.

A further reason for Olympian disapproval, only marginally present in Homer, was the pollution caused by certain actions and experiences, such as childbirth, death, or having a bad dream. The divine world of the Greeks was bisected by a horizontal line. Above that line were the Olympians, gods of life, daylight, and the bright sky; and below it were the chthonic gods of the dead and of the mysterious fertility of the earth. The Olympians kept aloof from the underworld gods and from those who should be in their realm: Creon is punished in Sophocles' Antigone by the Olympians for burying Antigone alive, for she is still "theirs," and for failing to bury the dead Polyneices, gobbets of whose flesh are polluting their altars; and Artemis abandons Hippolytus, her most ardent worshipper, as his death approaches, for all corpses pollute. Pollution was not a moral concept, and it further complicated relationships between the Greeks and their gods.

Courtesy of the trustees of the British Museum

In Homer only the gods were by nature immortal, but Elysium was reserved for their favoured sons-in-law, whom they exempted from death. Heracles alone gained a place on Olympus by his own efforts. The ordinary hero hated death, for the dead were regarded as strengthless doubles who had to be revived with drafts of blood, mead, wine, and water in order to enable them to speak. They were conducted, it was believed, to the realm of Hades by Hermes; but the way was barred, according to popular accounts, by the marshy river Styx. Across this, Charon ferried all who had received at least token burial, and coins were placed in the mouths of corpses to pay the fare.

Originally, only great sinners like Ixion, Sisyphus, and Tityus, who had offended the gods personally, were punished in Tartarus. But the doctrines of the Orphics influenced the lyric poet Pindar, the philosopher Empedocles, and, above all, Plato. According to the latter, the dead were judged in a meadow by Aeacus, Minos, and Rhadamanthus and were consigned either to Tartarus or to the Isles of the Blest. Long periods of purgation were required before the wicked could regain their celestial state, while some were condemned forever. The dead were permitted to choose lots for their next incarnation. Subsequently they drank from the stream of Lethe, the river of oblivion, and forgot all of their previous experiences. ( See also Orpheus; mystery religion: History).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Greek religion - Beliefs, practices, and institutions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Greek religion - Greek religion - Beliefs, practices, and institutions: The early Greeks personalized every aspect of their world, natural and cultural, and their experiences in it.

# data[].attributes.body
1. They took drama very seriously as a big part of entertainment
2. They also used comedy to mock men as entertainment
3. They would also play a lot of music
4. They made art for peoples viewing pleasure
5. They also enjoyed doing physical activities which today we call sports

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Different Types of Greek Drama and their importance

# data[].attributes.body
1. comedy plays
2. tragedy plays
3. satyr plays
4. wrestling
5. chariot racing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Different Types of Greek Drama and their importance

# data[].attributes.body
1- They played games, told each other stories, and played music
2- They liked to tour the nature and museums
3- The Greeks liked to watch and perform plays
4- They did horse back riding and chariot racing
5- They did running and wrestling

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
what did ancient greeks do for entertainment - Lisbdnet.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The ancient Greeks loved listening to music, going to theatrical productions, creating and viewing different types of art, meeting with friends and...

# data[].attributes.body
1.The greeks invented theatres and were a form of entertainment
2.The greeks relied on drama to get excitement out of their ordinary lives
3.Greeks came up with marathons and foot races as a old way of having competition.
4.would trap animals preferably beasts and put gladiators like rome almost against them for entertainment or they'd use prisoners of war or very bad inmates to fight animals.
5.They loved tragedy plays and plays with violent nature and action involved.
https://www.mylearning.org/stories/ancient-greeks-everyday-life-beliefs-and-myths/412

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Theatres were invented by the Greeks. They could hold up to 14,000 people and audiences would come from all over Greece. Early Greek theatres were usually built into hillsides and were circular, so that all members of the audience could hear what the actors were saying. There were never more than three actors on stage at one time and they were almost always men or boys.

The plays were either comedies or tragedies. The actors wore masks ( like the one pictured on the right) so that the audience members sitting far away could easily spot different characters. But the masks muffled the actors' voices, so they had to speak very loudly to be heard by the audience.

To help the actors, in front of the stage was the chorus. They would chant songs or explain the background to the story being acted out.

2,700 years of the Olympic Games!

The Olympic Games began around 776 BCE. They were held at Olympia every four years, in honour of Zeus, who was the father and most powerful of all the gods ( Zeus is shown on the coin pictured opposite).

Over 40,000 spectators would come to watch the events. The games started off with just one event: a sprint across the stadium. Gradually more events were added, including javelin, discus, chariot racing, boxing and the long jump.

People still compete in many of these events, but today they are usually very different and much safer. In the Ancient Greek long jump, instead of taking a running jump athletes took a short run up carrying a heavy weight in each hand, which they swung forward as they jumped from a standing position. The heavy weights pulled the athlete forward in order to give them a longer jump.

Glossary

Chorus - a group of people who sing together

Comedy - showing the funny side of a story

Compete - to try to win or do something better than another person

Spectators - people who watch an event, like a sport or a play

Tragedy - a serious story, or a lesson about right and wrong

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greeks: Everyday Life, Beliefs and Myths

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Theatres were invented by the Greeks. They could hold up to 14,000 people and audiences would come from all over Greece. Early Greek theatres were usually built into hillsides and were circular, so that all members of the audience could hear what the actors were saying.

# data[].attributes.headline
Alain Chen(DID NOT COPY AND PASTE):-) ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ♡

# data[].attributes.subject
Alain Chen(DID NOT COPY AND PASTE):-) ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ♡

# data[].attributes.body
1. Most Greeks were named after a religious saint.2. People celebrate his name on a given day of the year.3. In Greek, Carnival is called "Apokries". 4. Easter was the most important holiday in ancient Greek. 5. Greece to get engaged before getting married just like today.

https://www.greeka.com/greece-culture/traditions/#:~:text=Most%20Greeks%20are%20named%20after,offer%20wishes%20and%20small%20presents.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Greeks could read signs from animals as a warning for things in the future.
2. They are polytheistic
3. Most of there religion practices were hidden and to very few people.
4. Ceremonies for dead people were only at certain times in the year.

https://schoolhistory.co.uk/ancient-world/ancient-greece/ancient-greek-religion/#:~:text=Ancient Greeks naturally interpreted signs,handed down orally through generations.

# data[].attributes.body
1. They eat olives at every meal in a different form
2. Engagement is huge for them the wives goes in to the city and the soon to be husband ask her dad for permission
3.When kids turn six they start playing instruments
4.They were big in wine that they grew themselves
5.They had festival to worship gods and people would dress in costumes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greek Culture - History for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Different cities in Ancient Greece had different cultures and traditions. Some of the cities had their own personal cultures and many of the cultures were based around philosophy, drama, architecture, science, theater and more. Paleolithic Era During the Paleolithic era was the Golden Age and this w…

# data[].attributes.body
1.greek religion is called hellenic
2.no separation of church and state
3.there are 12 ancient greek gods
4.greek religion does formal rituals
5.they got temples in there
URL: https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Religion/

# data[].attributes.body
1.: Athena is the goddess of war and battle she dictates how the battle ends

2.Aphrodite is a goddess of sexual love and beauty for men and women

3.Hera is a goddess of women and marriage she dictates the way of women

4.Dionysus is a god of nature they protect the forests.

5.Zeus is the god of the sky and changes the weather

# data[].attributes.body
1. they like to go to concerts
2. they also like to go to theaters
3. the restaurant  also  gets a lot of entertainment
4. cafe and clubs
5.rollerskating and bowling

# data[].attributes.body
1)Entertainment for people in Greece includes archaeological sites, museums and galleries.
2) One big thing for entertainment back then was theaters and watching plays.
3) Another major part of their entertainment is this party called symposium which was basically a drinking party
4) Clubs became very important during the Hellenistic era and were favored much by foreigners.
5) Athletic contests were especially popular and used as entertainment much throughout Greece. The most important contests were apart of the four great Panhellic festivals, which were held in southern central Greece and the northern Peloponnese.
Link source-https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/ancient-greece-sources-of-relaxation-and-entertainment/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Since the ancient Greeks felt that life was much too valuable to be spent working, they had many sources of relaxation and entertainment. So what activities did an ancient Greek indulge in for relaxation? And did the men and women have equal opportunities to socialize and relax?

The men in ancient Greece also participated in athletic contests. Special arenas were created for athletic events, such as the one pictured here.
(Image: Georgios Kritsotakis/Shutterstock)

Ancient Greece saw people leading very relaxed lives. Most of the people were wealthy enough to not have to work for a living. When they were not dealing with a crisis, such as war, famine, illness, or bereavement-and those, of course, were all too frequent-even fairly poor Greeks led more relaxed lives than most do today.

Symposia in Ancient Greece

A symposium was basically a drinking party. It was held in a private home in a semi-formal setting. The wealthy men used to get together to drink for pleasure and engage in physically or intellectually stimulating activities.

Symposia could take a variety of forms, depending on the temperament, age, social class, proclivities, and mood of the guests. A symposium could range from being one where there were highly cultivated discussions to one where the drink overflowed and the guests indulged in sexual intercourse.

However, the awareness and pride of being a citizen weighed heavily on the guests' minds and checked the worst excesses of an unregulated drinking culture. In addition, every symposium began and ended with prayers to the gods, particularly to Dionysus, the giver of wine, and to the Agathos Daimon, the good demon or spirit.

Another important point to note is that the symposium was a vehicle by which culture was transmitted. Politics also featured at the symposium. In fact, many of the songs that the drinkers sang were politically inspired.

This is a transcript from the video series The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World. Watch it now, on Wondrium.

Clubs in Ancient Greece

Another way to relax was by going to a club. Clubs became particularly important in the Hellenistic era, that is to say in the period following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. They usually had a religious dimension-many of them were organized around the cult of a specific deity. These clubs were especially favored by foreigners.

Clubs were particularly numerous in trading centers like the Piraeus (the port of Athens), on the island of Delos, and on the island of Rhodes, largely because they served to facilitate commercial ties between their members.

Many of them functioned, too, as burial societies. Once a person was officially enrolled and so long as he continued paying his dues, he was guaranteed not only a decent burial but also periodic deliveries of food and drink at his tomb.

At the club, one could socialize, do business deals, arrange marriage contracts, gossip, enjoy a good meal, and relax. Clubs also enabled citizens and foreigners, Greeks and non-Greeks, and even slaves and free men to come into contact with one another on a somewhat equal footing.

Athletic Contests in Ancient Greece

Athletic contests were a very important part of Greek culture. The most important athletic contests were attached to the four great Panhellenic (all-Greek) festivals that were held in southern central Greece and the northern Peloponnese.

The four in question were the Olympic Games, held in honor of Zeus at Olympia; the Pythian Games, held in honor of Apollo at Delphi; the Isthmian Games, held in honor of Poseidon at Corinth; and the Nemean Games, also held in honor of Zeus at Nemea.

One of these festivals took place every year, which meant that athletes and spectators always had something to look forward to. The events included the foot race, boxing, wrestling, pankration (a combination of boxing, wrestling, and judo), hoplitodromos (a race in hoplite or heavy armour), pentathlon, horse racing, and chariot racing. The athletes competed naked-or at least that is how they appear on Greek vases-although scholars have sometimes doubted if that was really the case.

At the games, one could also attend musical contests, including flute-playing, lyre-playing, singing, tragedy, comedy, and satyric drama, and competitions in the composition and recitation of epic verse. The games were the high point of the Greek calendar. They took precedence over everything else that was happening in Greece. If a war was in progress, it had to be suspended. On the way to and from the games, one was under the protection of the gods and guaranteed safe-conduct, even when passing through enemy territory.

Learn more about being Greek.

Theater in Ancient Greece

People in ancient Greece loved attending the theater. At first, they could only see productions in Athens and its demes, but by the Hellenistic period, theaters were being established throughout the Greek world. Productions were state-sponsored and, initially, plays were performed only once, although gradually revivals became commonplace.

The most prestigious theater festival was the City Dionysia held in Athens, at which both tragedies and comedies were performed in the theater of Dionysus on the southern slope of the Acropolis. People sat in a section or wedge of the theater that was reserved exclusively for members of a particular tribe. So this was yet another way in which relaxation took on a civic flavor.

Relaxation Opportunities for Women in
Ancient Greece

In ancient Greece, there were many more opportunities for men to relax than there were for women. A well-bred woman used to spend most of her time cooped up in the home. She would never be seen in public unless she was chaperoned. She was not allowed to attend the symposium. She was not permitted to attend the games because Greek athletes participated naked. There is no information available about whether she was even permitted to attend the theater.

The limited ways in which women could relax is one of the clearest indicators of their confined status in the Greek world. There were generally only three activities that a woman could indulge in: she could occasionally host or visit her female friends; she could participate in religious festivals, those that were open to both men and women and those that were exclusive to women (so long as she was accompanied out of the house at all times); and finally, she could enjoy the company of her husband once he returned home, either at lunch or late at night.

To conclude, it is clear that in ancient Greece, relaxation had many of the aspects of work, and conversely, work had many of the aspects of relaxation, since both, to a large degree, were forms of civic expression.

Learn more about women in ancient Greece.

Common Questions about Sources of Relaxation and Entertainment in Ancient Greece

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ancient Greece: Sources of Relaxation and Entertainment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ancient Greece saw people leading very relaxed lives. Most of the people were wealthy enough to not have to work for a living. When they were not dealing with a crisis, such as war, famine, illness, or bereavement-and those, of course, were all too frequent-even fairly poor Greeks led more relaxed lives than most do today.

# data[].attributes.headline
liam milway don't copy and paste or i will call the fbi on you

# data[].attributes.subject
liam milway don't copy and paste or i will call the fbi on you

# data[].attributes.body
The daily life of a Greek was very similar to our lives. Of course ancient Greeks did not have phones, computers, televisions, or electricity. But they did live in highly organized cities, where they could go see a play or a sporting event, or attend a number of different schools, or could join the army and become a soldier.

Greek society was also governed much like ours is today. Most early cities were called city states, which kind of had their own government. The head of the government was located in the center of the city, which usually surrounded the acropolis, which was a high area that held a temple.

Most of the people in Greece had jobs much like we do today. Many people were farmers who sold or traded their fruits and vegetables at markets.

Greek houses were usually small although they could be large if the family had enough money and some were even two stories high. The walls of the houses were made out of mud and clay, and the floors were packed with dirt. Some of the richer families could afford to decorate the inside of the walls of their houses with paintings.

A typical Greek would eat a lump of bread dipped in olive oil for breakfast, and the rest of the day would eat fish. Meat such as beef was reserved for festivals and feasts, and sugar was unknown. If the ancient Greeks ever ate anything sweet, it was because of honey.

# data[].attributes.body
1)Drama Plays
2)Museums
3)Galleries
4)Theaters
5)Clubs
https://www.mapsofworld.com/greece/entertainment/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Greece is an interesting country with providing lots of amusement and entertainment for the leisure tourists.

Greece entertainment includes numerous archaeological sites, museums and galleries.

Greece entertainment is an ideal mix of tradition with modernity. The theaters and cinemas and concerts in Greece gives a feel of the rich civilization. Greek Amphitheaters are unique. The performers stage a play in a open boundary and the audience seated at a higher level enjoy the show. On the other hand, the bars, cafes and clubs all over the country, are a major source of Greece entertainment. The capital city of Athens has some of the finest clubs in the country.

The restaurants and taverns are also a major source of entertainment in Greece, especially for food lovers. Tourists get a chance to taste authentic Greek cuisine rich in traditional flavor and taste. Apart from this, these restaurants and taverns also serve Indian, Chinese, middle eastern and Thai cuisine.

Athens has a numerous bars, cafes and clubs. Some of these bars are situated in picturesque locations. Tourists can unwind after a tiring day, by sipping a drink and watching the sunset by the Aegean Sea. For a musical evening, the tourists can choose any of the music clubs. These music clubs play music ranging from hip hop to the traditional Greek bouzouki.

Greece entertainment for children come in the form of colorful fun fairs or 'Luna Parks'. Teenagers can enjoy rollerskating, bowling and many such activities.

The open air cinemas, during the summer months is an unique source of Greece entertainment. It is indeed thrilling to enjoy the latest blockbusters under the star filled sky. Several theaters organize musical concerts throughout the year. Watching concerts in Lycabettos Theater in Athens is once a lifetime opportunity.

In the recent years, nightlife in Greece has taken an upswing with the new casinos, nightclubs and bars popping up everywhere in the city. Most of the casinos are lined up with the luxury hotels of Greece. The Casino Xanthi in Northern Greece is a world famous name.

Greece is considered to be a shopper's paradise. Shopping in Greece is a fascinating experience. From wine and herbs to expensive jewelery Greece has everything. Some of the best buys of Greece are antique jewelery, sponges, fur coats, leather sandals bags and jackets. Quality stuff at reasonable prices are available in the huge departmental stores.

Greece entertainment comes with lots of variety and options. Everybody, from the young to the old gets entertained in Greece.

Shopping in Greece

Shopping in Greece is an enjoyable and a memorable experience. Greece is a shopper's paradise and the range of items includes clothing, jewelery and also traditional Greek products like wines, pottery, religious icons and embroidery.

Shopper's are amazed by the reasonable price and the good product quality. The shopping hours in Greece are 8.30 to 17.00 hrs on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. On Tuesday, Thursday and Friday it is from 8.30 to 14.00hrs and after a short break resumes from 17:30hrs and stretches upto 20:30hrs. Sundays most of the shops are closed, except for those around the Plaka and the Monastiraki area. During the festive seasons like Christmas the shopping hours change accordingly.

The capital city of Athens has an excellent selection of shops. The Ermou Street located in the heart of Athens is a wonderful place to shop for clothes. The variety ranges from internationally renowned brands, stand alone exclusive boutiques and also clothing which are locally tailored. Cigarettes, newspapers and magazines are available in the small kiosks littered in and around the street corners. These are open for 24 hours. The district of Kolonaki, located right at the foot of Lycabitus Hill is a one of the main shopping destinations in Greece. This shopping area in Greece is dotted with large number of cafes, where the impulsive shoppers can enjoy refreshment.

For souvenirs of gifts, Monastiraki in the Plaka area of Athens is a shopping paradise of Greece. Items like marble statues, jewelery, key rings, posters and a huge number of other fascinating items can be bought here. The Ekonomeas Gallery in The Plaka Area Athens is an exclusive Art shop. Unique ceramic statues, different art books adorn the racks in this shop. Different leather goods like the leather sandals, leather bags and jackets are abundant in the Plaka area. Antiques are available in plenty. Famous antique shops sell copied versions of ancient statues in terracotta and plaster of paris.

Fur coats are a must buy for shoppers in Greece. Kastoria in Greece, produces the world's best fur coats. Stores in Ermou street specialize in fur coats.

Nightlife in Greece

Nightlife in Greece is fast, vibrant, colorful and fast paced. Greeks are born to party, they have ample fascination for music and drinks. Numerous bars, cafes, nightclubs and casinos are an integral part of the nightlife in Greece. The nightlife in Greece starts from 11 pm in the night and stretches till the dawn.

Nightlife in Greece with all its colors, fun and frolic is sure to entice everyone and leave them wanting more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Greece Entertainment includes numerous archaeological sites, museums and galleries. Greece entertainment is and ideal mix of tradition with modernity. The theaters and cinemas and concerts in Greece gives a feel of the rich civilization. Everybody, from the young to the old gets entertained in Greece.

# data[].attributes.body
1.As kid they liked to play with dolls,jumping rope,and many other things
2.As they grew older they were taught how to throw a javelin.
3.They were also taught how to do wrestling.
4.The also played ball games.
5. Another thing is boxing.

https://lisbdnet.com/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How Did The Great War For Empire Change The Relationship Between England And Its American Colonies?? The Great War changed...

# data[].attributes.body
1 they were polytheistic meaning the believed in multiple  gods
2 they believed gods effected their daily life
3  they sent offerings to the gods
4 many modern day cities are named after greek gods
5 some of the planets moons are named after greek gods

# data[].attributes.body
1. One of the favorite forms of entertainment for Greeks was theater.
2. Doing things like hunting, sports, and board games.
3. They would things like storytelling, dancing, festivals and music.
4. They would read things like eyewitness books written by Anne Pearson.
5. write plays for theater.
https://www.ducksters.com/searchducksters.php?q=ancient+Greek+life