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Greek mythology is filled with amazing stories of heroes, warriors and demigods that face unimaginable creatures and monsters. The following classic mythical beasts have captured imaginations for centuries.
Here we present you the top 7 scariest Greek mythological creatures.
Cerberus

One of the most famous Greek mythological monsters was Cerberus. He was a monstrous offspring of the ancient Typhon and Echidna, half woman -half snake. This huge multi-headed dog was a formidable guardian of the gate to the Underworld as a servant of Hades. Various ancient authors used to ascribe him from one to even one hundred heads, but the most accepted versions speak of three fearsome dog-heads. Bringing this hound of Hades to Eurystheus was the last work of Heracles, which he completed defeating the infernal dog with his bare hands.

The Sphinx

Although the Sphinx is most closely associated with ancient Egypt, this mythical beast was also famous in the ancient Greek world. The sphinx is a monster that was said to have the head of a woman, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle. Sphinxes in the ancient Greek tradition were gatekeepers and often depicted above tombs. The most famous sphinx, however, is the one that blocked Oedipus's way and demanded an answer to the following riddle: "What creature walks upon four feet in the morning, upon two feet at noon and upon three in the evening?" The creature threatened Oedipus with death unless he was able to provide the correct answer. Oedipus was wise though, and after some consideration, he answered the riddle: "Man crawls on all fours as a young child, walks on two feet as an adult, and during the sunset of his life requires the help of a cane." That was indeed the answer to the Sphinx's riddle and Oedipus was free to continue his travels, unlike many others before him who were devoured by the beast.

The Minotaur

The Minotaur is another mixed creature that combined the head and a torso of a bull and the body of a man. His history is related to the king of Crete Minos, who refused to slaughter a white bull as a sacrifice to the sea god Poseidon. The furious god decided to punish Minos and cursed him. Thus, the Minotaur was born. To contain and hide the ferocious beast king Minos built a large Labyrinth, where he closed the monster. The inhumanly strong creature was used to eat human flesh, as every 9 years he was delivered 7 young Athenian boys and 7 girls. The tyranny of Minotaur was ended by an Athenian hero Theseus, who slew him with the help of a Cretan princess Ariadne.

Medusa

Medusa is the name of the most famous of three sisters called the Gorgons. She was an atrocious winged beast that had snakes instead of hair. She was said to be so ugly that anyone who would dare to gaze at her face turned immediately into stone. Medusa met her fate when the demigod Perseus killed her and gifted her head to the goddess Athena. She then placed the awful head on her shield to scare away her enemies.

The Chimera

The Chimera was another hybrid creature that combined three separate animals: the body and head of a lion, a goat head that emerged from the lion's back, and a tail that was ending in a snake's head. On top of that this monstrous creature was able to breathe fire from all three heads and kill its victims from afar. The earliest mention and description of this deadly beast can be found in Homer's Iliad. The Chimera was said to be the sibling of Hydra, Sphinx, and Cerberus. It was terrorizing the region of Lycia and to protect his people its king ordered Bellerophon, a Corinthian hero, to kill the dreadful creature. Bellerophon fought and killed Chimera with the help of his flying horse and a son of Medusa, Pegasus. From above he pierced the monster's mouth with a spear, whose spike was made of lead. When Chimera tried to breathe fire, the metal melted flooding its internal organs and killing it on the spot.

Hydra

Hydra was a monstrous many-headed water snake that lived in the swamps around Lerna in the Peloponnese. Her numerous heads were breathing a poisonous vapor, and even her blood was extremely deadly. The biggest advantage of Hydra was her incredible regeneration trait, which proved to be extremely hard to overcome with her fight with Heracles. Every time the hero cut off one of the serpent heads, two others grew in its place. The only way to defeat the monster was to burn down the wounds where the heads were chopped off so the next one could not grow. But the last of the Hydra's heads was immortal, and could not die even separated from the body. To get rid of it Heracles put it under a huge rock.

Thyphon

As the youngest son of Gaia and Tartarus, Typhon was one of the oldest creatures that ever walked the Earth, and himself father of many monsters, such as the abovementioned Cerberus, Sphinx, Chimera and Hydra. He was a dreadful giant taller than the highest mountains, and whose head reached the skies and while stretching his hands he could reach both ends of the Earth. His upper part of the body was partly human-shaped, but he had a hundred snake heads on his shoulders, and a pair of huge wings. Instead of legs he had two enormous snake tails. He was the mightiest of creatures, his snake heads were intimidating his enemies with constant hissing, and his eyes were throwing flames as he wished. Typhon was so confident in his unnatural strength and the power of his fiery gaze, that he challenged Zeus over the rule of the world. This fight he could not win however, and he end up stroke be a Zeus' lightning and crushed with the mount Etna on Sicily. To this day, when he struggles to get out, the earth shakes with him and his fiery breath melts down rocks of the mountain.

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The scariest Greek Mythology Mythical Creatures

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Greek mythology is filled with amazing stories of heroes, warriors and demigods that face unimaginable creatures and monsters. The following classic mythical beasts have captured imaginations for centuries. Here we present you the top 7 scariest Greek mythological creatures. One of the most famous Greek mythological monsters was Cerberus.

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History >>Art History

TheAncient Greeks became known for their perfection in art. During the classical era they developed their own style that historians would later call the Severe Style.

Periods of Greek Art

Archaic Period: The Greeks from the Archaic Period made sculptures of men called Kouroi and women called Korai. These statues had similar features and stood stiffly with their arms at their sides.

Classical Period: During the Classical Period, Greek artists began to sculpt people in more relaxed postures and even in action scenes. The most famous works from this era include the statue of Zeus at Olympia and the statue of Athena at Parthenos.

The statue of Athena at Parthenos
Photo by Marie-Lan Nguyen

Hellenistic Period: After Alexander the Great conquered much of Asia, the sculpture and artwork of the Greeks became influenced by the cultures and people they had conquered. This period is called the Hellenistic Period. This period saw new subjects including women, children, and common people appear in Greek art. Famous works from this era include the Venus de Milo, the Dying Gaul, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

Winged Victory of Samothrace
Photo by Adrian Pingstone

Greek Sculpture

Greek sculpture was meant to show perfection. They wanted to create lifelike images of near perfect humans. Unlike the Romans, the Greeks never showed human imperfections in their art.

Greek Columns

Greek Architecture was intertwined with their art. A big part of their architecture was their columns. The Greek columns have been used in western architecture for the past 2500 years.

In Greek Architecture there were three main types of columns that were used: The Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. See below for examples.

Doric Column

Ionic Column

Corinthian Column
Source: Encyclopedie vol. 18

Greek Painting

Written record shows that the Greeks enjoyed painting and that it was one of their most important types of art. However, very few of their paintings have survived as they were painted on wood panels or walls which have since been destroyed.

Pottery

One place where Greek painting did survive was on pottery and ceramics. We can tell from the intricate detail and quality of work that the Greeks were very talented painters.

Vase by Unknown

A shoulder Lekythos by Unknown

Legacy

Greek art and architecture had a significant influence over western art for thousands of years to come. Much of Roman art and architecture was borrowed from the Greeks. Later, the artists of theRenaissance were inspired by the work of Greek artists.

Interesting Facts about Ancient Greek Art

Many of the original Greek sculptures were painted in bright colors and often included elements other than stone such as metal and ivory.

The painting of pottery was considered a high art form. The artists often signed their work.

The most famous of the Greek sculptors was Phidias. He was the artistic director of the Parthenon.

The Greeks used the lost-wax process to make bronze statues. This made it easy to make multiple copies of a statue.

Activities

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For more about Ancient Greece:

Works Cited

History >>Art History >> Ancient Greece for Kids

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Kids learn about Ancient Greek Art. Study the classic sculptures of this great civilization.

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Kids learn about the drama and theater of Ancient Greece including tragedies, comedies, costumes, masks, actors, special effects, famous playwrights, and fun facts.

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Kids learn about the architecture of Ancient Greece including Greek columns, temples, important elements such as the capital and the frieze, other buildings, and interesting facts.

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Kids learn about the Olympic games of Ancient Greece. The history of this world civilization.

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Kids learn about the Greek Alphabet of Ancient Greece. The twenty four letters plus numbers and mathematical symbols.

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Ancient Greek Gods for Kids and Teachers - Ancient Greek & Roman Gods for Kids

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The magical world of the ancient Greek gods was a world full of bickering and challenges and jealousies and fights and punishment and love. Many Greek myths were based on the fact that gods, like mortal men, could be punished or rewarded for their actions. They could fall in love. They cou…

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History for kids - Free history network for kids

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Greek Gods

Welcome to our Greek Gods and Goddesses page here on History for Kids. We have some fun facts and pictures for you to color. You will learn some interesting facts about each God as you read down the page. Take your time there is a lot of information on this page, check out the quick facts also if you just need a quick understanding and characteristics of each one.

Athena

Athena was tall, strong, graceful, gray-eyed, and she liked owls. From the beginning, she was a pretty amazing goddess. In fact, even her birth was most unusual.

Zeus, the father of gods and goddesses, was also Athena's father. Her mother was a mortal woman named Metis. Older gods had warned Zeus that he would be in trouble if Metis gave birth to a daughter. So he swallowed Metis whole.

When it came time for Athena to be born, she sprang full grown out of Zeus's head. She was completely dressed in armor, as she always would be. She also carried a shield and a spear. As you might guess about a woman in armor, she was a great warrior.

Athena was also a goddess of wisdom. She taught people about arts and crafts. She also taught them how to think clearly and live well. She was often seen with an owl, so owls became a symbol of wisdom.

Athena didn't get along with the sea god Poseidon. For one thing, they were often rivals over one thing or another. Once the people of a new city were looking for a god to watch over and protect them. Athena and Poseidon both wanted the job.

To impress the city's citizens, the two gods gave them gifts. Poseidon struck the ground with his three-pointed spear, and water poured out. The water turned into a river that flowed into the sea. Poseidon told the people to build ships to sail to the sea. He said that they could travel everywhere. They could become the most powerful people on earth.

The citizens were indeed impressed. But then Athena told them to taste the water. It tasted awful. It was saltwater, which is impossible to drink.

Then Athena gave the citizens her gift. When she hit the ground with her spear, a tree magically grew up within seconds. She explained that it was a special tree-an olive tree. Its wood was good both for building houses and for heating those houses in winter. Better still, the tree's little green fruits, called "olives," were delicious. And oil made out of the olives was useful for cooking.

The citizens liked Athena's gift better than Poseidon's. Not only did they choose Athena to watch over them, they named the city after her. They called it Athens. Poseidon left in a huff, causing a serious flood on his way. But the Athenians weren't bothered very much. With Athena's help, their city grew to be strong and wealthy. Athens became one of the greatest cities of all time. Today it's the capital and the largest city of Greece.
Here are some historical facts about the city of Athens:

Athenians did their best to make their city live up to its name. Inspired by their tales about Athena's wisdom, Athens became a center of civilization.

Athenians turned their city into the world's first democracy.

Athenians wrote the world's first plays, both comedies and tragedies. Those plays were performed in an open-air theater. They are still popular today.

Some of history's greatest thinkers were Athenian. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were the city's most famous philosophers.

The world's first historians, Herodotus and Thucydides, lived in Athens.

Athenians created some of the world's most beautiful buildings. The ruins of its most famous temple, the Parthenon, are still standing today. The Parthenon once held a large statue of Athena.

The Athenian Hippocrates is said to be the father of medicine. He wrote a famous oath that is still spoken by doctors today.

Poseidon

The brothers Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon were the most important gods of all. Zeus was the strongest and wisest of the three and ruled over the earth. Hades ruled the Underworld, the world of the dead. Poseidon ruled the seas. He was also the god of earthquakes and horses.

Poseidon had a beard and long blue hair. He drove a golden cart called a chariot.

It was pulled by strange beasts that were half-horse and half-snake. Fish and dolphins always swam along beside the sea god's chariot.

Poseidon carried a three-pointed spear called a trident. He used this to start earthquakes or bring water out of the ground.

Like the sea he ruled, Poseidon could be either calm or stormy. As you might guess, the god of earthquakes had a short temper. He didn't get along with other gods. He didn't always get along with mortals, either.

The people of Troy once asked Poseidon to help build a wall around their city. He helped, but then he got angry when he didn't get paid for his work. He was Troy's enemy ever after that. When Troy fought a terrible war against Greece, Poseidon supported the Greeks.

Each god had a city to protect and watch over. The city showed its thanks by honoring that god especially. Maybe because he was ill-tempered, Poseidon had trouble finding a city to honor him. The people of Athens chose Athena instead of Poseidon as its protector. The people of Naxos chose Dionysus. The people of Aegina chose Zeus. Finally, all the gods had special cities except Poseidon. He was very unhappy and disappointed.

But at long last, the people of Atlantis chose Poseidon. Atlantis was a huge island, and its people loved and honored him. There he fell in love with a mortal princess named Clito. He built a palace for her, and they had ten sons. The sons grew up to be kings who ruled different parts of Atlantis. Those kings ruled wisely, and Atlantis became the greatest civilization in the world. Poseidon was proud and happy.

But bad times came. The first kings of Atlantis died, and their sons were bad rulers. And the sons who came after them were worse yet. Years passed, and Atlantis was no longer the world's greatest civilization. It was actually the worst. It had become both wicked and foolish.

Finally, the people of Atlantis forgot to worship Poseidon. The sea god became angry and used his trident to start a terrible earthquake. Atlantis sank beneath the waves, never to be seen again.

*Horses were very important in the ancient world. Poseidon's earliest worshippers may have been the people who first brought horses to Greece.
Here are some historical facts about Poseidon's story:
*There are many earthquakes in Greece. Not surprisingly, a god of earthquakes was taken very seriously there.

*The sea was very important to the Ancient Greeks. They were great explorers whose ships sailed to distant places.

*Fishermen in the ancient world caught tuna with a trident.

*Atlantis was thought to have been in a faraway ocean. Today we call that ocean the Atlantic.

*Atlantis was probably imaginary. Even so, some people still believe that it once was real. And people keep looking for it.

*Atlantis may have been based on a real place. There once was a large island called Thera. It was destroyed by a huge volcano. Like Atlantis, it sank into the sea.

Hermes

Hermes was the messenger god. He was young and intelligent-looking. He wore a winged hat and winged sandals, and he carried a magic wand. (We know what he looked like because so many sculptors made statues of him.)

Hermes was said to be the god of the marketplace. Oddly, he was also said to be the god of thieves. He himself was a clever thief. He started stealing early in life-actually on the day he was born.

His father was Zeus, the king of the gods. His mother was a young goddess named Maia. He was born in a mountain cave, and only a few minutes after his birth, Hermes decided to make himself a toy. He picked up a tortoise shell and tied strings across it, then plucked the strings. That was how Hermes invented the first musical instrument, which was called a lyre. And he invented music too!

His playing and singing put his mother to sleep. Then, when Hermes was still only an hour or two old, he left the cave and went out to look around at the world. He soon found a herd of cattle that belonged to the god Apollo. The baby Hermes liked the cattle and decided to steal them.

When Apollo wasn't looking, Hermes tied branches to the cows' tails. As he led them away, the branches dragged along and erased their hoof prints. Then he hid the cattle and went back to his cave. He climbed back up into his sleeping mother's arms. When she woke up, she had no idea that he'd even been away.

When Apollo managed to track down Hermes, he was surprised to see that the thief was just a newborn baby. Even so, he demanded his cattle back. Then Hermes started playing the lyre. Apollo was so delighted by the music that he let Hermes keep the cattle in exchange for the lyre. After that, Apollo carried the lyre everywhere and became known as the god of music.

Hermes never stopped being full of mischief. But when he grew up, the gods learned that they could count on him for one important task. With his winged hat and sandals, he ran and flew as fast as the wind, so Zeus named him the messenger of the gods.

Whenever the gods wanted to send messages to mortals, they gave the job to Hermes. Although he didn't always tell the truth himself, he always delivered those messages just the way he was supposed to.

*Along with the lyre, Hermes was said to have invented another musical instrument called a panpipe. It's a kind of flute that is still played today.

*Hermes was said to be the god of travelers. Statues of him could be found at crossroads throughout Ancient Greece. They were put there to bring travelers good luck.
Here are some interesting facts about Hermes' story.
*There were no telephones and no Internet in the ancient world. Messages were usually carried by runners on foot. So the god of messengers was considered a very important god.

*One of the most famous messengers of all time was a soldier named Pheidippides. Story has it that he ran from one city to another, carrying news that the Greeks had won the Battle of Marathon. He delivered the message and died. Today's marathon races are held in his honor.

*Hermes' magic wand was called a caduceus. It had wings, like his hat and sandals. It also had snakes wrapped around it. Today the caduceus is the symbol of the medical profession.

Ares

Ares was the god of war. He wore armor and a helmet, and he carried a shield, sword, and spear. He was big and strong and had a fierce war cry, but his war cry was mostly just a lot of noise. Ares didn't fight at all well. The armored goddess Athena was a much better warrior.

The Ancient Greeks didn't like war, and they didn't like Ares, either. They considered him a troublemaker. And like many troublemakers, Ares was a coward and a bully.

In fact, Ares was never really of use to anybody in a war. One time a group of giants declared war on the gods. The giants wanted to rule the entire universe. To keep Ares out of the fighting, they sneaked up on him and knocked him out cold, then they stuffed him into a jar.

The other gods heard Ares screaming for somebody to let him out. They just ignored him because they figured they could fight better without him. They went on to defeat the giants, and then they let Ares out of the jar after the battle was over. Ares bragged about how he could have beaten the giants if he'd been free. The other gods only laughed.

Ares never stayed loyal to one side or the other in a war. He just enjoyed watching people fighting and dying. The war between Greece and Troy was one of the worst ever fought, and even the gods joined in the battle. When the war started, Ares promised his mother, Hera, to help the Greeks. But he was in love with the goddess Aphrodite, so she easily talked him into helping the Trojans.

The Trojans would have been just as happy without Ares's help. Always the bully, he didn't pick fights with other gods. Instead, he challenged a mortal Greek warrior named Diomedes, but Diomedes wounded Ares.

Ares liked to cause pain for others, but he whined and complained whenever he got hurt. This time was no different. The wound he got from Diomedes wasn't very serious, but even so, Ares didn't keep fighting. He went running back to Olympus, the home of the gods, and wept and wailed to his father Zeus. Even though Zeus bandaged up Ares's wound, he was not at all proud of his warrior son.

That wasn't the only time Ares was wounded. The great hero Heracles wounded him twice, and one of those times he took away Ares's armor and weapons. Both times Ares ran away crying to Olympus.

*For a long time, historians thought that the city of Troy was just a legend. But the ruins of Troy have been found in modern-day Turkey.

*The Trojan War was also thought to be only a legend. But today some historians think that there really was such a war. It was fought between Greece and Troy.

*The Greeks had good reason to dislike war. The cities of Greece fought each other in a terrible war that lasted for 27 years. It's called the Peloponnesian War.
Here are some interesting facts about Ares's story:
*Although the Ancient Greeks didn't like Ares, the Ancient Romans admired him. They called him Mars. They told stories that made Mars sound like a hero.

*The Romans liked Ares because they thought that war was noble. The Romans spoke Latin. The Latin words for "war" and "beauty" are very similar. The word for "war" is "bellum." The word for "beauty" is "bellus."

Zeus

Zeus was the king of the gods. He and his brothers Hades and Poseidon were in charge of the whole universe. Hades ruled the Underworld, the world of the dead. Poseidon ruled the seas. Zeus, the greatest of the three, ruled the earth and the sky. He controlled the weather, causing wind and rain. He also caused thunder and lightning. He threw his thunderbolt like a spear.

Zeus was a good reminder that the gods were not perfect. For one thing, he was not all-powerful. His daughters, the three Fates, decided the futures of both gods and mortals. Zeus couldn't overrule their decisions.

And although Zeus was often wise, he could also be foolish. He could be selfish and even cruel. He was not a good husband to Hera, the queen of the gods. And he was not a good father to many of his children. Not surprisingly, the other gods sometimes rebelled against his rule.

Still, Zeus most gods and mortals respected Zeus. He gave laws and justice to mortals. He taught them kindness and good manners. One story shows how much Zeus prized hospitality and kindness toward strangers.

Zeus liked to travel, sometimes in disguise. Once he was traveling with his son Hermes, the messenger god, in a land called Phrygia. They were both disguised as ordinary mortal men. They stopped at all the houses in Phrygia, asking for food and a place to stay the night. Time and time again, they were rudely turned away. Even rich people turned them away.

At last they arrived at the home of an elderly couple, a woman named Baucis and a man named Philemon. Baucis and Philemon were extremely poor. Even so, they treated the travelers kindly, inviting them into their home for food and drink. They allowed the disguised gods to spend the night.

The next day, Hermes and Zeus took off their disguises. Everyone could see that they were gods. Zeus punished the couple's Phrygian neighbors with a terrible flood. All houses were destroyed, except the little hut of Baucis and Philemon. Zeus turned it into a beautiful temple.

As a reward for their kindness, Zeus offered the couple anything that they wanted. Because they had lived happily together all their lives, they asked never to be parted. Even in death they wanted to remain together. Baucis and Philemon spent the rest of their lives serving as the temple's priestess and priest. When they died they turned into two trees growing out of the same trunk.

*Weather seemed even more mysterious in ancient times than it does today. It's no surprise that the god who controlled the weather was the most powerful god of all.

*Lightning and thunder were especially puzzling to ancient people. Many cultures have had gods of thunder and lightning. In Norse mythology, it was Thor. To the Finns, it was Ukko. To the Aztecs, it was Tlaloc.

*Lightning remained a mystery for thousands of years. During the 1700s, the American scientist and thinker Benjamin Franklin helped solve that mystery. He discovered the lightning was made up of electricity. Then he invented the lightning rods to protect houses and buildings. He was nicknamed "the Man Who Tamed the Lightning."

*In ancient times, travel was difficult and dangerous. Travelers depended on the kindness of people they met along the way. The Greeks even had a word for kindness toward strangers and travelers. They called it xenios.
Here are some interesting facts about Zeus's story:
Aphrodite

Aphrodite had an unusual birth. She rose up out of sea foam, beautiful and fully grown-up. She was the goddess of love, and she liked doves, sparrows, and swans. She was married to Hephaestus, the god of the forge, but not at all happily. She was really in love with Ares, the god of war.

Aphrodite and her son Eros were in charge of making people and gods fall in love. Eros used his magic bow and arrow to make that happen.

Oddly, this goddess of love helped start a terrible war. But she didn't really mean to. Eris, the goddess of discord, liked to stir up trouble. So one day Eris made a golden apple. She wrote the words "For the Fairest" on it. Then she threw this apple where the goddesses Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite would find it.

Each one of them thought she was "the Fairest"-the most beautiful goddess of all. They decided to hold a beauty contest. To judge the contest, they chose a mortal named Paris. He was a handsome Prince of Troy.

Each goddess took Paris aside and offered him a gift. If Paris chose Hera, she promised to make the ruler of the world. If he chose Athena, she promised to make him a victorious soldier. But Paris wasn't very ambitious or brave. He wasn't interested in either of those offers.

Then Aphrodite promised Paris the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. This appealed to Paris much more than the other offers did. So he judged Aphrodite "the Fairest" of the goddesses, and she got to keep the apple.

This was exactly what the troublemaking Eris had hoped for. The most beautiful woman in the world happened to be married already. Her name was Helen. She was the Queen of Sparta and the wife of King Menelaus.

When Helen and Paris ran away to Troy together, Menelaus was furious. He called all the great warriors of Greece together, and they declared war on Troy. Many thousands of warriors died in the Trojan War, which lasted ten years. It ended with the destruction of Troy.

*Today some historians believe that there really was a Trojan war. It was fought between Greece and Troy.

*The Romans called Aphrodite by the name Venus. The planet Venus is named after her.

*Venus is the planet closest to Earth. It is also the nearest planet in size to Earth. Next to the moon, it is usually the brightest object in the nighttime sky. Venus is easiest to see in the morning and evening. That's why it is called both the "Morning Star" and the "Evening Star."

*The Greeks pictured Aphrodite's son Eros as a handsome young man. The Romans called him Cupid. They came to picture him as a little boy with wings and a bow and arrow. Pictures of Cupid are very common on Valentine's Day.

*The goddess Venus was said to be the mother of the hero Aeneas. According to legend, Aeneas helped found the city of Rome. The real-life Roman general and dictator Julius Caesar claimed to be a descendent of Venus.
Here are some interesting facts about Aphrodite's story:
Hera

Hera was the queen of the gods and the protector of women. Her husband Zeus ruled the earth and sky. She was the mother of the war god Ares and the forge god Hephaestus. Her daughter, Ilithyia, was the goddess of childbirth.

Hera was beautiful and graceful. But she was also stern and bossy. And she could be very vain about her good looks. Hera was furious when she lost a beauty contest with Athena and Aphrodite. Another time, a mortal queen claimed to be more beautiful than Hera. The goddess turned that queen into a crane.

Although Hera was the goddess of marriage, her own marriage wasn't happy. For one thing, Zeus was always interested in other women. Hera had good reason to be jealous.
Once she sent a hundred-eyed monster named Argos to spy on Zeus. Even Zeus couldn't get away with much with Argos watching him!

Annoyed, Zeus called upon his son Hermes, the messenger god. He ordered Hermes to kill Argos. This was hard to do, because some of Argos's eyes were always awake and watching. But Hermes managed to put all those eyes to sleep. Then he killed Argos as Zeus had commanded.

Hera put Argos's eyes in the peacock's tail. The peacock was her favorite bird from that time on. Hera was also fond of cows, lions, and cuckoos.

Next, Zeus asked a young goddess named Echo for help. Echo was a wonderful storyteller. At Zeus's orders, Echo told Hera stories. That kept Hera's attention for hours and hours. Meanwhile, Zeus could sneak away and do whatever he wanted.

Hera figured out what was going on. She got very angry with Echo. This wasn't fair, of course. Echo couldn't help what she was doing. After all, she couldn't very well disobey the king of the gods. But when Hera was angry, she could be most unfair.

Hera cursed Echo. She took away Echo's power to tell stories. She even took away Echo's power to speak normally. Instead, Echo could only repeat things said by others.

Echo became so sad that she disappeared completely. But it is said that you can still hear her voice. If you shout in a canyon or valley, Echo might repeat your words.

*Hera was the goddess of the calendar year. The ancient Athenians didn't have just one calendar. Instead, they used a calendar for festivals, another for political matters, and another for the seasons.

*Today many cultures have different yearly calendars. The 12-month calendar mostly used in European and American countries is called the Julian calendar.

*Hera was a goddess who protected women. In Ancient Athens, women needed a protector. Even when Athens became a democracy, women had very few rights. An unmarried girl was ruled by her father; a married woman was ruled by her husband. Women could not become full citizens. Even male slaves had more rights than women did.

*Things were different in Sparta, Athens's warlike neighbor. Spartan men were often away fighting. When the men were gone, women took charge in many important ways. Some of the wealthiest and most powerful Spartan citizens were women. Even so, Spartan women could not hold political positions.

Artemis
Here are some interesting facts about Hera's story:
Artemis was the god Apollo's twin sister. She was goddess of the moon and of the hunt. She didn't like cities very much, preferring to roam forests and mountainsides.

She hunted with a silver bow and silver arrows. Like all good hunters, Artemis liked to protect wildlife. She took special care to watch over small animals.

Artemis was a strong-willed goddess. She knew what she wanted from an early age. Once when she was three years old, she was sitting on her father Zeus's knee. Zeus asked the little goddess what she most wanted in life.

First, she asked Zeus for three different names. These would fit her moods, which could be seen in the changing Moon. When she was cheerful and the moon was bright, she was called Selene. When she was in a bad mood and the moon was dark, she was called Hecate. The rest of the time she was called Artemis.

She also asked Zeus for loyal goddesses to hunt with. Zeus gave her lots of female followers called nymphs. Finally, she told Zeus that she never wanted to have much to do with men. So Zeus made sure that Artemis never fell in love with a man and never had a husband.

Although she wasn't interested in much except hunting, Artemis could also be a good warrior. In fact, she was a much better fighter than Ares, the god of war. She was also more clever. One time some giants declared war on the gods. The giants trapped Ares in a jar, so he couldn't do any fighting at all. Artemis tricked two of the giants by taking the shape of a deer and running between them. The giants both shot arrows at the deer, but killed each other instead.

Artemis was also clever about keeping men out of her life-both gods and mortals. The river god Alpheus fell in love with her and went chasing after her through the woods. Artemis smeared mud all over her own face, then told her nymphs to do the same. Alpheus couldn't tell Artemis and the nymphs apart. The river god gave up and went home, sad and disappointed.

Artemis was especially honored by a legendary race of women called Amazons. They were all warrior women who never married.

*The "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" was a list made by the Greeks of man-made marvels. A temple of Artemis was on that list. The Great Pyramids of Egypt are the only wonders on the list still standing today.

*Because she was the goddess of the Moon, Artemis has a crater on the Moon named after her. A crater is a hollow place that was formed by collision with an object from outer space.

*The moon has long been believed to affect human moods and actions. One Roman name for the goddess of the moon was "Luna." The word "lunatic," meaning insane person, came from that name.

*A lunar eclipse happens when the earth passes between the sun and the moon. On February 29, 1504, the explorer Christopher Columbus was on the island of Jamaica. He knew that a lunar eclipse was coming, and that the moon would seem to disappear. The islanders didn't know what an eclipse was. Columbus used the eclipse to trick the islanders into doing whatever he wanted.

Hades

The brothers Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades were the most important gods of all. Zeus was the strongest and wisest of the three and ruled over the earth. Poseidon ruled the seas. Hades ruled the Underworld, the world of the dead. Hades had dark hair and a dark beard, and he drove a chariot drawn by four dark horses. He was married to Persephone, the queen of the dead.
Here are some interesting facts about Artemis's story:
Neither gods nor mortals liked Hades very much. This wasn't really fair. Hades wasn't mean or cruel. It just wasn't his job to be kind or merciful. His duty was to make sure the dead stayed in the Underworld forever.

Few mortals ever went to the Underworld and made it back alive. One of these was the great singer Orpheus. When his wife, Eurydice, died, Orpheus went to the Underworld to bring her back.

Orpheus's singing delighted Hades, so he agreed to let him take Eurydice back home. Hades made one rule, though. Orpheus wasn't allowed to look at Eurydice as they fled the Underworld. But along the way, Orpheus turned to see if Eurydice was still following him. So she had to stay in the world of the dead forever.

There aren't many stories about Hades. Because he rarely left the Underworld, he seldom had adventures. He just went about the unpleasant business of ruling the dead. When he did go out into the world of the living, it usually ended badly for him.

Once Hades left his realm in search of Sisyphus, the king of Corinth. Sisyphus was one of the cleverest mortals who ever lived. He managed to cheat death time and time again.

Hades planned to put Sisyphus in handcuffs and take him to the Underworld. Instead, the tricky king talked Hades into trying on the handcuffs himself. As long as Sisyphus held Hades hostage, nobody would ever die. The gods couldn't allow that, so they pestered Sisyphus into letting Hades loose.

Sisyphus himself finally died and went to the Underworld. The gods knew that he might still be up to mischief even there. So they sentenced him to an impossible task.

Sisyphus had to roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to have it roll back down again. Then he had to roll it back up the hill, only to have it roll down yet again. Poor Sisyphus had to do this again and again forever. At least it kept him from causing Hades any more trouble.

Eventually, the world of the dead itself came to be called Hades, after its king. A fierce three-headed dog named Cerberus guarded Hades. The river Styx flowed between Hades and the world of the living. A ferryman named Charon rowed dead souls across the Styx.

*The Ancient Greeks feared Hades so much that they avoided saying his name. Instead, they called him "Pluton," which meant "the Rich." This was because Hades' realm was said to be the home of precious stones and metals. The Romans renamed Hades "Pluto."

*Today, a plutocrat is someone who rules other people with wealth. A plutocracy is a government based on wealth.

*A small, distant object called Pluto was once thought to be the farthest planet from the sun. Today Pluto is no longer considered to be a planet at all. The farthest planet from the sun is called Neptune. This was the Roman name for Poseidon, the god of the sea.

*A task that seems pointless and endless is now sometimes called Sisyphean.

Apollo

Apollo was the twin brother of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and the Moon. Like his sister, Apollo loved hunting with a bow and arrow. He was the god of wisdom, poetry, and music.

Apollo was a handsome god, with long black hair. He drove a golden chariot drawn by swans. He was the leader of the Muses, the nine goddesses of the arts.
Here are some interesting facts about Hades' story:
This god liked lions, wolves, stags, crows, and dolphins. He also liked cattle, and once had a herd of his own. The baby Hermes stole that herd from him. But Apollo let Hermes keep the cattle in return for his lyre. The lyre was a kind of harp that Hermes had made out of a tortoise shell.

When Apollo was still a young god, he wanted to know his future. So he went to a town called Delphi, where a priestess was said to tell fortunes. She was called an "oracle."

When Apollo arrived in Delphi, he found trouble awaiting him. A monster named Python was supposed to guard the oracle. But Python had turned cruel and was terrorizing the people of Delphi.

Apollo killed Python with his bare hands. Then the citizens of Delphi built a temple in his honor. The oracle kept telling people's fortunes there.

After that, Apollo became known as the god of prophecy-which means the ability to foretell the future. He was believed to always tell the truth.

Apollo was also known as great healer. However, he sometimes caused disease as well. His son, Asclepius, was the god of medicine for a while. But Asclepius grew so powerful that he could raise the dead. The gods couldn't allow that, so Zeus killed Asclepius with his thunderbolt.

Because Apollo was called the god of light, he was sometimes mistaken for the sun god. The real god of the sun was Helios, who drove a flaming chariot across the sky.

Helios once made a terrible mistake. He allowed his half-mortal son Phaeton to drive his chariot. But Phaeton couldn't control Helios's horses. He almost destroyed the world with that flaming chariot. Like Asclepius, Phaeton was killed by Zeus's thunderbolt.

*A huge snake called a python can be found in parts of Africa and Asia. It's named after the monster that Apollo killed.

*In ancient times Delphi was said to be the center of the world. Its ruins are still visited today.

*The Pythian Games were an athletic event held every four years in Delphi. They were named after the monster slain by Apollo. Those games were something like today's Olympics. The earliest Olympic games were also played in Ancient Greece.

*A priestess in Delphi really was believed to tell fortunes. Once she was asked about the Athenian philosopher Socrates. She said that no one in the world was wiser than he. Socrates was surprised, because he thought he knew nothing at all. He soon noticed that people who thought themselves wise knew no more than he did. So Socrates was truly wise in knowing himself to be ignorant.

*Today the word Apollonian means wise, prudent, and well thought-out. The god Dionysus was thought to be reckless and unruly, most unlike the calm and sensible Apollo. So the word Dionysian means wild, uncontrolled, and lacking reason.

Hephaestus

Hephaestus was the god of fire. He was a blacksmith whose forge was in a volcano. His helpers were one-eyed giants called Cyclopes. He worked in bronze, iron, silver, and gold. He also made things out of clay, including living creatures. From clay he made Pandora, the first mortal woman in the world.

Hephaestus made many useful things for the gods. For the messenger god Hermes, he made a winged hat and winged sandals. For the sun god Helios, he made a golden chariot to ride across the sky. For the Eros, the god of love, he made a silver bow with silver arrows.
Here are some interesting facts about Apollo's story:
Hephaestus was a good-natured god who usually got along well with everybody. Even so, his mother, Hera, once got angry with him. She threw him off Olympus, the mountain where the gods lived. When he hit the ground, he broke his foot. A goddess named Thetis nursed him back to health. But he walked with a limp ever after that.

Good-natured though he was, Hephaestus didn't forgive Hera. And he finally got even with her. He made a beautiful throne out of gold and offered it to her as a gift. When she sat on it, invisible chains wrapped around her wrists. She couldn't get out of the throne, which rose up into the air.

All the gods tried to talk Hephaestus into letting Hera loose. Hephaestus finally did when the beautiful goddess Aphrodite agreed to marry him. Theirs wasn't a happy marriage, though. Aphrodite was really in love with Ares, the god of war.

The goddess Thetis had a half-mortal son named Achilles. When Achilles was a baby, she bathed him in the river Styx. This was supposed to make him invulnerable, meaning impossible to hurt or kill. Even so, Thetis worried when Achilles got ready to go fight in the Trojan War.

Hephaestus made the best weapons and armor in the world. So Thetis asked Hephaestus to make a shield and armor for Achilles. Hephaestus was still grateful to Thetis for helping him after his fall from Olympus. So he was happy to do as she asked.

Hephaestus's armor didn't let Achilles down during the war. But Thetis had made one mistake. When she had dipped Achilles in the river Styx, she had held him by the heel. So his heel was not invulnerable. Achilles was killed by an arrow in his heel.

*Pandora, the woman Hephaestus made from clay, was said to have had a box of evils. She opened the box, letting all those evils loose in the world. Today, to "open a Pandora's box" means to cause a lot of trouble accidentally.

*The Romans gave Hephaestus the name Vulcan. That's where the word "volcano" comes from.

*The word "vulcanization" also comes from the name Vulcan. Vulcanization is a process for hardening rubber, especially for tires. It uses extreme heat and sulfur.

*Today, a person's weak spot is called an "Achilles's heel," after the story of how Achilles died.

*Human history is sometimes divided into three periods. These are named after the materials most used for tools in those times. The earliest was the Stone Age, followed by the Bronze Age, followed by the Iron Age. The stories about Hephaestus were told in the Iron Age, when blacksmithing was very important.

Hestia

The beautiful Hestia was the oldest of the gods of Olympus. She disliked gossip, so hardly any stories were told about he. But it would be a mistake to think she wasn't important. In some ways, she was the most important of all the gods.

From the earliest times, the other gods of Olympus all had duties. Hermes carried messages, Ares was in charge of war, Artemis watched over all hunters, and Zeus ruled over everybody. Other gods had other jobs. But for a time, no one seemed to know what Hestia was supposed to do.

One day the gods Poseidon and Apollo told Zeus that they both loved Hestia. Both of them wanted to marry her. They demanded that Zeus choose between them. Otherwise, war would break out among the gods. And such a war would have been terrible indeed.
Here are some interesting facts about Hephaestus's story:
But Hestia solved the whole problem very simply. She refused ever to have a husband. Zeus was relieved and grateful to avoid a war. As a reward, he gave Hestia the keys to Olympus. He put her in charge of the gods' everyday business. Hestia made sure that the gods always had plenty of food, clothing, and money. After all, even gods have to worry about such things!

Zeus also made Hestia the goddess of homes everywhere. It was she who taught mortals how to build houses. And every house had a sacred spot for her. That was the hearth, the center of family life.

Mortals prayed to Hestia more than to any of the other gods. Every family meal began and ended with a prayer to Hestia. Whenever a baby was born, the parents carried it around the hearth and prayed to Hestia. Mortals had a saying: "Begin with Hestia." In other words, when doing anything, always start out in the right way.

Hestia lived a quiet life, leaving fame and adventure to others. Zeus's half-mortal son Dionysus showed up on Olympus one day. He wanted to have a throne like the other important gods. Hestia gladly gave up her own throne for him. After all, she was too busy to spend much time sitting there.

Here are some interesting facts about Hestia's story:

*A hearth in an Ancient Greek home wasn't like today's fireplaces. It wasn't placed in a wall at the end of a room.

Instead, it was in the middle of the central room. Its coals burned all the time, whether for warmth or for cooking. In honor of Hestia, Greeks made sure that the fire never went out.

*Every Ancient Greek city also had a public hearth for all citizens. Hestia was sacred there also. When the people of one city founded another city, they took coals with them to light the new city's hearth. As in hearths in private houses, the fires in public hearths were never allowed to die out.

*In Ancient Rome, Hestia was called by the name of Vesta. The six priestesses in her temple were called Vestals. Like Vesta herself, they never married.

*An asteroid called Vesta is named after the goddess. An asteroid is a body that orbits the sun but is much smaller than a planet. Although Vesta is only the second largest asteroid, it is the one most visible from Earth. The largest asteroid is called Ceres, the Roman name for the goddess Demeter.

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Athena Poseidon Hermes Ares Zeus Aphrodite Hera Artemis Hades Apollo Hephaestus Hestia Welcome to our Greek Gods and Goddesses page here on History for Kids. We have some fun facts and pictures for you to color. You will learn some interesting facts about each God as you read down the page.

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Greek Daily Life

The daily life of an ancient Greek was very similar to our lives today. Of course, ancient Greeks did not have smart 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 similar to the society that most of us enjoy today because it was full of a rich culture. This means that ancient Greeks could enjoy exotic foods, good music, and read literature, just as we do today.

Government And Citizenship

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 (called the polis) was located in the center of the city, which usually surrounded the acropolis, which was a high area that held a temple and religious shrines.

Greek cities also had an agora, which was a central marketplace where people could go to shop, perform business transactions, or meet other people and socialize. These were a lot like shopping malls or marketplaces today.

Both Greek men and women could be citizens of the state, so they could enjoy privileges like protection from violence. But a major difference between ancient Greece and our world today is that they had slaves, who were considered property of other Greek citizens. Slaves could not vote, hold property, or participate in civic life, and they had to do whatever their owner told them to do.

One of the biggest cities in ancient Greece was Athens. At the height of the Athenian empire, around 200,000 people lived there! You can imagine how organized the city and government had to be in order to feed, house, keep control of, and to take care of that many people every day.

Agriculture And Industry

Most of the people in ancient Greece had jobs much like we do today. Many people were farmers, who sold or traded their fruits and vegetables at market in order to get what they needed to take care of their family.

There was also a wealthy class of Greeks, who didn't need to work as much, and who could afford to send themselves or their children to schools. Some of these schools were like Plato's Academy, where they could learn about philosophy and intellectual reasoning. Other schools were specialized, like schools for painting or sculpture.

There was also a set of skilled craftsmen in ancient Greece. These artisans were the ones who created beautiful sculptures, decorated the inside walls of houses with elaborate paintings, or created mosaics with thousands of small tiles. Other craftsmen made pottery, coins and jewelry, and other items that were used on a daily basis in ancient Greece.

Hellenistic Greece

In later Greek history, which is called Hellenistic Greece, the economy expanded to areas in North Africa and Persia. Because of this, Greek products were in higher demand than before. Greeks began planting new crops and using new agricultural techniques. They also grew new and different wines, and invented better irrigation techniques in order to water their crops.

In the Hellenistic Age, Greeks also invented a new money system, built more roads and canals, and cleared the seas of pirates.

A Day In The Life Of An Ancient Greek

Greek houses were usually small, although they could be large if the family had enough money, and some were even two stories high. The thick walls of the houses were made out of mud and clay, and the floors were packed dirt. Some of the richer families could afford to decorate the inside of the walls of their houses with paintings, and some of them were able to afford to put a mosaic of tiles on the floor.

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. 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.

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.

Special Events

Even if the description of the daily life of an ancient Greek sounds boring, it really wasn't. It was a simple life, which they enjoyed even more by having fun at the many different sporting events (Greeks invented the first Olympics), plays, festivals, temples, and marketplaces throughout the area

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Greek Daily Life - Ancient Greek People - Fun Facts

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The daily life of an ancient Greek was very similar to our lives today. Of course, ancient Greeks did not have smart 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 ...

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Greek Food

Finding a great meal in ancient Greece would have been very easy. They ate a variety of delicious dishes, some of which are still around today. Most Greeks were farmers and they ate the food that they grew. Since Greece had a mild climate, they were able to grow many different fruits and vegetables as long as they got enough rain.

Vegetables were a huge part of the Greek diet. Most Greeks ate a diet that was almost vegetarian. Among the most common vegetables and plants eaten by Greeks were asparagus, fennel, cucumbers, chickpeas, and celery. They also gathered and boiled dandelions to eat. The bulbs of certain plants, such as iris, were also edible. They even ate stinging nettles!

Fruits and nuts were also a large part of the Greek diet. Apples, pears, cherries and mulberries grew wild and were available throughout Greece. Damsons, a fruit related to plums, were also a favorite of the Greeks.

Perhaps the most important food to the ancient (and modern) Greeks was the olive. It was not simply a food. It was also a big part of Greek history. Greeks believed that the goddess Athena gave the first olive tree to Athens before it eventually spread to the rest of Greece. Olives were used in many recipes. Olives were also crushed and their oil was used for lamps. Olive oil could also be used as a beauty product. Women rubbed into their skin to make it soft and shiny.

Honey was another important Greek food. It was used much like we use sugar, as a sweetener in many different foods. It could also be used as a medicine. Greeks were fond of honey because they believed that Zeus was fed milk and honey as a baby. For them, honey was almost magical. Many families kept beehives and took good care of their bees!

Ancient Greeks didn't eat much meat. But since Greece is surrounded by water, fish were easy to get. Many varieties were available in the markets. Many Greeks thought of eating meat as something that barbarians did. The Greeks believed they were more civilized than that. As a result, they hardly ate meat at all.

The way that Greeks ate was also important. Having a meal was not only about eating food. It was also a chance to talk and enjoy the company of family and friends. A Greek meal was an event! This is still the case in modern-day Greece, where dinner with friends and family may last for hours!

The ancient Greeks simply made use of the foods that were available. But we now know that the Greek diet was (and still is) very healthy. The Greeks may have found the key to living longer! But if it's all the same to you, I'll skip the stinging nettles!
A typical meal in ancient Greece almost always included these things:

Bread: this was a huge part of the Greek diet. It's believed that the Greeks had between 50 and 70 different varieties of bread.

Wine: the Greeks loved it, and even had rules on how to drink it properly. Wine was especially important for the symposia, a meeting of men to talk about ideas.

Olive oil: Nearly all Greek dishes used olives, or were cooked using olive oil. Even today, Greeks consume more olives than any other country in the world.

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Finding a great meal in ancient Greece would have been very easy. They ate a variety of delicious dishes, some of which are still around today. Most Greeks were farmers and they ate the food that they grew.

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The Greeks loved their pets, especially dogs! Like most modern societies, dogs were the most common pet in ancient Greece. There are many paintings and sculptures of dogs, and that tells us that dogs were important to the Greeks. The Greeks appreciated dogs for the company they provided. They also valued them as hunters. (Greeks

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Greek Clothing

The ancient Greeks weren't terribly interested in fashion! The clothing they wore was simple and was made to serve a purpose. (Or several purposes!) Although you often see paintings with Greeks dressed in all white, it is believed that their clothing was actually very colorful. Drawings and carvings from ancient Greece also show clothing with many kinds of patterns on them.

Most clothing was made at home. The fabric used for clothing was also spun and dyed at home. The same piece of fabric could be used for numerous things. It could be used as both clothing and bedding. The garment was usually simply a square or rectangular piece of cloth, which could be pinned or belted different ways. These garments were usually made from a type of linen or wool. Greece has a mild climate with very hot summers, and so the simpler their clothing, the better.

There wasn't much difference in the clothing that ancient Greeks wore. The small differences depended on who was wearing it and for what purpose. Both men and women wore a garment called a tunic. The tunics worn by men reached their knees, and the tunics worn by women came to their feet. The tunic would usually be tied at the waist.

Women wore a tunic called a peplos. The peplos was a full-length garment that would be draped and pinned at the shoulder different ways. Women also wore a garment called a chiton. This would be worn over the peplos. The chiton was usually very long and very full, and could be pulled together or sewn at the shoulders. Both of these garments were usually long enough to be pulled up over a belt. This created a pouch called a kolpos. Greek women also sometimes wore an undergarment around the middle of the body called a strophion.

Men also wore a chiton, but theirs was usually made from a lighter material. This was because men often had to work outdoors. A man's chiton could be draped over one or both shoulders. Greek men often wore a chiton draped over their left shoulder for horseback riding or other vigorous activity.

Both men and women wore a garment called a himation. The himation was a cloak which was worn in colder weather. Like other Greek garments, the himation could be used for other things. For soldiers away from home, it could be used as a blanket. Soldiers had another garment called a chlamys. This was simply a large rectangle of wool worn as a cloak. It was worn especially by soldiers.

You might be surprised to find that Greeks generally did not wear shoes. They might occasionally wear slippers or other soft-soled shoes, but usually preferred to go barefoot. Boots or leather sandals could be worn for special occasions. It was possible for a person in ancient Greece to go their entire life without wearing shoes!

Babies and small children in Greece might not wear any clothes at all!

So if you are planning to dress like a person from ancient Greece for a fancy dress party, here's what you'll need:

A tunic, knee-length if you're male, full-length if you're female.

A peplos and a chiton if you're female, and don't forget to bunch it at the waist.

A chiton if you're male, and drape it over your left shoulder if you'll be arriving on horseback!

A himation, in case it's cold outside.

And feel free to go barefoot!

There you have it: a brief look at the clothing of ancient Greeks. It wasn't fancy, but it was functional.

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The ancient Greeks weren't terribly interested in fashion! The clothing they wore was simple and was made to serve a purpose. (Or several purposes!) Although you often see paintings with Greeks dressed in all white, it is believed that their clothing was actually very colorful.

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Greek Education

The Greeks loved to learn! They believed that learning was one of the best ways you could spend your time. They didn't see going to school as a chore at all. They looked forward to the chance to improve their minds.

In Greece's very early history, only wealthy men were educated. Young boys usually had their own tutors who taught them math, writing, and military training. The things children were taught also depended on where they lived in Greece. If a boy grew up in Sparta, for example, his entire education was spent preparing him for the military. In Athens, which was less focused on the military, students learned several subjects.

As boys grew older, they were also taught music, literature, astronomy, and rhetoric. As Greece became more democratic, rhetoric became an important subject for children to study. Greeks believed that in a democracy, a person should be able to speak well! They learned rhetoric by memorizing famous speeches from the past. They were also taught poetry by memorizing entire poems. Those Greeks must have had great memories!

Greek girls were not taught the same subjects as boys. They were usually taught reading and writing, but were not taught other subjects. Instead, they were taught skills that would help them be good homemakers. They were taught to cook, sew, and care for children. Like boys, girls were sometimes given a different education depending on where they lived. In Sparta, even girls were given light military duties. They were also expected to do a lot of exercise so that they would have healthy babies who could serve in the army. In Sparta, girls were usually given more education that girls in Athens. But it was almost all physical training. (No books! No homework! Just exercise!)

Formal education was usually only for the sons of wealthy Greek families. Women, slaves, and the children of poor families were not given a formal education.
There were two kinds of education in Greece:

Formal: this was done in a school or was provided by a private tutor. (Alexander the Great's private tutor was Aristotle!)

Informal: this was usually done in the home, by an unpaid teacher, sometimes a slave.

Greeks loved to learn, but they also wanted to develop their personalities and their bodies. They believed that education should make you a better person. Young children were taught morals to help them become good people. Greek education also taught that exercise was important. The last few years of a boy's education would usually be spent in the gymnasium. In the gymnasium, he worked on perfecting his appearance and his health. This training also prepared young men for war.

Throughout their education, Greeks studied music and dance. They enjoyed music and believed that it made life more pleasant. It was common for educated Greeks to play several instruments.

The Greeks loved philosophy, too. But be glad you weren't a philosopher in ancient Greece. Greeks believed that philosophers had not learned everything they needed to know until they reached thirty -five!

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The Greeks loved to learn! They believed that learning was one of the best ways you could spend your time. They didn't see going to school as a chore at all. They looked forward to the chance to improve their minds. In Greece's very early history, only wealthy men were educated.

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Greek Home

Ancient Greek houses were typically made of mud bricks or stone and had a central courtyard. The houses were often designed to take advantage of natural light and ventilation, with windows facing the courtyard and high ceilings. The wealthy had larger homes with multiple rooms and even indoor plumbing, while the poorer Greeks lived in smaller, simpler homes with fewer amenities.

Ancient Greek Home Facts

Greek homes were built around a courtyard for outdoor activities.

Homes were usually made of sun-dried bricks.

They had few windows, for protection and to keep heat out.

Rooms included a kitchen, bedrooms, and an "andron" for guests.

The roofs were flat and often used for storage or sleeping.

Wealthy Greeks' homes had bathrooms; others used communal baths.

Paintings and mosaics often decorated the walls and floors.

Oikos

In ancient Greek society, the 'oikos' embodied far more than a physical house-it represented a fundamental sociocultural unit, encompassing family and associated property, such as land and livestock. Organized around a central courtyard, the oikos was architecturally designed with designated areas like the men's andron and the women's gynaikeion, reflecting the societal norm of gendered spaces.

It housed not only living quarters but also storage rooms, kitchens, and often workshops, illustrating its role as the hub of economic activity.

Therefore, the oikos was pivotal in ancient Greece-beyond an architectural construct, it was a societal microcosm where patriarchal authority was enforced, social status exhibited, and successive generations nurtured.

Atrium

The atrium, known as 'aule' in Greek, was an architectural centerpiece in ancient Greek houses. This open-air courtyard, enveloped by the house's various rooms, allowed for light and air circulation, contributing to a comfortable living environment. It was a hub for diverse daily activities ranging from chores to meals and social gatherings.

Often, the atrium was surrounded by a peristyle, a colonnade that provided shade and protection from weather. Some designs incorporated a centrally positioned cistern for rainwater collection, underscoring the atrium's multifunctional nature.

Thus, the atrium was not merely an architectural element but a pivotal aspect of domestic life, seamlessly connecting different spaces and supporting household activities.

Peristyle

In ancient Greek houses, the peristyle was more than a structural component; it was a functional and aesthetic centerpiece. This columned structure, encircling the atrium, bridged the house's interior spaces with the open courtyard, enhancing light and ventilation.

As such, the peristyle served as a multipurpose zone, ideal for leisure and social interactions. Moreover, its precise arrangement of columns epitomized the Greek architectural values of harmony and balance, merging utility with artistic appeal.

Hence, the peristyle symbolized the convergence of Greek architectural principles with everyday domestic life.

Andron

The andron, a distinctive feature in ancient Greek houses, played a pivotal role in the societal customs of the era. It functioned as a men's dining room, primarily utilized for symposiums-social occasions where discussions on topics like politics and philosophy took place over food and wine.

Positioned near the entrance to ensure family privacy, this spacious, ornately decorated room often held the shape of a rectangle, facilitating the arrangement of couches or 'klinai' along its walls. Here, guests would recline during meals and conversation.

Thus, the andron epitomized more than a mere architectural element-it served as a window into the gender-based societal norms and cultural traditions of ancient Greece."

Gynaeceum (Gynaikeion)

An essential part of ancient Greek houses, the gynaikeion or 'women's quarters,' echoed societal norms and gender divisions prevalent in that era. This distinct zone within the dwelling was where women conducted various domestic tasks, from weaving and cooking to child-rearing. Positioned towards the rear of the house or on an upper floor, it offered a degree of seclusion from the house's more public areas, such as the andron or men's quarters.

This layout mirrored ancient Greek society's patriarchal structure, which often segregated public and private spaces based on gender. But the gynaikeion was more than a secluded area-it functioned as a dynamic workspace and a domestic hub. Here, women managed the household, nurtured the next generation, and engaged in crafts, significantly contributing to the household's economic well-being.

Thus, the gynaikeion was not merely an architectural element but also a symbolic space reflecting women's vital roles within the oikos and broader societal context.

Pastas

The pastas, a distinct architectural component in ancient Greek houses, particularly in the Hellenistic era, had both functional and aesthetic roles. As a long, open portico, usually overlooking the inner courtyard or atrium, it offered protection from weather, facilitating unhindered circulation within the house.

This design also promoted airflow, contributing to the dwelling's overall comfort. Yet, the pastas' purpose extended beyond practicality-it often displayed the household's aesthetic preferences with embellishments like ornate columns or painted stucco.

Thus, the pastas embodied the ingenious blend of functionality and beauty in ancient Greek architecture, symbolizing more than a structural feature-it represented the lifestyle and principles of its time.

Megaron

Originating from the Mycenaean era, the megaron-a vital feature of ancient Greek architecture-typically embodied the main part of a palace or larger houses. It was characterized by a large, rectangular hall with a central hearth and a towering, open atrium, supported by four pillars.

Entryways often boasted ornate porches, reflecting the owner's wealth and prestige. The megaron was a multi-purpose space used for hosting guests, celebrating feasts, and performing ceremonies. Its design significantly influenced Greek temple architecture and later, Roman atrium houses.

Thus, the megaron transcended mere architectural functionality-it encapsulated various social and cultural aspects of ancient Greek life such as hospitality and communal activities. Its lasting influence on architectural trends highlights its enduring relevance in historical and architectural narratives.

The Courtyard

Most Greek houses were built around a courtyard. The courtyard was open to the air and in the center of the house. The courtyard frequently contained an altar to the goddess Hestia who was the goddess of hearth and home. There might also be a well for water located there. The women of the house would do their weaving and spinning in the courtyard at certain times of the year.

The Storeroom and the Workroom

The downstairs storeroom contained very large storage jars for olives, wine, and grain. The grain was for grinding into flour. There was also a separate workroom where slaves would create jewelry or make sandals as part of their activities.

The Kitchen

The kitchen had a central hearth for fire cooking. The smoke was channeled out of the house through a hole in the roof. The cooking for everyday meals was done in coarse clay pots. The most elaborate pots and dishes were decorated with ornate designs and used for company only. Many of these designs have provided archaeologists with information about this time period in Ancient Greece.

Amphora

While not part of the architectural fabric, the amphora was instrumental within ancient Greek households. This two-handled ceramic container, with its distinctive long neck, served for storage and transport of various commodities, from wine and oil to grains and water.

An everyday item in Greek homes, amphorae bore both practical and decorative significance. They often displayed intricate paintings depicting mythology, historical episodes, or mundane life scenes, reflecting the artistic prowess and cultural depth of the era.

Large amphorae, or 'pithoi,' were occasionally embedded into storeroom floors to preserve food. Smaller variants were used as game prizes or burial offerings, adding to their cultural relevance.

Thus, beyond their utility, amphorae symbolized aspects of ancient Greek life and customs, offering invaluable cultural and historical insights."

The Bathroom

Although there were no indoor flushing toilets, most houses had a bathroom with a bathtub. Water for the bathtub was drawn from the well or the public fountain and heated over a fire. Chamber pots were used as toilets.

The Bedrooms

Bedrooms in the Ancient Greek home were very basic. The bed was similar to the couch that appeared in the Andron. Simple wooden chests were used to store clothes and bedding.

The slaves' bedrooms were even more simple than the other bedrooms with just mats on the floor for sleeping. The female slaves had bedrooms close to the bedroom belonging to the mistress of the house and the male slaves had bedrooms close to the Andron.

What Construction Materials Were Used?

Ancient Greek houses were typically constructed using locally available materials. The choice of materials could vary depending on the region and the wealth of the homeowner.

Everyday ancient Greek citizens' homes
Here are some of the primary materials used:
The residences of ordinary citizens in ancient Greece significantly differed from the iconic public edifices and temples that characterize the period. Constructed mainly with basic materials such as mud bricks and timber, these dwellings were designed for practicality and efficiency rather than for show. In contrast to the expansive spaces and elaborate detailing of more majestic structures, these homes embraced modesty and functionality.

1. Stone: This was used primarily in the foundation and sometimes the walls of the house. The type of stone used depended on what was locally available.

2. Mud bricks: These were the most common building materials for the walls of ancient Greek houses. The bricks were made from mud, straw, and water, which were mixed together, shaped into bricks, and dried in the sun.

3. Wood: Timber was used for the roof structure and often for door and window frames. The type of wood used would depend on the types of trees available in the area.

4. Clay tiles: These were used for roofing. They were durable, resistant to fire, and helped keep the interior of the house cool.

5. Plaster: Walls and floors were often plastered to provide a smooth surface. The plaster was usually made from lime and sand. Sometimes the plastered walls were painted or decorated with frescoes.

6. Marble: While not commonly used in the average home due to its cost, marble was used in wealthier homes and public buildings for columns, statues, and decorative elements.

Their design was versatile, with spaces often repurposed to suit the dynamic demands of daily living. For example, a section of the house used for meal preparation during the day might transform into a sleeping area come nightfall. This versatile use of space mirrored the lifestyle and requirements of an average ancient Greek citizen.

In addition, these dwellings often featured an exterior courtyard serving as the hub for various day-to-day activities like cooking or tending to animals. Therefore, the homes of regular Greek citizens were pragmatic living quarters, conceived and structured to meet the quotidian needs of their inhabitants.

Windows in poorer houses

Windows in the homes of ancient Greece, particularly in poorer houses, were constructed with specific considerations in mind. Due to limited resources and financial constraints, windows in these houses were relatively small, lacking glass, and positioned high up on the façade.

Typically covered with wooden shutters, these windows allowed for ventilation and some natural light to enter the interior while protecting against weather elements and offering privacy. Their modest size and elevated placement also helped to ensure the security of the household.

Although these windows provided a more utilitarian function than their grand counterparts in wealthier residences, they served as essential openings that allowed air circulation and a glimpse of the outside world within the means of the less affluent households of ancient Greece.

Lack of bathrooms in Greek houses

Ancient Greek houses did not have the kind of dedicated bathrooms we are familiar with today. Instead, due to the absence of modern plumbing systems, these houses lacked wells or water supplies for personal hygiene. To meet their water needs, residents would fetch water from nearby sources like wells or springs.

For sanitation, the ancient Greeks relied on public latrines or chamber pots, with waste often being emptied onto the streets. Only the wealthiest individuals could indulge in bathing at home, but even that required considerable space and the assistance of slaves to fetch water and prepare the bath.

Most people would visit public baths or utilize natural bodies of water such as rivers and streams for their bathing needs.

The lack of dedicated bathrooms in ancient Greek houses sheds light on the differences in hygiene practices and the communal approach to certain sanitary facilities during that era.

Hearth (Hestia)

Hestia, revered as the ancient Greek goddess of hearth, home, and family, symbolizes the core of domestic life. Her name, meaning 'hearth' or 'fireside,' epitomizes the familial warmth and unity represented by every Greek household's ever-burning hearth.

This hearth served not just as a physical warmth source, but as a central spot for family rituals and offerings made to Hestia during meals. Beyond the home, Hestia's eternal flame found its place in the prytaneion, the community center, reflecting the collective unity of the city-state.

Thus, the veneration of Hestia underscored the importance Greeks placed on domestic harmony and communal cohesion. In this light, Hestia symbolizes more than divinity; she embodies the intrinsic values and traditions shaping ancient Greek home and community life.

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Ancient Greek houses were typically made of mud bricks or stone and had a central courtyard. The houses were often designed to take advantage of natural light and ventilation, with windows facing the courtyard and high ceilings.

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Greek Games

Just like children of today, children in ancient Greece enjoyed playing a variety of games. Apparently Greek parents viewed games as a good way for their children to develop certain skills, just like parents do today. Greek games seem to have been much more competitive than modern children's games, though, where the important thing is usually to have fun. Greeks wanted to win! To make sure they won, Greeks were not shy about tricking their opponent.

Many artifacts, such as vases, show children at play. But archaeologists aren't sure if they really were playing, or if these games were actually part of a religious ceremony.

One common children's game in ancient Greece was ephedrismos, which was a kind of piggyback game. Artifacts such as vases often show children playing this game. Another popular game was ostrakinda, a game in which a shell was painted black one side. The black side was "night," and the unpainted side was "day." Children divided into two teams, one for "night" and one for "day." The shell was thrown and the team whose color came up had to chase the other team. Juggling was also encouraged among children as a way to improve their motor skills.

Another popular game was morra. In this game, two players made a fist behind their backs, and then, when a signal was given, they extend their hands, showing a certain number of fingers. The first player to call out the correct number of fingers was the winner!

If you enjoy ball games, be glad you live in modern times! Greek children enjoyed ball, too, but they often used pig bladders for a ball! This involved blowing up the bladder, then shaping it by holding it over a fire and rubbing them into the desired shape. Sometimes they painted the blown-up bladders to make them look better. There were numerous ball games for Greek children, including episkyros, which was something of a cross between rugby and American football.

Games were not limited only to children. Adults in Greece loved their games as well. The Greeks apparently had a love of gambling, and may have invented dice. (One Greek writer claimed that they did, but the Egyptians may have beaten them to it!) Their dice were like ours. They were small cubes with the numbers positioned so that the ones on opposite sides added up to seven. But unlike modern dice, ancient Greek dice were usually made of ivory or bone.
Here are some other Greek ball games:

Ourania: a simple game in which a player threw a ball into the air and other players tried to catch it.

Aprrhaxis: this game involved bouncing a ball and keeping it bouncing!

Passe-boule: this was similar to basketball. It involved trying to throw a ball through a hole in an upright board. Sound familiar?

What do you think? Would you have enjoyed playing games that used pig bladders or pieces of bone? Not me! I think I'll stick to ephidrismos!

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Ancient Greek Games - History Facts for kids

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Just like children of today, children in ancient Greece enjoyed playing a variety of games. Apparently Greek parents viewed games as a good way for their children to develop certain skills, just like parents do today. Greek games seem to have been much more competitive than modern children's games, though, where the important thing is ...

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Greek Alphabet

For thousands of years, humans wrote without any letters. They simply drew pictures to make their point. You didn't have to know a certain language to understand these pictures. Modern-day drivers know that a road sign with an airplane on it means that an airport is nearby, no matter what language they speak. These ancient pictures worked the same way. Over time, these drawings changed into symbols. There could be thousands of these symbols, so it took many years to learn to write.

Over many, many years, these symbols became letters. We don't know exactly when this happened. We also don't know whose idea it was, but it was a good one. We do know that the first alphabet appeared in the Middle East, in an area called the Levant. There are very old stones from the Levant with writing that isn't really pictures, but isn't really letters, either. It's a cross between the two. It is believed that this happened sometime in the 8th century BCE.

These very early letters were probably brought to the Greeks by the Phoenicians, another ancient people. The Greeks added a new twist by adding vowels and deciding how each letter should be pronounced. The result was the alphabet. (The word alphabet comes from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and beta.) Eventually, the Romans came along and made some changes to what the Greeks had done.....and presto! The result was the very letters you're reading!

In the very earliest societies, writing was used simply for record-keeping. They had to know how many chariots they had, right? In other words, writing was used only for business. But the Greeks were different. They loved life and enjoyed having a good time. The earliest Greek writing is about dancing and enjoying life.

Once the Greeks had their alphabet in place, they wrote all sorts of things. They wrote their names on pottery to show that it belonged to them. They wrote poems and stories, sometimes on vases. They wrote offerings to the gods. Sometimes they wrote riddles and jokes!
Some interesting facts about the Greek alphabet:

It was originally written (and read) from right to left.

Eventually, the Greek alphabet changed to boustrophedon. This translates to "turning like oxen." That meant that the direction of writing alternated with each line. By the 5th century BCE, Greek writing settled into the same pattern we use today.

They cut it down from thousands of characters to only about twenty-four. This made it much easier to learn. And because Greeks made it easier to learn to read and write, Greeks were much more educated than other ancient peoples.

Greek was originally written with only capital letters.

A system of writing that could be understood by almost everyone may even have helped Greece become a democracy! Having an alphabet meant that writing was not something that belonged only to a small group of people.

There were originally different local versions of the Greek alphabet. Eventually, the version used in the city-state of Ionia became the standard Greek alphabet.

Below you can learn more about the Greek alphabet and listen to the sound of each letter

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For thousands of years, humans wrote without any letters. They simply drew pictures to make their point. You didn't have to know a certain language to understand these pictures. Modern-day drivers know that a road sign with an airplane on it means that an airport is nearby, no matter what language they speak.

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History for kids - Free history network for kids

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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.

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Ancient Greek Culture - History for kids

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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.

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Greek Vase Painting

Ancient Greek art was an important part of the lives of the people.

Vase painting was important, and the pots would normally feature paintings of people or figures.

Vases were part of a way that the Ancient Greeks made money and artists would sell and trade vases to make a living.

Vase Painting

The most popular vase painting was when the Ancient Greeks would paint a red or a black pot.

These vases were used mostly for holding wine and for holding water.

The vases were popular in homes, especially the homes of wealthy people.

They were considered pieces of artwork and were also practical because they held important things.

Shapes

The shape of the vase was different during different times of Ancient Greece.

Some of the vases would be made as different sections.

There would be a foot, a neck and handles. The sections were joined together and would be dried.

Each vase was unique and had a unique shape and a unique size.

The vases might be small, or they might be large.

Depending on what the vase was going to hold, the artist would decide what shape it was going to be.

The most common was wine holders and it was called a krater and it was used to mix the water into the wine.

A vase for pouring the wine would be called a oinochoai.

The cups that had stems were also considered vases and they were called kylixes.

To hold oil or perfume, the vase maker would make a lekythoi jar.

They were sturdy and had handles so that they could be carried easily. Each one would then be decorated to the buyer or artists choice.

Pottery

The vases were made on a pottery wheel and they were made out of clay.

The handles and other shapes would be added with clay slip.

This would allow the parts to stick together and then the pot would dry.

Painting

The vase would then be decorated, and it would depend on the time as to what style was used.

The vase would be painted with black or other colored paint and the marks would be put on the vase with a small brush.

The brush would be made out of feathers or animal tail.

When a vase was painted, the painter would put on multiple layers of paint and the paint would eventually chip off.

Firing

The vase would have to be put into a fire so that it would harden and last for a long time.

The pottery was considered softer than modern pottery and that is because of the lack of heat the vase would be put in.

Painter

The painter of the vases usually was considered an artist, or a specialist and they would paint the vases and sell them to make a living.

Each painter had their own style and design and people could tell if a certain artist painted a vase.

Painters painted vases in workshops and was usually considered a master potter.

The artists did not have any type of government control over them and they were allowed to paint whatever they wanted on the vase.

Most of the workers were paid the same as manual laborers or crafters and it would usually only cost the buyer a day wage to purchase a vase.

Some artists made over 200 vases.

Facts About Ancient Greek Vase Painting:

Vases were mostly made and painted in Sparta, Crete and Cyprus.

Some of the popular paintings on vases were circles or geometric shapes.

Some vases were covered in triangles.

Many artists painted human figures, animals such as birds and cows or other figures.

At one-point, black figures were painted on vases and was a very popular vase painting.

Red figures replaced the black figures and the figures were outlined with black.

What Did You Learn?

1. What was the purpose of vases in Ancient Greek times? Vases were important to hold things and they were a way for artists to make a living.

2. What shapes were the vases made in? Vases were made in shapes depending on what was going to go into the vase.

3. What kinds of paintings were on the vases? The vases had paintings of animals, figures, black figures, red figures, triangles, circles and other geometric shapes.

4. What were the restrictions artists had when painting vases? The artists had no restrictions when painting the vases.

5. Why are Ancient Greek vases considered soft? Ancient Greek vases are considered soft compared to vases today because they did not have a way to fire the pottery to the right degree to get it hard.

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Ancient Greek Vase Painting - History for Kids

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Ancient Greek art was an important part of the lives of the people. Vase painting was important, and the pots would normally feature paintings of people or figures. Vases were part of a way that the Ancient Greeks made money and artists would sell and trade vases to make a living.

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History for kids - Free history network for kids

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Greek Dance

The Greeks believed in enjoying life. One of the things that made life enjoyable for them was music and dance. Greeks had an appreciation for beautiful things, and they believed that music and dance were among the most beautiful parts of life. Music seems to have been a part of almost everything that Greeks did.

For the ancient Greeks, dancing was often a part of religious ceremonies. The Greeks had many public festivals through the year, and they almost always included dancing. Religious dances were usually very simple and involved the dancer swaying gently. These religious dances, which were called Apollonian, were performed with instruments such as lyres, lutes, and kitharas. These dances might also be performed at funerals. Greeks also had a more energetic dance, called Dionysian dance.

It is clear that the Greeks valued dancing and skilled dancers. Some dancers had monuments built in their honor. Others were presented with crowns. It was even possible for well-known dancers to marry into the upper class. This was almost impossible for everyone else.

It's possible that the Greeks valued good dancing so much because they believed that it was invented by the gods. They believed it was a gift that the gods only gave to certain humans. Therefore, the Greeks believed a good dancer had been chosen by the gods to have such a talent. This also explains why dance was used in religious ceremonies.

Imagine that you've done some time-traveling and have found yourself in ancient Athens. These are some dances you can use to impress your new friends:

You should also be prepared to sing. Greek dancing included singing. The leader of the dance sang a statement, and another group repeated the statement. This is where we get the idea for a chorus. There are still dances performed in Greece that use this ancient style.

Many Greek dances involved dancers in a circle. In fact, the word "chorus" originally meant a sacred ring dance. Ring dances were often done around a musician. Sometimes the ring was centered around an altar, a tree, or a sacred object. In ring dances, dancers held hands, and it was one of the few dances in which men and women were allowed to dance together.

Geronos: this was one of the most popular Greek dances. It was also one of the only ones in which boys and girls danced together (but only children; not adults). This dance uses snake-like movements. It recreates the story of Theseus escaping the labyrinth after killing the Minotaur. Dance and a mythology lesson, all in one!

Epilinios: dancers of epilionos danced atop vats of grapes. They crushed the grapes with their feet as they danced, making wine in the process. I don't know about you, but I don't think I want to drink anything made with feet!

Imeneos: this was a dance done by a bride and her mother at a wedding.

Iporchima: this was a cross between dancing and pantomime and was used in theater.

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The Greeks believed in enjoying life. One of the things that made life enjoyable for them was music and dance. Greeks had an appreciation for beautiful things, and they believed that music and dance were among the most beautiful parts of life. Music seems to have been a part of almost everything that Greeks did.

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Greek Theatre

The English words for tragedy and comedy come from the language of the Ancient Greeks. Although the Greeks were not the first to perform plays, they were very interested in the origins of tragedy and comedy. In their writings, the philosopher Aristotle and other Greek writers proposed theories and created stories of how the art form of theater was developed.

The Outdoor Theater

Greek plays were performed in outdoor theaters. At the start, the theaters were in open areas located in the center of the city or next to hillsides. The audience would stand or sit to listen and watch the chorus sing about the adventures of a god or hero. Toward the end of the 6th century B.C.E., theater structures became more elaborate. As the theater became more and more popular and competitive among cities, theaters became larger with some structures accommodating as many as 15,000 people at one time.

The Architecture of the Greek Outdoor Theater

The outdoor theater was divided into four distinct areas. The orchestra, which comes from the Ancient Greek words for "dancing space," was a circular area where the chorus would dance and sing. The earliest orchestras were made of very hard earth but eventually, as the theater evolved, the orchestra was paved with marble or other flooring. The center of the orchestra usually contained an altar to the gods. The orchestra was generally about 60 feet in diameter.
The orchestra
The viewing place or theatron was usually built on a hillside that overlooked the orchestra. The seats in the theatron were stepped up the hillside and fanned out around the orchestra so that the audience could see the actors and chorus below. In the fifth century B.C.E. the audience would have been seated on boards or cushions but a hundred years later the audience would have had seats made of marble. The curved structure of the theatron amplified the sound so that even if you were seated up the hillside you could hear what the actors were saying and what the chorus was singing.
The theatron
The skene was a building that was on the side of the orchestra that was the furthest distance away from the audience. About 25 feet wide and 10 feet deep, the stage was raised 2-3 steps higher than the orchestra. The skene was directly in back of the stage and was decorated as a temple or palace as a backdrop for the play. The skene contained a set of doors for the actors to make exits and entrances. Their masks and props would be stored inside the skene for easy access. There was also access to the roof of the skene. If an actor played a Greek god in the play he might be seen on the roof. At the beginning, the skene was just a tent but as Greek theater evolved, the skene became a permanent stone structure.
The skene
The parodos were passageways on either side of the orchestra between the orchestra and seating area. The chorus and some of the actors, such as those who played messengers, made their entrances and exits using these passageways. The parodos were also used by the audience to enter and exit the theater.
The parodos
The Structure of a Greek Tragedy

The structure of a Greek Tragedy was simple. The play began with a beginning speech spoken by one or two of the actors. This beginning speech or prologue gave background information about the characters and setting of the play. The actors were always men. Even the women's parts were played by men. Tragedies almost always were based on myths and stories from the past.

Next came the parodos named after the entrance passageways. This was the song that the chorus sang when they first entered the orchestra area. The job of the chorus was to comment on the drama in the play. There were usually 12 to 50 players in the chorus and they spoke their lines in unison. Like the actors, they sometimes wore masks. In a sense, they were considered to be a group acting as one individual.

After the parodos came the first episode. There were only three male actors performing. These characters and the chorus would perform the story together.

After each episode there was a choral ode called a stasimon. During this song, the chorus would sing and dance. Their performance was a reflection of what had been discussed in the episode. Once again, mythology would be the framework for the songs and dances.

These alternating episodes and odes would continue until the play was completed. Then at the end of the play, the exodos, there would be a wrap-up processional song that offered the moral of the story and summed up the wisdom that the audience should take away with them.

The Structure of a Greek Comedy

Unlike the Greek tragedies, comedies were based on events that were occurring in that time period instead of on myths of the past. The first part of the comedy was the parodos. The chorus of performers would wear crazy costumes such as bees with giant stingers or kitchen utensils and would perform a number of song and dance routines.

The second part of the comedy was the agon, which was a witty debate among the main actors. Scenes changed fast and the actors may have done some improvisation which just means they made up their lines as they went along. Since there were only three actors and they had a number of parts to play, they were always changing costumes and masks. Because the audience couldn't see the facial expressions of the actors, the use of the actors' voices and their gestures were very important.

The actors would poke fun at politicians or other well-known citizens who may have even been in the audience. The third part of the comedy was called the parabasis. During this part, the chorus spoke directly to the audience. The comedy was wrapped up with the exodos, which was a lively song and dance routine from the chorus.

The Greeks took their comedies and tragedies very seriously and would hold competitions for the best plays.

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The English words for tragedy and comedy come from the language of the Ancient Greeks. Although the Greeks were not the first to perform plays, they were very interested in the origins of tragedy and comedy.

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Ancient Greek Olympics

The ancient Greek Olympics were a series of athletic competitions held every four years in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BC to 393 AD. These games were a celebration of physical prowess and were dedicated to the god Zeus. Events included running, jumping, throwing, and combat sports. The Olympics were a unifying force for the Greek city-states and helped to promote peace during the games.

Originally, the games were part of a religious festival to honor Zeus.

He was the god of the sky and the leader of the Greek gods who lived on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece.

Ancient Greek Olympics Facts

First Olympics was held in Olympia in 776 BC.

Only freeborn Greek men could participate.

Initially a one-day event, later expanded to five.

Victors were awarded olive wreath crowns.

The main events were running, wrestling, and chariot races.

A sacred truce was announced during the games.

The Olympics were banned by Theodosius in 393 AD.

Olympia

Olympia served as the focal point for the Ancient Greek Olympics, located in the western Peloponnese. The games were organized every four years from 776 BC. With its name inspired by Olympus, the realm of the Greek gods, Olympia chiefly venerated Zeus, hosting a majestic Temple in his honor.

Competitors from diverse Greek regions assembled in Olympia for events like foot racing, wrestling, and chariot racing. Victors received crowns made from olive branches, a symbol of harmony and triumph, harvested from a hallowed olive tree close to Zeus's Temple.

Olympia embodied the Olympic spirit, epitomizing a sense of togetherness, rivalry, and spiritual dedication in the Greek world.

The Different Sports in The Ancient Greek Olympics

Pankration

Pankration was a crucial combat sport in the Ancient Greek Olympics, introduced in 648 BC. Its name, meaning 'all powers,' reflects the broad range of techniques used. Except for biting and eye gouging, nearly everything was allowed. Athletes sought to overpower their opponents in a test of strength and strategy, making Pankration winners highly respected figures in the games.

Chariot racing

Chariot racing, launched in the Greek Olympics in 680 BC, was a popular and esteemed event. Held at the Hippodrome, it was a test of both charioteer's ability and the horses' endurance. The chariot's owner could gain victory and prestige even without personally participating, making it a unique event that allowed the affluent to partake in the Olympics.

Pentathlon

The Pentathlon, introduced in 708 BC to the Ancient Greek Olympics, demonstrated an athlete's adaptability across five disciplines: long jump, javelin throw, discus throw, wrestling, and a foot race. Excelling across these events, an athlete would earn the title of the victor, reflecting the Greek ideal of balance and strength.

Gymnasium

The gymnasium was a vital training site for Ancient Greek Olympians. Unlike today's gyms, these venues were comprehensive centers for physical exercise, thought exchanges, and social activities. Athletes would train rigorously in the gymnasium for Olympic events such as the stadion race, wrestling, and the pentathlon. These facilities also promoted intellectual and social development, mirroring the Greek belief in the balanced growth of body, mind, and spirit.

Diaulos

The Diaulos was a track event at the Ancient Greek Olympic Games in which athletes had to run twice the length of a stadion, a distance of approximately 192 meters. This event was viewed as a test of speed, endurance, and agility, and required the athletes to quickly switch directions, as they had to run in one direction for the first half of the race, and then turn and run in the other direction for the second half. The first athlete to cross the finish line was declared the winner. The Diaulos was one of the most popular events at the Ancient Greek Olympics, and was seen as a symbol of strength and determination.

Dolichos

The ancient Greek Olympics featured a variety of running events, one of which was the Dolichos. This event was similar to the modern marathon, in that it was a long-distance race and the winner was the first to cross the finish line.

Competitors would run multiple laps on a track that could be up to 7km long, with the runners receiving a break in between laps to rest and gain fresh energy. The Dolichos was seen as a test of endurance as well as strength and was a popular event in the ancient Olympic Games.

Hoplitodromos (Hoplitodromia)

The Hoplitodromos was a race in the ancient Greek Olympics, showcasing the link between athletics and warfare in Greek culture. Competitors wore the attire of hoplites, Greek soldiers renowned for their heavy armor including a helmet, shield, and greaves.

The gear weighed about 50 pounds, adding endurance to the race. The event took place over two stadia, approximately 384 meters. The Hoplitodromos was more than a speed test; it was a test of strength, stamina, and agility in battle gear. This race embodied the value Greeks placed on physical prowess in both warfare and athletics.

Boxing (Pygmachia)

Boxing, or Pygmachia, was a highly regarded event in the ancient Greek Olympics, reflecting Greek esteem for strength and courage. Introduced in the 23rd Olympiad in 688 BC, Pygmachia had athletes, known as pygmachists, wear ox-hide thongs, or himantes, around their hands for protection and striking power. Unlike today's boxing, matches didn't have rounds and continued until one boxer admitted defeat or couldn't continue. The absence of weight classes often resulted in uneven matchups. Despite its violent nature, Pygmachia was viewed as a noble sport, embodying the Greek ideal of arête, or excellence, and the valor and physical prowess prized in Greek society.

Wrestling (Pale)

Wrestling, or Pale, was a key event in the ancient Greek Olympics, symbolizing Greek values of strength, skill, and strategy. Introduced in 708 BC, the goal was to throw the opponent to the ground three times. Distinct from today's wrestling, there were no weight divisions, and athletes, nude and oil-covered, competed in a sand pit.

Even aggressive techniques like finger-breaking were allowed, adding to the sport's toughness. Despite its physical intensity, Pale was also seen as a display of balance and tactics, marking it as a notable event in the ancient Olympics.

Equestrian events

Equestrian events were a prominent part of the ancient Greek Olympics, representing the importance of horsemanship in Greek culture. Introduced in 680 BC, these events comprised chariot races and horse races, with a later addition of a race for mounted riders.

The chariot race was a high-status event, often featuring aristocrats who could afford the requisite chariot and horses. Competitors raced around the hippodrome, aiming to complete the circuit the quickest. The owner of the horse or chariot, rather than the rider or charioteer, was declared the victor, signifying the role of wealth and status in these competitions.

Heraean Race

The Heraean Games were an integral part of ancient Greek athletics, acting as a women's counterpart to the male-dominated Olympics. The main event, the Heraean Race, was a footrace honoring the goddess Hera. Participants, unlike their male counterparts, wore short tunics and competed in three age categories: girls, teenagers, and young women.

The course was shorter than the men's stadium race. Winners received olive crowns and could dedicate statues inscribed with their names, echoing the honors bestowed on male champions. The Heraean Race thus marked a unique space for women in ancient Greek athletic culture.

Olive wreath

The olive wreath, known as "kotinos," was a significant symbol in the Ancient Greek Olympics. This simple crown, made from the branches of a sacred wild olive tree in Olympia, was the sole award given to the victors of the games. While it held no material value, the olive wreath was highly coveted, symbolizing honor, glory, and the respect of one's peers.

The tree itself, known as the "Altis," was believed to have been planted by Hercules, adding a mythical significance to the reward. The wreath became a symbol of the peace that prevailed during the Olympics, as wars were paused for the duration of the games, embodying the true spirit of the ancient competition.

Stadium

In the Ancient Greek Olympics, the stadium was crucial. It was built in Olympia and could house thousands of spectators, demonstrating the Greeks' emphasis on physical contests. Its rectangular design featured a long track, the stadion, which was approximately 600 feet long and served as the course for the main event, the stadion race. The stadium was more than an architectural marvel-it symbolized community, competition, and religious respect, particularly for Zeus, in whose honor the games were conducted.

Heraea Games

The Heraea Games, honoring the goddess Hera, were a significant women's sport event in ancient Greece, providing a counterpoint to the male-dominated Olympics. They featured a foot race for unmarried women at the Olympic stadium, with victors awarded an olive crown and a portion of a sacrificed cow. The Heraea Games highlight the involvement of women in ancient Greek sports and religion.

Theodosius I

Theodosius I, also known as Theodosius the Great, was the Roman Emperor who played a significant role in the history of the Ancient Greek Olympics - he ordered their cessation. Theodosius, ruling from 379 AD to 395 AD, was a fervent Christian who sought to establish Christianity as the official and dominant religion of the Roman Empire.

Seeing the Olympics as a pagan festival celebrating the Greek gods, in 393 AD, he issued a decree banning all such pagan festivals, effectively ending a thousand years of Olympic Games tradition. His decision significantly marked the decline of ancient Greek religion and culture in the face of rising Christian influence.

Zeus

In the Ancient Greek Olympics, Zeus was vital. The games were held every four years in Olympia and were mainly religious, honoring Zeus, the chief Greek god. The stadium was near Zeus' sanctuary, showing his role in the games.

Winners not only received olive branch wreaths but also got to dedicate statues and inscriptions to Zeus in the sacred grove, Altis. These tokens represented the bond between sports success and religious devotion in ancient Greece, embodied in Zeus.

Where Were the Ancient Olympics Held?

The Olympics was one of four all-Greek (Pan Hellenic) games.

Even though the games were named after Mount Olympus they weren't played there. Instead, they were held in the religious sanctuary of Olympia near Greece's southwest coast.

The land there was beautiful and rich with olive trees.

What Events and Awards Were Part of the Ancient Olympics?

At the beginning, the games were just short foot races designed to keep Greek men fit for the intensity of war.

The path for the foot races was about 700 feet long and straight.

It was also wide enough for twenty men to run side by side.

Only men who spoke Greek were allowed to take part in the races.

Men ran the races without any clothes on. Gradually, other events were added but there were no team sports like in the modern Olympics.

Prizes

There were no medals like the gold, silver, and bronze medals we have today.

There was only one winner and he was given a wreath of olive leaves as a prize.

But these weren't just any olive leaves. These olive leaves were taken from a sacred tree that was located at Olympia behind the temple dedicated to Zeus.

Statue Commemorates Games' Victorious Maste

To reward his mastery of the events, a statue was built in the winner's honor.

The games were held once every four years in August.

Over time other events were added.

Horse races, chariot races, boxing, and wrestling were all popular events in addition to the foot races.

There was also a special event that consisted of five different sports activities: wrestling, running, the long jump, disc throwing, and spear throwing.

Were Women Allowed to Participate in the Olympics?

Married women were not allowed to attend the Olympics and women weren't allowed to compete in any of the events.

There was a separate women's festival that was called Heraia and was dedicated to the honor of Hera, the wife of Zeus.

A Special Truce

At the height of the games over 20,000-40,000 people attended.

The Olympics were so important to Greek culture that the city-states stopped all their battles and observed a special truce for a full month before the games started.

During this time, men could train for the events, and participants could travel to the games without fear.

Merchants also traveled to the games to sell food and other items.

The Ancient Olympic games were held for over a thousand years and ended in 393 AD when the Roman emperor Theodosius banned them.

He outlawed the worship of the ancient gods because of new beliefs in Christianity.

The buildings were eventually torn down and the city was buried under earthquakes and floods.

The Modern Olympics

The modern Olympics were started in 1896 by a French educator and historian by the name of Pierre de Coubertin.

Pierre loved sports and felt that the world's countries would have more of an opportunity for peace if they gathered together to play sports.

He designed the five color rings that are used to represent the Olympic Games today.

The rings stand for North and South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia.

At the beginning of the games, a flame is lit.

The flame begins in Olympia and is passed from torch to torch until the location of the games is reached. The location changes every time the Olympic games are played.

Today the Olympic Games are the largest sporting event in the world.

There are summer and winter games and over 30 sports are played.

Men and women from all over the world compete to win the gold, bronze, and silver medals.

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Ancient Greek Olympics - History for kids

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The ancient Greek Olympics were a series of athletic competitions held every four years in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BC to 393 AD. These games were a celebration of physical prowess and were dedicated to the god Zeus. Events included running, jumping, throwing, and combat sports.

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Greek Art

Ancient Greek culture was full of different types of art. Ancient Greeks decorated almost every part of their lives, from their buildings and city streets to the inside of their homes, many objects in Greek life were created with beauty in mind. Greek artists created masterpieces in painting, metal work, mosaic, sculpture, architecture, literature, and pottery.

Painting: Until recently, archaeologists only knew about Greek painting through ancient Greek stories. These stories, which were written by authors such as Pliny and Pausanias, describe large, monumental paintings. But unfortunately, not a lot of these paintings remain.

An ancient Greek living in 400 BC would be able to walk down the street and look at the beautiful paintings on the outside walls of buildings. But after thousands of years, war, earthquakes, weather, and time have worn down these paintings so that they no longer remain. Some Greek cities, such as Sikyon, were known for their schools, which taught painters and created many successful Greek artists, who then traveled the Western world, spreading their Greek art.

Archaeologists have recently begun excavating Macedonia, which is a part of Greece, and they have found well-preserved pieces of Greek paintings. Many painted tombs have been found, helping archaeologists to study Greek painting even better. Some of these paintings show scenes of warriors, women, animal hunts and scenes from mythological stories. Some of these paintings look a lot like Italian paintings, which has led some archaeologists to believe that Greek artists influenced Italian artists, who copied their painting styles.

Metalwork: Greeks were very skilled at working with metal, and they worked with many different types. Bronze is a special type of metal, which is mostly made up of copper, with another metal added, such as tin or zinc. Bronze is a hard and strong metal, and it was a very popular choice for statues and other decorations.

Greeks also used iron, which is a harder metal, as well as precious metals such as gold and silver. Even though there are many examples of beautiful metal work from ancient Greece, there used to be even more. Because metal can be melted down and made into something else, many metal sculptures and other metal items were melted down so they could be used for other things.

Besides bronze, gold, and silver sculptures, the Greeks made many things out of metals. Many of these things were beautifully decorated. They made bowls and vases, cauldrons, knives and daggers, shields, armor, decorative wreaths, drinking cups, and lanterns. They also made fine jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pins, and rings. Most of the decorations found on jewelry were flowers and leaves, mythical creatures, lions, and snakes.

Mosaic: Another one of the lasting artistic legacies from the ancient Greeks is the art of the mosaic. A mosaic is a picture made up of small pieces of glass, pottery, or small tiles. Thousands of small pieces of colored tiles are placed together so that all together they make up a picture.

Greeks decorated their houses with mosaics, both on the walls as well as on the floor. In Macedonia, archaeologists have found houses that have brightly painted walls and mosaic floors.

Ancient Greece had many other different types of accomplished artists. They were good at creating beautiful sculptures for religious worship and for decoration. They also created well-designed buildings, or architecture, which were decorated with sculptures, paintings, and mosaics.

Another more type of art they used on a daily basis was pottery, which they made into hundreds of different shapes, and painted with geometric patterns, and scenes from mythology. And last but not least, the Greeks also wrote many different types of literature, from poetry to history; they turned their writing into an art form.

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Ancient Greek Art - Ancient Greece Facts for Kids

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Ancient Greek culture was full of different types of art. Ancient Greeks decorated almost every part of their lives, from their buildings and city streets to the inside of their homes, many objects in Greek life were created with beauty in mind. Greek artists created masterpieces in painting, metal work, mosaic, sculpture, architecture, literature, and ...

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Greek Architecture

Architecture is the art of designing and creating buildings. Greek architecture is a very specific and influential type of design, which was based off of the post-and-lintel system. The post-and-lintel system is made up of columns, which are large upright posts, with a roof, or architrave, over the top. This type of architecture began with the Greeks, but has persisted throughout the ages to live on today.

Ancient Greek Columns Facts

The Doric style is the most plain and simple.

The Ionic style is more slender and more ornate than the earlier Doric style column.

The Corinthian style is quite fancy and decorated with acanthus leaves and flowers.

Even though it may seem simple, the Greeks created a wonderful and lasting legacy of architecture. The columns and architraves were carved with leaves and flowers, scenes of battles, and mythological creatures. The columns were decorated with lines and bases, and capitals, which topped off the columns and connected them to the architraves.

These are some important terms to learn about Greek architecture:

Greek buildings were all built in a very methodical order. This means that there were many rules that they followed in order to make sure the buildings were all similar. These rules also helped to make sure that the buildings were safe and strong. Many Greek buildings were built so well that hundreds of them still exist today, even though they are thousands of years old!

The rules that Greeks used to build their buildings were precise, and said how wide the columns could be, how tall the columns could be, and how many columns a building needed. Eventually these rules became known as orders, and different types of orders developed, with different styles of architecture.

The three main Greek architectural orders are :

* Doric: The Doric order is the oldest and most simple order. The columns have no base and the columns have a very simple capital. In other words, Doric buildings were the least decorated. Archaeologists believe that Doric architectural buildings, which were built in stone, evolved from wooden buildings that were very similar.

* Ionic: The Ionic order is more decorative than the Doric. The columns are taller and thinner, and the capitals at the top of the columns are decorated with scrolls and other patterns. The bases of the columns are also decorated.

* Corinthian: The Corinthian order is a lot like the Ionic order, but the capitals are even more elaborately decorated, usually with leaves and floral patterns

Types of buildings: Besides just houses and marketplaces, Greek cities had many different types of specialized buildings. Many of these buildings can be found in most ancient Greek cities.

Temples: Temples are the most common type of public buildings in ancient Greece. The purpose of a temple was to store a religious statue. Some temples were very large, but others could be very small, depending on the size of the statue and how many people wanted to visit it. Perhaps one of the most famous of Greek temples is The Parthenon.

Stoas: Stoas were a lot like temples, but were extra long, and sometimes they were even two or three stories high. These buildings were big because they were used as large gathering places for the public, such as market places, public offices, and places where people could stroll and meet other people.

Theatres: Theatre performances and plays were a big part of Greek life, so theatres were an important part of Greek cities. Usually, they were built into a hillside, where the public could sit along the hills and watch the action. In large cities, some theatres could sit tens of thousands of people!

Assembly Hall: An assembly hall was similar to a theatre, but was much smaller. This building was used to have important town meetings.

Gymnasia: Gymnasiums are still a common part of most schools, and these buildings began with the Greeks. Parts of ancient Greek gymnasia were wrestling grounds, which were open to the outside, and running tracks. Other parts of the gymnasia were lecture halls and other smaller rooms where Greek athletes and warriors could train.

Greek architecture has had a long and important legacy in western history. Even now, people continue to copy Greek buildings, and many people go visit the ancient remains of the thousands of ancient Greek buildings still standing today.

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Ancient Greek Architecture and Columns Facts for Kids

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Architecture is the art of designing and creating buildings. Greek architecture is a very specific and influential type of design, which was based off of the post-and-lintel system. The post-and-lintel system is made up of columns, which are large upright posts, with a roof, or architrave, over the top.

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Ancient Greek Myths

Ancient Greek myths were intertwined into Greek society from the beginning.

The ancient Greek myths were seen as part of their religion and one way that the ancient Greeks could worship their gods.

The ancient Greek myths were handed down from one generation to another generation.

Storytellers engaged in a variety of techniques when reciting one of the ancient Greek myths to keep their listeners engaged in the storyline.

Ancient Greek myths were very important and traces of them can found on everything from walls to pottery to clothing.

What were the ancient Greek myths about?

Ancient Greek myths were stories based on their gods like Zeus, Athena, Hercules, Poseidon, and more.

They usually included a monster too like Medusa who had snake for hair or the Minotaur which was a half-human/half-bull creature.

Each ancient Greek god had different magical powers and personalities that storytellers talked about during the story.

Each storyteller told their version in a different way but they always kept the god's and monster's magical powers and personalities in the correct perspective.

Ancient Greek myths are about a mystical world of ancient Greek gods that were constantly fighting, loving, punishing each other, compromising, and fearing one another from something bad.

Like normal human beings, the gods in the myths were punished or rewarded for their actions. In other words ancient Greek myths not only told a story but helped people decide between right and wrong.

Who were the ancient Greek gods?

Although there were many different gods in ancient Greece, here is a short list of some of the more important gods in ancient Greek.
The Titans-
There was twelve Titans which included the parents of Zeus, Rhea, and Cronus.

The Titans were the first gods of ancient Greece and reigned at a time called the golden age. The children, who were led by Zeus, overthrew the Titans.
The Olympians-
There was twelve Olympian gods. These gods were the most important. Their home was atop Mount Olympus. The Olympian gods included the following individuals:

Zeus was their leader. He was married to Hera, his sister. He was god of the sky and lightning which was also his symbol.

Hera was the queen of the gods. She was the sister to Zeus but also his wife. She was the goddess of marriage and family and had many symbols including a pomegranate, cow, lion, and peacock.

Poseidon was the god of horses, the ocean, and earthquakes. He was the brother of Zeus and Hades and his symbol is the trident.

Dionysus was the noble of wine and celebrations. He was the main god of theater and art too. He was the youngest Olympian and the son of Zeus and his symbol was the grapevine.

Apollo was the god of music, prophecy, archery, and light. He was the twin brother of Artemis and his symbols included the bow and arrow, lyre, and sun.

Artemis was the goddess of archery, animals, and the hunt. She was the twin sister of Apollo and her symbols were the bow and arrow, the deer, and the moon.

Hermes was the god of thieves and commerce. He was also the messenger of the gods. The god of nature was his son Pan and his symbols included a staff with two snakes and a pair of winged sandals.

Athena was the goddess of defense, war, and wisdom. She is the patron goddess of Athens and her symbols were an olive branch and an owl.

Ares was the god of war. He was the son of Zeus and Hera and his symbols included a spear and shield.

Aphrodite was the goddess of beauty and love. She was married to Hephaestus and her symbols were the swan, a rose, and a dove.

Hephaestus was the god of fire. He was the husband of Aphrodite and had numerous symbols including an anvil, fire, a donkey, and hammer.

Demeter was the goddess of agriculture and the seasons. Her symbols represented wheat and a pig.

Other Gods

Hades was the god of the underworld.

He was considered in the same league as the Olympian gods.

He did not live on Mount Olympus and lived in the underworld.

Ancient Greek Heroes

There were a couple of ancient Greek heroes that appear in numerous myths.

These heroes went on adventures to save people or something from bad things. Although they were considered to be human, they were related to many of the Olympians.

Heracles was the son of Zeus and the strongest of the heroes. He battles numerous monsters during his exciting journeys.

Achilles was the greatest hero of the Trojan War and the main person of Homer's epic poem the Iliad.

The only place on his body he was vulnerable was his heels.

Odysseus was the final hero of Homer's other epic poem the Odysseus.

Although he was tough and courageous he used his crafty mind to get out of trouble.

Notable Monsters in Ancient Greek Myths

Minotaur - He lived on the island of Crete. He was half-man/half-bull. Every year he would eat seven boys and seven girls.

Medusa - She was known as Gorgon. Her appearance included a woman's face with snakes for hair. She could turn people into stone when they looked her.

Hydra - This monster was a huge snake with nine heads. It could grow several new heads rapidly when one was cut off.

Sirens - These were sea nymphs that sang beautiful songs in order to lure sailors into rocky shorelines and crash their boats.

Typhon - He is considered to be the most feared and most powerful monster. Nicknamed the "Father of All Monsters" he was feared by all the gods except Zeus.

Cerberus - This monster was creating by Typhon. It was a giant three-headed dog that guarded the gates to the Underworld.

Chimera - Was also a created by Typhon. It was a giant monster with a mixture of animals including a goat, snake, and lion. This monster was feared because it breathed fire.

Facts about Ancient Greek Myths

Ancient Greek myths were used as part of the religion in ancient Greece.

Storytellers passed down ancient Greek myths from one generation to another generation of people.

Each ancient Greek myth told a story that highlighted the difference between right and wrong and good and evil.

The Olympians consisted of twelve gods and goddesses. Zeus was their leader.

The Titans were the parents of the Olympians.

The Olympians defeated the Titans to take over power.

Typhon was the most feared monster.

FAQ's
What is the purpose of ancient Greek myths?
Ancient Greek myths were stories about their gods and goddesses. The myths were part of ancient Greek religion. The myths usually told a story about the difference between right and wrong and good and evil.
What are ancient Greek myths?
Ancient Greek myths were stories about the twelve Olympian gods and goddesses usually fighting with a number of different monsters. The stories were handed down from one generation to another generation.
Who were the twelve Olympian gods and goddesses?
The twelve Olympia gods and goddesses were Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Dionysus.
Is Heracles an ancient Greek god?
No. Heracles was known as an ancient Greek Hero. He was the son of Zeus. Ancient Greek Heroes had the abilities of many of the ancient Greek gods but were considered mortal and human.

What Did You Learn?

What was the name of the parents of the Olympians?

The Titans

How many Olympian gods and goddesses were there?

Twelve

Which monster had the face of a woman and snakes for hair?

Medusa

Zeus

On top of Mount Olympus

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Ancient Greek myths were intertwined into Greek society from the beginning. The ancient Greek myths were seen as part of their religion and one way that the ancient Greeks could worship their gods. The ancient Greek myths were handed down from one generation to another generation.

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Ancient Greek Ships

Greek ships were long ships that were usually around the same size and they were used to make deliveries and to carry cargo.

Many of the ships were used to carry trade goods.

What Did They Look Like?

Most of the Greek ships were around 100 feet to 115 feet long.

Some of them were covered in brass so that they would be strong in case there was a war.

The ships were made of wood and were usually about the same size.

If you compared the ships to something today, they would probably be about as long as about three buses in a row.

How Did They Go?

Ships today are run on motors but in Ancient Greek times, the ships were usually running by sails or by people called oarsmen.

Oarsmen would hold the oars and they would power the boat.

They would use the oars to move the boat and to make the boat turn left or right depending on which direction they wanted to go.

Since the ships were ran in the Mediterranean Sea, they would move fast along with the current of the water, so the oarsmen had to be strong to handle the ship in the water.

Triple Decker Warship

During Ancient Greek times, there was a warship called the Trireme.

This was a triple decker warship and it could hold more than 200 men. There had to be over 150 people just to row the oars of the Trireme.

The trireme was faster than other ships and only had one sail.

They sailors would leave items on the shore that were not needed because the ship was so heavy and extra cargo would keep the ship from moving fast.

Why Did They Need Ships?

People in Ancient Greece were farmers, artists, painters, pottery makers and more.

Many of the people in Ancient Greece depended on their merchandise to be traded with other countries so that they could make a living for their families.

The ships would be used to make sure that people in the Ancient Greek cities were able to trade and to move cargo from one area to the other.

Since the ships were large, the Greeks could make trips to other countries and they could bargain and trade items.

War

The ships were also needed during times of war.

Many of the war ships had a different design and were made of different materials so that they would be strong and powerful.

When the Greeks had to go to war, they would use the ships to fight their enemies in the sea.

The beset navy of all times was in Athens during the Ancient Greek times.

This navy war and the warships that they had were what allowed them to be able to win the victory during the war with Persia.

God of the Sea

Before people of Ancient Greece would go into any ship and before the ship was even allowed to leave the harbor, they sailors would pray to the god Poseidon to keep them safe while they were in the water.

Poseidon

Poseidon was an important god during Ancient Greek times, and he was important because he helped to keep the Greeks safe when they would travel by sea.

Poseidon was the brother of Zeus and Hades and he did not want to have power over big things and was happy to be the god of the sea.

When people would travel by sea, they were afraid of Poseidon and they built temples close to the shore so that he would keep them safe when they traveled during times of trade or during times of war.

The people wanted to make sure that he was a happy god.

Facts About Ancient Greek Ships:

The Ancient Greeks would leave Poseidon gifts so he would keep them safe.

The warship called a Triremes was called this because it had a triple layer.

During times of war, the Greek ships would ram into other ships to defeat them.

The sails were used when the boat travelled but the sail would come down when they were not traveling and then the people would use oars.

When the ship had 3 rows of oars like the Triremes, it could travel up to 10 miles an hour just with the oars.

The eye of the ship was considered good luck to the Ancient Greeks.

When a citizen wanted to use the boat, he would be called a trierarch and he would pay to run the ship from his seat.

The larger oars were used to steer the ship, there was one on each side of the ship.

What Did You Learn?

1. What is a Greek ship? A Greek ship was a way that the Ancient Greek people were able to move and go places along the sea.

2. Why were the Ancient Greek ships important? The Ancient Greeks used the ships for trade, which was a big way of life and for war.

3. Were the warships different than regular ships? The warships were made of different materials than the regular ships so that they could be strong and powerful.

4. How did the ships move along the water? The ships moved along the water by oars and by sails.

5. Who was the god of the sea? The god of the sea was Poseidon.

6. Why did the people build a temple to the god Poseidon? The people built a temple and left him gifts so that he would keep them safe while they were on the water.

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Greek ships were long ships that were usually around the same size and they were used to make deliveries and to carry cargo. Many of the ships were used to carry trade goods. What Did They Look Like? Most of the Greek ships were around 100 feet to 115 feet long.

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History for kids - Free history network for kids

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Ancient Greek Warriors

During Ancient Greek times, there was always some kind of war happening.

The wars would happen within the city-states and they would sometimes work together to take down a certain city-state.

Most of the time though, the Greeks would not work together to fight an enemy that they all had, such as the Persians.

Warriors

Any man that lived in a city in Greece was considered a warrior.

They were expected to take their place if there was a war and to be willing to fight anytime it was needed.

Most of the men that lived in Ancient Greek times was not a warrior full time and most of them had other jobs such as farmers and craftsmen and they would fight when they had to protect their land.

Hoplites

The Greek soldier that was a foot soldier was called a hoplite.

These warriors would carry long shields and spears. They got their name because the shield that they carried was called a hoplon.

The Hoplite was the main Greek soldier and they were first in battle.

Stance

The stance that the soldiers would take was called a phalanx.

This is when they would stand side by side and their shields would overlap and make a wall.

The warriors would march forward and use the shield and the spear to attack their enemies.

Even if the soldiers in the front were defeated, the back warriors would keep moving forward.

Weapons

The warriors of Ancient Greek had to have their own weapons.

They were also not able to get armor from the city-state and they had to buy or make their own.

A warrior that had more money would be able to buy better weapons and have better armor made and so you would know that a warrior was powerful if he had a full set of armor.

Most of the weapons that the Ancient Greeks used was a small sword called a xiphos and a spear that was long, called a doru.

Armor

The full set of armor would include a breastplate, a helmet, greaves (shin protectors) and a shield.

This armor would be very heavy and weighed almost 100 pounds.

The shield would weigh a lot on its own, more than 20 pounds.

The shield was the most important part of the armor because it was used to fight and to protect the warrior during times of battle.

When a warrior would lose his shield during the battle, it was considered shameful and would bring bad luck on the warrior.

Shield

The warriors shield was so important that a legend was made that the Spartan mothers would tell their sons to come home with their shield on or by their shield.

This meant that they would return carrying their shield or they would come home dead on their shield.

Spartans

The Spartans were considered the greatest warriors of all times.

Every man that lived in Sparta was trained to go to battle and be a warrior. Even as a young boy, they would be taught how to fight and go to a training school.

Spartan men would fight even until they were old.

Facts About Ancient Greek Warriors:

The greatest warriors of Ancient Greek belonged to Sparta.

The Greek warriors would decorate their shields so they could praise the gods.

The Greeks would throw javelins and use archery during battle.

The warriors would try to push the phalanx apart and when this happened, it would bring them victory in the war.

A Spartan shield was called an aspis.

Very few Spartans were out of shape and were forced to keep their bodies strong and powerful.

What Did You Learn?

1. Who was an Ancient Greek warrior? An Ancient Greek warrior was a person that would fight in a battle or a war.

2. Were most people in Greece warriors? Most people were only part time warriors, and most were farmers or craftsmen that fought to protect their property.

3. What was the formation called when people would get in a row and use their shields as a wall? This formation was called the phalanx.

4. What weapons did the Ancient Greeks use? Most of the Ancient Greek warriors used a large shield and a short or long spear.

5. What was interesting about the men of Sparta? The men of Sparta were all raised to be warriors.

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Ancient Greek Warriors - History for kids

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During Ancient Greek times, there was always some kind of war happening. The wars would happen within the city-states and they would sometimes work together to take down a certain city-state. Most of the time though, the Greeks would not work together to fight an enemy that they all had, such as the Persians.

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Greek Wars and Battles

There were different city-states in Ancient Greece, and it was not considered to be one big country.

Each of these city-states had different leaders and because of this, many of the areas would go to war.

Location

If you would ask an Ancient Greek where he was from, he would say that he was from one of the cities within Greece.

He would say that he lived in Athens or that he was from Sparta.

The people thought of themselves as individual people, but they also were one with the city that they lived in.

Most of the people from that city would have the same religious thoughts or ideas and most of them worshiped the same gods.

Being in one city-state with another person formed a bond with them and the people would work well together, and this was how wars were won.

When a war would be decided on, the people within that city-state would come together and would fight in the battle so that they could beat their enemy.

War

Anytime there was a war, the people of the city-state would come together, and they would fight against each other.

Sometimes, but not very often, the people would work together to fight a common enemy like Persia.

This was very rare, and most city-states allowed people to fight their own battles.

Warrior

All the men that were citizens of a certain city-state were considered warriors.

Those that lived in Sparta were considered the best warriors in Greece.

Sparta was the place where all people that lived there were trained to be warriors and they would begin training as young as 6 years old.

The Persian Wars

During the Persian War, the Persians sent people to the Greek peninsula in order to beat the Greeks.

They tried to win the battle and to defeat the Greeks three different times but each time they failed.

The three areas were Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis.

The Greeks were very powerful, and the Persians were unable to overtake them.

The Delian League

The Delian League was when there were 200 different city-states that chose to work together to fight off the Persians.

They wanted to make sure that the Persians would never be able to conquer their land.

The point of the league was to have powerful warriors that would be there to fight if there ever was a battle, but even more, the league was important to give money to Greece so that they could make weapons and have money to train warriors.

The Delian League had people that formed a treasury and the money that was put into the account was used as a way to fund the war, build ships, train soldiers and make armor and weapons.

The Peloponnesian War

The war that was fought between Sparta and Athens was called the Peloponnesian War.

This was lasted more than 20 years.

Sparta and Athens always had trouble getting along and this war was a bad war. Of course, Sparta, with their powerful army won the war, but man people died along the way.

The Spartans would fight until someone died and since this was such as huge war, many people died. It took a long time for Athens to recover from this war.

Sea Wars

There were also many wars that were fought at sea.

The Ancient Greeks would use ships such as the Trireme to fight wars on the sea.

These wars would usually end with ships being destroyed or damaged and it would take money and time to rebuild.

Facts About Ancient Greek Wars:

The Ancient Greeks were able to go to war because the city-states were powerful areas.

Hoplites were the main Greek warriors and they would fight in order to keep their warriors and citizens safe.

Most of the city-states could not afford to lose a lot of warriors so the wars were sometimes fought only for a season before they ended.

The Persians wanted to fight the Greeks because they had a huge empire and they wanted to add Greece to their empire.

The only reason the Greeks were able to win the battle of Persia was because they worked together.

The Battle of Marathon was a battle between Persia and Greece.

Another battle between Persia and Greece was the Battle of Thermopylae and it was led by the Sparta King, Leonidas.

What Did You Learn?

1. What were Ancient Greek wars? Ancient Greek wars were wars that took place in Ancient Greece.

2. Why were these Greek wars interesting? These Greek wars were interesting because many of them took place between the city-states.

3. Why did the city-states fight? The city-states would fight because they would have disagreements between each other.

4. What were some of the main wars fought in Ancient Greece? Some of the main wars in Ancient Greece were the Persian Wars, the Peloponnesian War and the Trojan War.

5. How many battles took place between the Ancient Greeks and the Persians? There were three battles that took place before the Persians lost the battle.

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Ancient Greek Wars and Battles - History for Kids

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There were different city-states in Ancient Greece, and it was not considered to be one big country. Each of these city-states had different leaders and because of this, many of the areas would go to war. Location If you would ask an Ancient Greek where he was from, he would say that he was from ...

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Trojan Horse

The Trojan Horse was something that is very known to Ancient Greek mythology.

This was a story that involves Athens and Sparta.

War

During the Trojan War, Greece fought against the city of Troy.

This battle started in the 13 th century and started because the prince of Troy, Prince Paris, took the Spartan queen, Queen Helen from her husband.

The Trojan War is something that no one is really sure if it happened or not but if it did, it was over jealousy.

According to the legend, Queen Helen fell in love with Prince Paris and they decided that they would be together.

When the Spartan king, King Menelaus found this out, he was angry, and he demanded that Queen Helen come back to him.

The Trojans decided that they would fight against the King so that she did not have to go back.

Many of the Greeks decided that they would fight on King Menelaus' side and they went to the Aegean Sea so that they could fight against Troy.

According to legend, this is when Achilles fought.

There were thousands of warriors there, so many that they needed over 1,000 different ships to get all of the men there.

Troy

Troy was a powerful city and it knew how to defend itself form enemies.

They even had a wall that went all away around the city so that invaders could not come into the land.

If someone came up to the wall, the Trojan army would shoot them with arrows before they were even able to get into the city.

The Trojan army was safe inside of their walls and they were able to defeat enemies as they entered their city.

Fighting

During this time, the Greeks had wanted to invade the walls of Troy and to force them to tear them down.

They tried and tried and never were able to find a way inside of the walls.

The Greeks could not even seem to find a way to get into the wall, it was as if the city was completely encompassed with the wall, no one in and no one out.

Idea

Later, after the Greeks were ready to give up, Odysseus, one of the Greek generals had an amazing idea.

He thought that if they could trick the Trojans and get into the city, then they could fight them and win.

Odysseus had an idea and he had the Greeks build a huge horse that was wood and was hollow in the century. This was a beautiful horse and was very strong and heavy.

They took the horse and left it outside of the gates of Troy.

Even though the Trojans were very careful, they brought the horse in.

But this was a trick. The Greek warriors decided that they would leave the horse and pretend to go away.

Once they went away, the Trojan army brought the horse inside of the city.

The horse was the center of display in their city and they thought that it was a peace gift from the Greeks.

Later that night, when everyone was sleeping, the Greeks that had been hiding inside of the horse rushed out and defeated Troy.

Myth

No one is really sure if this was a real thing or if the Trojan horse was a myth.

Even though Troy was a city that wanted to fight with Greece, no one is really sure if the legend is true and if they won the war because of the trojan horse or if the legend was made up.

Facts About the Trojan Horse:

According to legend, Aeneas escaped when the city of Troy was burning and went to a Roman State.

The war is written in the Iliad, which is a poem by Homer.

The gods were supposedly there to take sides and to help Athens win the war.

Some of the famous fighters during this war were Achilles, Hector and Paris.

The Troy's thought that the Trojan horse was a sign of surrender from the Greeks.

Some believe the war happened but that the Trojan horse story is probably just a story.

What Did You Learn?

1. What was the Trojan horse? The Trojan horse was a horse that was taken to Troy.

2. Why was the horse important? The Trojan horse was hollow, and the Greeks hid inside until the Troy's brought it in and were asleep.

3. What did the Trojan horse do? The Trojan horse allowed the Greeks to defeat the city of Troy.

4. Why did the war happen between Troy and Greeks? The war happened because the Troy prince wanted to marry the queen of Sparta that was married to the King.

5. Was the Trojan horse real? No one knows if the Trojan horse is real or if it is a legend.

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The Trojan Horse was something that is very known to Ancient Greek mythology. This was a story that involves Athens and Sparta. War During the Trojan War, Greece fought against the city of Troy. This battle started in the 13th century and started because the prince of Troy, Prince Paris, took the Spartan queen, Queen ...

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The Acropolis

Greece is a country with many mountains, and cities were often built on rocky outcroppings to be better able to defend themselves. There are many acropoleis throughout Greece, but the most famous of these is the Acropolis in Athens. It is located high above the center of Athens, roughly 150 metres above sea level. It is not known when the Acropolis began to be used by humans. There is evidence that humans have occupied the hill since the Neolithic Period.

It was during the years 495 BCE to 429 BCE that the Acropolis's most important buildings were constructed. This was during the reign of Pericles. The rule of Pericles was considered a "golden age" for Athens because of the peace and wealth he brought to the city. The buildings on the Acropolis were built as a monument to the greatness of Athens.

Pericles was responsible for the building of the Parthenon. The Parthenon was built on the site of an older temple after the Greek victory at Marathon in 490 BCE. It was built to honor the goddess Athena, for whom the city is named. Pericles was also responsible for the building of the Erechtheion, the Propylaia, and the temple of Athena Nike. The construction of these buildings took roughly fifty years.

The Acropolis was originally seen as a fortress. It was meant to protect Athens from attacks. As the years went on, the people of Athens saw another purpose for the Acropolis. They wanted it to be a beautiful symbol of Athens.

The citizens of Athens believed their city was the best in the world. They believed the Acropolis should be as grand as the city itself. They spared no expense. The best sculptors, artisans, and architects were hired to construct the buildings of the Acropolis. A respected sculptor, Phidias, created a massive statue of Athena. Her bronze helmet and spear were visible to sailors at sea!

The Parthenon, along with most of the other buildings, was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BCE. Many of the buildings and monuments were destroyed in this attack. Many of the sacred objects were destroyed. Some of these were buried in special ceremonies in the surrounding caves. New walls were built around the buried remains. The jars, vases, and votives were buried with such care than many have survived and are known as the "Persian Debris."

Over the centuries, the Acropolis was attacked and taken over many times. Other religions took over the sacred buildings. Sometimes the ancient temples were used as headquarters for later kings. Many of the buildings and monuments were damaged or destroyed. But I think you'll agree that buildings that are still standing after a few thousand years are pretty special!
Here are some things you should know about the Acropolis and the buildings there:

Many of the most important buildings on the Acropolis were designed by two the leading architects in Athens, Iktinos and Kallikrates.

The Acropolis is also known as the Cecropia. This is because of the myth that the first Athenian king was a serpent/man known as Cecrops.

The sculptures of the Parthenon are considered to be some of the best in the world.

The Parthenon was once used as a mosque after the Ottomans conquered Athens in 1456.

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Acropolis History for Kids - Fun Facts to Learn

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Greece is a country with many mountains, and cities were often built on rocky outcroppings to be better able to defend themselves. There are many acropoleis throughout Greece, but the most famous of these is the Acropolis in Athens. It is located high above the center of Athens, roughly 150 metres above sea level.

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Ancient Greek Women

The lives of women in Ancient Greece were very different from women in modern countries today. Although the Greek people worshipped powerful goddesses as well as gods, the role of women in society was mostly confined to the home.

Greek Women and Marriage

In most modern countries today, romantic love is the reason that people marry, but at the time period of 400 BCE, marriages were arranged. Fathers had legal control over their daughters until a suitable match was found for them. Most girls married around the age of fifteen. This seems to be a young age but the average lifespan at that time was around 35-40 years.

Once married, women were ruled by their husbands. Greek men admired women for their roles as wives and mothers, but they frequently thought that women were too emotional. Greek men prided themselves on their reasoning abilities. Men were seen as rational and women were seen as irrational.

The Greek Home

In many Greek homes, the top floors were the domain of the women in the household. Women were not permitted to enter the room where their husbands had dinner with their friends. With the exception of this male-dominated room, the woman of the house had freedom within her household.

If she was married to a man who was wealthy, she had slaves to do the heavy work, and she was able to take time to travel outside her home to visit friends and relatives.

If she was married to a man who didn't have wealth, she might have had to take a job outside the home to make income for the family. She might have worked in a shop or as a servant for a wealthy family. Some women managed inns or learned to make cloth for garments.

Duties of rural women would include work on the farm. They harvested olives and fruits as well as gathered vegetables.

Women also went out to attend religious ceremonies and rituals to honor the gods and goddesses. These ceremonies were often held in temples that were designated for women only.

Women in the City-State of Sparta

In Sparta, life was different for girls than it was in other regions of Greece. Girls attended government schools and also played sports, which other Greek girls didn't have the opportunity to do. Sparta needed soldiers so women who gave birth to male children were prized. Most women had slaves to handle the household chores.

Spartan men were so focused on warfare that, compared to other city-states, Spartan women had more freedom and independence. Around 400 BCE, two-fifths of all the land in Sparta was owned by women as compared to other city-states where all inheritances had to go through the male bloodline and only limited property could be owned by women.

The Feast of Thesmophoria

The feast of Thesmophoria was a three-day religious festival attended by married women. The event was created to honor the goddesses Persephone and Demeter. This festival was celebrated in many cities. In the city of Athens, women gathered on the Pnyx, which was the hill designated for political discussions held by men.

The women fasted for one day to demonstrate their devotion to the gods and goddesses. They shouted insults at each other as a way to amuse the gods and win their favor. If they won the favor of the gods and goddesses, the crops would be good. This important religious festival also provided a social outlet for women who were still nursing very young children.

Beauty and Fashion

Vase scenes and other art objects of that era show women in the courtyard of the house. In sunny weather women would sit in the roofed-over segments of the courtyard. It was important for their skin to stay out of the sun, since the ideal beauty was one who had a pale complexion.

Since the weather was warm for a good portion of the year, Greek women wore light, loose-fitting clothes. Most of their tunics or chitons were made from big square pieces of linen. The wealthy had colorful fabric while the poor had plain cloth. They used pins to hold the fabric fastened and draped it in folds down to their ankles.

Inside the home they went barefoot, but often wore sandals to travel outdoors. Jewelry was also popular in ancient Greece. Women wore elaborate bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.

To enhance an already pale complexion, women applied white lead to their faces to lighten their complexions. They didn't realize the toxicity of lead at that time. Chalk was used too but it wore off too quickly. Women decorated their eyes with dark powder and connected eyebrows were considered fashionable. They applied red powder to their cheeks as a blush.

Women's hairstyles were quite elaborate. Wealthy women had long hair, which they braided and arranged in buns or tied back. They wore metal headbands or tiaras and elaborate netting to hold their braids in place.

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Women in Ancient Greece - History Facts for Kids

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The lives of women in Ancient Greece were very different from women in modern countries today. Although the Greek people worshipped powerful goddesses as well as gods, the role of women in society was mostly confined to the home. Greek Women and Marriage In most modern countries today, romantic love is the reason that people ...

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History for kids - Free history network for kids

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Greek Men

Free men had most of the rights in the culture of Ancient Greece. Male slaves, women, and children were not considered to be citizens. Fathers had control over their daughters and husbands had control over their wives. In fact, a woman couldn't leave her home without her husband's permission.

The free men of Ancient Greece participated in politics and public events. Men were the actors in the theater and played both male and female characters. Many Greek dances were designed for men to dance together in a group. It was rare for men and women to dance with each other.

The Olympic Games were designed for free men who could speak Greek. Women had a smaller athletic event in honor of Hera, the wife of the god Zeus.

Men and Marriage

Men typically married at the age of 25 or 30. They married young girls between the ages of 12-16 years old. Typically, a suitable husband was found by a girl's father or uncle and she paid a dowry to her new husband.

Divorce was actually quite common and if a man chose to divorce his wife he would have to return her dowry so she would have a way to live.

Social Position

Opportunities for work were different depending on a man's social position. Men were divided into three groups-(1) free men or citizens, (2) metics who were non-slave Greeks not eligible to become citizens, and (3) slaves. Social class was inherited so it was almost impossible for a man to change his social status.

Occupations for Free Men

The richest men were aristocrats. They owned and managed large pieces of property. Men in the middle class worked mostly as farmers on their own plots of land. They sold their produce to citizens in the cities.
The free men with the lowest status, who were known as thetes, worked as craftsmen in the city. Some made weapons, such as shields and swords. Others worked in leather, clay, or wood to create clothing, kitchen implements, and furnishings. Thetes who became fishermen sold their catch to all levels of society since seafood was common in the Greek diet.

Occupations for Metics

Greeks viewed Metics as lower class because even though they were free men they weren't citizens. They were able to serve in the military and pay taxes, but they couldn't vote or own property. These men typically did work that supported the upper classes. They might maintain the grounds of a large estate or provide services such as cooking, cleaning, or hunting. Because they were not allowed to own property, they couldn't own or operate their own farms.

Citizen Warriors

The Greek city-states were frequently in conflict with each other and Greece was also threatened by Persia. All free men and metics were required to join the military, except for in Sparta, which had a professional army. Free men worked their farms during harvest or when they weren't on active duty. Full-time soldiers were respected and held a high rank in the community.

Classes of Slaves

The highest class of slaves were professional tutors and police officers. Mid-level slaves were employed by wealthy men to work in their homes and were treated as an extension of the family. They did construction and maintenance, took care of the animals, helped prepare food for the family, and took care of the exterior landscaping. The lowest class of slaves worked in the mines.

Agricultural Society

Because Ancient Greece was an agricultural society, most of the population earned their living by farming. The way to wealth was through ownership of land. Men were in charge of getting the crops to grow but everyone in the family helped, unless the family was wealthy and had enough slaves to handle the work.

A Man's Home is His Castle

Men enjoyed dining and drinking with their friends in their own homes in a special room called the Andron. The women and children of the family were not allowed to enter this room. Both female and male slaves were given access to the room for the purpose of serving the men. Sometimes women entertainers were allowed to dance and sing for the men.

Men were considered to be superior to women, but not all men were considered to be equal. Men worked hard to prove their masculinity and be worthy of their rank in society. They competed with each other to show their worth and develop their prestige.

What Did Men Wear?

Social class also influenced what men wore. Men were dressed in plain tunics made of wool or linen that were tied at the waist. They also wore large rectangular pieces of cloth called himations. These were used as a cloak or wrap. If they were traveling, they wore large rimmed hats to keep their skin from burning in the sun. Wealthy men wore fabrics of cotton and silk.

Infantry soldiers from the middle class who were called hoplites bought their own armor and weapons. They also wore helmets, and plates on their chests and backs. They carried circular bronze shields and long spears made of wood with sharp metal points. Only the wealthy could afford horses. These cavalrymen were armed with two throwing spears and a sword. The men who were poor became archers and did not wear armor to protect themselves.

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Free men had most of the rights in the culture of Ancient Greece. Male slaves, women, and children were not considered to be citizens. Fathers had control over their daughters and husbands had control over their wives. In fact, a woman couldn't leave her home without her husband's permission.

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Greek Children

There weren't any words in the language of the ancient Greeks that had the same meaning as the word "family." The closest word to family is the word "oikos," which means household. Oikos means everything that is domestic and includes slaves and servants as well as the members of the family and their household items.

Children were born at home. All the women of the household would be present to ensure the labor was smooth and there may have been a female midwife as well. If there were complications, a male physician may have been brought in for assistance.

Babies frequently died just a few days after birth, so there was generally a waiting period of about a week before a child was named. Since childbirth was considered to be an unclean activity, after the child had survived for a week, there was a purification ceremony and the child was officially named. If the child had some deformity, the father or guardian was in a position to abandon the child, especially if the child was a girl. At times these abandoned babies who had been left outdoors to die were taken in by another family and raised as slaves.

With assistance from her servants and nurse maids, the children's mother was responsible for their upbringing and care. Mothers and wet nurses breast fed the children and sometimes they were fed from pottery feeding bottles too. The women and children generally lived upstairs in the women's quarters, called the Gynaikon or Gynaikonitis.

Evidence from vase paintings shows that children slept in cradles that were made of wood or wickerwood. There's also evidence that babies sat in high chairs and had bottles in the shape of animals. Babies were wrapped up in tight clothing until the age of two years old since it was believed that this is how children's bones would stay strong and straight. Both brothers and sisters played with their mother in the Gynaikon until they were about seven years old.

Girls in Ancient Greece

Girls were educated at home by their mothers but they were not usually taught to read and write. Their education consisted of how to take care of children and a home. They were also taught how to cook, embroider, and weave.

Girls who lived in Sparta had much more freedom than girls living in other Greek city-states. In Sparta, girls were encouraged to participate in athletics and gymnastics. They also learned music, singing, and dancing.

In most city-states, girls rarely left the Gynaikon and they remained closely supervised by their mothers until they were marrying age. There were special occasions when girls were allowed to attend religious festivals.

After they reached puberty at the ages of twelve or thirteen, girls were considered adults and their fathers arranged their marriages. Often these marriages were to men in their thirties. By taking their childhood toys and leaving them at the temple of Artemis, girls showed that their childhood was officially over.

Once a suitable husband was found, girls were married off and expected to have children of their own. If a family had multiple daughters, it could get expensive since each daughter would have to begin her marriage with a dowry. The dowry was property or money that was given to her husband upon their marriage. Any young women who couldn't bear children were seen as cursed by the gods.

Boys in Ancient Greece

As in many ancient cultures and some modern cultures as well, boys were favored over girls. Boys were able to continue the family line, care for older parents, and arrange a proper funeral for them when they died.

At age three, a young boy would taste his first sips of wine at the festival of Dionysus. He would also begin to assist at sacrificial rituals to the gods as an official temple boy.

In most city-states, boys lived in the Gynaikon and were trained by their fathers to master different crafts until they were around the age of six. Then they were educated in schools. Spartan boys left their families at the age of seven to be reared and educated by the state for the military. They were not allowed to leave the barracks where they were being trained until they were thirty years of age. Other city-states required boys to join the army when they reached the age of eighteen. They were required to give two years of service.

Rich families had a special slave called a "paidagogos" whose job it was to bring the boys back and forth to school and guarantee that they worked hard while they were there.

Boys learned to memorize and recite poems. They also learned music, reading, writing, and arithmetic using an abacus. Each student used a stylus to write on a wooden tablet that was covered in soft wax. By excelling in athletics, boys prepared to be soldiers by running, jumping, throwing spears and discus, and wrestling in the gymnasium.

Most boys worked hard to become farmers, fishermen, or craftsmen. There were many different kinds of crafts to choose from such as pottery, building, metalworking, or stone carving.

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Children of Ancient Greece - Facts for Kids

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There weren't any words in the language of the ancient Greeks that had the same meaning as the word "family." The closest word to family is the word "oikos," which means household. Oikos means everything that is domestic and includes slaves and servants as well as the members of the family and their household items. ...

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List of Greek gods and goddesses of Greek mythology

The Greeks worshipped their Gods devoutly as they strongly believed that the Gods could change their lives for the better. The Gods lived on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. Temples were built, with richly carved statues and majestic grandeur, to honor the Gods and Goddesses.

1. Zeus - God of Sky

Zeus was the King of Gods. Zeus was very powerful and could transform himself to whomever and whatever creature he wished for. He could imitate the voice of anyone he wished. Zeus would hurl lightning when he would get angry. He had married his sister Hera. Zeus had many children as he had many affairs with young women who he would come to visit on Earth. Zeus had originally married Titan Metis but feared their son would be stronger than him; so he had consumed her. Zeus punished those who broke their oaths. Zeus was the only son who was not gobbled up by his father.

2. Hera - Queen of the gods, and goddess of marriage, women, childbirth

Hera was the wife of Zeus. She was feared by all because of her terrible anger and wrath over her husband's innumerous affairs. It is believed Hera had created the Milky Way. Hera was worshipped by women as she guarded marriage and childbirth. She was the granddaughter of Earth and Sky. She was a very beautiful woman whose chariot, throne and sandals were made of gold. Antigone had once bragged of how she was more beautiful than Hera; Hera had transformed her hair into snakes.

3. Poseidon - God of Sea

Poseidon rules one of the three realms of the universe, as king of the sea and the waters. He was very hot tempered; and would cause earthquakes and flood when he was angry. He would assume the form of a bull during these times. He had made a horse from a rock. His palace, under the sea, was lit at night by thousands of glow worms. He had a golden chariot drawn by two white horses and hooves made from brass.

4. Hades - Ruler of the Underworld.

Hades was the God of Wealth as precious metals like silver, rubies, diamonds and gold are mined from the ground. He could become invisible if he wished. Hades made sure everyone had a proper burial. The Elysian Fields, a pleasant place underground, was a place where those who led a good life on Earth, were allowed to stay.

5. Ares - God of War

The son of Zeus and Hera, Ares was always involved in bloody battles. The month of March is named after him. He possessed every weapon used in war. He was the first God to be taken to trial in a Greek court for charges of murder.

6. Aphrodite - Goddess of love and beauty

It is believed that she was born out of foam. She is depicted by the dove, swan and sparrow.

7. Apollo - God of sunlight, music and dance.

Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, and the twin brother of Artemis. Myth has it that once Apollo was defeated in a music contest and he was transformed into a mountain stream. He invented the luke, a musical instrument made of strings. He was very handsome and had golden colored hair. He brought good health to his devotees.

8. Artemis - Goddess of the hunt and wilderness

Artemis highly guarded her chastity. She carried a silver bow and arrows. She was also considered as goddess of light, as she carried a torch and guided everyone in darkness.

16 Interesting facts about other Greek gods and goddesses

1. The Olympics were hosted in Greece to honor Zeus.

2. Goddess Hebe could restore beauty to all who lost it.

3. Nike was the Goddess of strength, swiftness and triumph in various sports competitions.

4. Persephone was the Goddess of Spring.

5. God Deimos brought horror, distress and disorder to battlefields.

6. The God Pan was the god of shepherds, and had pointed ears and furry legs of a goat.

7. Hecate was the Goddess and Queen of Ghosts as she spread witchcraft and magic everywhere.

8. Hestia was the most gentlest of Gods and was the Goddess of the Fireplace.

9. Hermes was the trickster and messenger God. He had invented the sport of boxing and gymnastics.

10. Dionysus was the God of Wine. He had taught men on how to make wine from grapes. He would change the pirates into dolphin when they were drowning in the waters.

11. Prometheus would steal from the Gods.

12. At a music contest, one of the contestants had played very badly; and Apollo had changed the contestant's ears to donkey ears.

13. Cerberus was a dog with three heads and who guarded the entrance to Hades palace.

14. Iris was the Goddess of Rainbow.

15. Hephaestus was the only God who limped. People believe that his father Zeus had got angry and had thrown him off a mountain.

16. Eros was the son of the goddess of love. If he threw an arrow towards someone, the next day the person would fall in love with the first person he/she saw.

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Greek Gods and Goddesses List - History for Kids | Mocomi

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The Greeks worshipped their Gods devoutly as they strongly believed that the Gods could change their lives for the better. The Gods lived on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. Temples were built, with richly carved statues and majestic grandeur, to honor the Gods and Goddesses. Zeus was the King of Gods.

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Wonderful Ancient Greek Myths That Are Hardly Ever Told - Greek Myths for Kids

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All Rights ReservedStory loosely retold by Lin DonnBackground: Old Vectors by Vecteezy

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Free Online Games and Interactives about ancient Greece forKids

The Argo Odessey - Find Argo (a little lost puppy in ancient Greece!)

3-D Greek Pottery Game

Play Hercules Jump Hero - interactive

Play Zeus the Mighty

Story Creator (interactive game, monsters)

Tower of Monsters game

Which mythical creature are you?

Test your knowledge - Ancient Greece, interactive quiz

Vocabulary, ancient Greece, interactive worksheet

Ancient Greece - The Trojan War (cartoon)

Rags to Riches, Millionaire ancient Greece game
Jeopardy Games for Ancient Greece
Greek gods and goddesses - interactive worksheet
Ancient Greek Millionaire Game (interactive) Ancient Greece Challenge Jeopardy Ancient Greece Mythology Challenge Jeopardy (interactive) Ancient Greece Concentration Game and Matching Game
Play the maze game, interactive

Free print it or color online - Ancient Greece

QUIZ: TEST YOURSELF Ancient Greece (Interactive with answers)

Stories and Myths

Many, many myths for kids - Read and Hear Ancient Greek Myths - cartoon format, animated, some interactive

Stories: The Trojan Horse, Troy, and Helen and more!
(click on download, that means play audio stories now)

Read and Hear Aesop's Fables

Ancient Greece Craft Ideas

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Ancient Greek Games - Free Interactive Online Games for Kids - Ancient Greece for Kids

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The Argo Odessey - Find Argo (a little lost puppy in ancient Greece!) 3-D Greek Pottery Game Play Hercules Jump Hero - interactive Play Zeus the Mighty Story Creator (interactive game, monsters) Tower of Monsters game Which mythical creature are you?

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Strategy MMO Game

The free browser game Grepolis lets you create ancient Greece just the way you want it. Forge powerful alliances with other players and draw on the powers of the Greek gods Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Athena, and Hades. Recruit armies on water and land and purchase mythical units, such as the Hydra, Pegasus, and Manticore. Build unique World Wonders to help you become ruler of the world of Grepolis!

The browser game Grepolis sees you start with a small polis, which you build into a metropolis over the course of time. You can choose between 13 different buildings and 8 monuments to shape your empire. These include silver mines, harbors, and timber camps. Plus, over 30 different technologies are available to research in the Academy of Grepolis. These include faster construction times as well as the ability to invade other cities.

As well as being able to build up your polis the way you wish, there are several gods in Grepolis for you to choose as personal guardians. The goddess Hera, for example, can help you increase production in your polis and the sea god Poseidon can help you weaken enemy sea powers.

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Strategy MMO Game The free browser game Grepolis lets you create ancient Greece just the way you want it. Forge powerful alliances with other players and draw on the powers of the Greek gods Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Athena, and Hades. Recruit armies on water and land and purchase mythical units, such as the Hydra, Pegasus, and Manticore.

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Ancient Greece Free Games, Activities, and Homework Help for Kids

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Ancient Greece - fun history game for kids by GridClub

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Topics include: Olympic Games, ancient Greek language, gods and myths, soldiers and warfare, Athens and Sparta, Alexander the Great, childhood and education.

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The heroes are probably the best-known part of Greek mythology, but what makes a hero?

Having monsters to fight, that's what. Luckily for the heroes, the Ancient Greeks had the strangest, coolest, most terrifying creatures & monsters mythology had to offer ranging from Dragons, Giants, Demons and Ghosts, to multi-formed creatures such as the Sphinx, Minotaur, Centaurs, Manticores & Chimaera.

There were also many fabulous animals such as the Nemean Lion, golden-fleeced Ram and the winged horse Pegasus, not to mention the creatures of legend such as the Phoenix, the Griffin and Unicorns.

In this section, you'll learn interesting facts and information about the many creatures and monsters of ancient Greek mythology

Children of Typhon

Many of the great Greek monsters were descendants of Typhon, the most deadly monster of Greek mythology.

Typhon was the last son of Gaia, fathered by Tartarus, he was known as the "Father of All Monsters". Instead of a human head, a hundred dragon heads erupted from Typhon's neck and shoulders. His wife Echidna, half woman half snake, was likewise the "Mother of All Monsters."

Together, Echidna and Typhon raised some of the most well known monsters and creatures in all mythology.

Orthrus. A fearsome two-headed hound that lived with giants

Sphinx. A half human, half lion who would slay anybody who did not answer her riddles. When Oedipus was able to answer a riddle correctly, she jumped into the ocean in a fit of rage and drowned.

Nemean Lion. A gigantic lion with impenetrable skin that eventually became the star constellation Leo.

Cerberus. This well-known monster was a three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to Hades.

Ladon. A serpentine dragon (drakon) that guarded the golden apples in the Garden of the Hesperides.

Lernaean Hydra. An ancient serpent-like water monster with reptilian traits and many heads that multiplied if they were cut off.

Caucasian Eagle. An eagle that every day ate the liver of Prometheus.

Chimera. A monstrous fire-breathing hybrid creature with the body of a lion, the head of a goat, and a tail with a snake's head.

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List of Greek Mythological Creatures and Monsters * Facts & Information

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The heroes are probably the best-known part of Greek mythology, but what makes a hero? Having monsters to fight, that's what. Luckily for the heroes, the Ancient Greeks had the strangest, coolest, most terrifying creatures & monsters mythology had to offer ranging from Dragons, Giants, Demons and Ghosts, to multi-formed creatures such as the Sphinx, Minotaur, Centaurs, Manticores & Chimaera.

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Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Writer

National Geographic Society

Editor

Producer

National Geographic Society

other

Last Updated

December 8, 2022

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Greek Monsters | National Geographic Society

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Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

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Kids learn about the Monsters and Creatures of Greek Mythology such as Medusa, Typhon, the furies, hydra, sirens, satyrs, and cyclops.

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Greek myths: Monsters, animals and the beautiful Sirens

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In ancient times, the Greek people believed their mythical world was real. Sometimes, Greek storytellers would tell tales of the Greek monsters of myth. The children listening to these stories would shiver and ooh, but they weren't really scared. After all, most of the monsters were dead! Everybody knew that brave Greek heroes had killed them using courage, intelligence, and strength.

As long as the main characteristics of the monsters were the same, ancient Greek artists and storytellers presented these mythical beings in their own way. The Harpies, for example, were always part human female and part bird. In some Greek myths, the three Harpies had wrinkled faces and smelled horribly. But archaeologists have found vases designed with the three Harpies wearing beautiful faces. In some myths, the Harpies were winged monsters that snatched up evil doers in their crooked, sharp claws and tortured them all the way to the Underworld. But in the Odyssey, the Harpies used winds to carry people away.

Here are some ancient Greek monster myths retold by Lin Donn. Keep in mind, these are just stories. Don't let these creepy monsters scare you one bit.
Theseus and the Minotaur, the monster in the maze Perseus, Andromeda, and the sea god, Poseidon
Perseus and Medusa (with snakes for hair)

The Story of Medusa (video cartoon)

In the Cyclops Cave

The Nemean Lion

The Lernaean Hydra

The Wild Boar of Erymanthus

The Stag of Artemis

The Stymphalian Birds

The Augean Stables

The Cretan Bull

The Girdle of Hippolyta

The Cattle of Geryon

The Mares of King Diomedes

The Golden Apples of the Hesperides

The Capture of Cerberus

Original stories by Lin and Don Donn, Greek monster myths

Created by others:

Jason and the Argonauts 3D animated film for kids

The Labors of Hercules - stories for kids

This is a list of some of the ancient Greek monsters. We included this list so you could see at a glance how many monsters there were in the ancient Greek mythical world. Artists and authors today still create stories and art, each in their own way, just like the ancients, while staying true to the main characteristics of each monster. For example, the Cyclops always has one eye, Medusa always has snakes for hair, and Cerberus is always a three-headed dog.

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Ancient Greek Myths for Kids: Greek Monsters - Ancient Greek & Roman Gods for Kids

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In ancient times, the Greek people believed their mythical world was real. Sometimes, Greek storytellers would tell tales of the Greek monsters of myth. The children listening to these stories would shiver and ooh, but they weren't really scared. After all, most of the monsters were dead!

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Yummy Dishes In Greece That Your Children Will Love

There are plenty of scrumptious Greek food for kids to sample on your family trip to Greece. Greek food is one of the famous Mediterranean Cuisines with influences from Italy and Turkey. Olive Oil is a staple as well as fresh herbs and fresh fruit and veg. Common ingredients are olives, feta cheese, eggplant, yogurt and honey.

You will find lots of great food choices for your family. In the main tourist areas you will find the usual pizza and fast food restaurants but why not try the fast food of Greece - the gyros! Very delicious - most kids devour these! You can get great meals at the small tavernas around Greece and they are generally very child-friendly.

Desserts are very tasty in Greece. Stop by a bakery for some fresh baked treats. Many desserts are made with honey and nuts, as well as the flaky filo pastry.

Try This Yummy Greek Cuisine For Kids

Baklava is a must try when you travel to Greece. This sticky sweet dessert is made from filo pastry, chopped nuts and honey. It is soooooooo yummy! I must admit we ate way to much of this stuff! My kids begged for it every time we passed a bakery.

Greek Salad is a hit with the teenagers. Fresh tomatoes, cucumber, green peppers, red onions, feta cheese and olives. Topped with oregano and olive oil. My little one is a picky eater and wouldn't try it but my older daughter wanted this at every meal!

Moussaka is like a Greek lasagna. Layers of eggplant, tomato and ground meat are topped with a white bechamel sauce and baked. Sometimes zucchini and potatoes are added. Children usually crave this dish! My whole family adored this - it is so good YUM!

Tzatziki is the famous sauce of Greece. It is made from strained yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, lemon, parsley and dill or mint. You will find this sauce served with many Greek dishes and sometimes as an appetizer with pita bread.

Dolmades are stuffed grape leaves. The stuffing may be vegetables or meat or both. They can be served hot or cold and sometimes with a tomato sauce. These are a great snack for the kids and are healthy too!

Calamari is a popular Greek dish consisting of battered deep fried squid. Lemon is often served on the side. Very popular and available in most tavernas!

More Greek Food For Kids!

Souvlaki is one of the tasty Greek food for kids. Small pieces of marinated meat (pork, lamb or chicken) are skewered and grilled. The meal can be served on a pita topped with vegetables and tzatziki or served on the skewer with a side of fried potatoes. This is a common fast food in Greece.

Gryos are another tasty Greek fast food. Meat (usually pork or lamb) is roasted on a vertical spit. Slices of the meat are added to a pita and topped with tomato, onion tzatziki and sometimes fried potatoes. Delicious!

Spanakopita is a warm spinach pie. Spinach, feta cheese, onion and egg are stuffed inside filo pastry. This tasty pie makes a great snack for the kids!

Tiropita is a cheese pie similar to the Spanakopita. It is a flaky filo pastry stuffed with a cheese and egg mixture.

Fassolatha is a hearty bean soup and is said to be the National dish of Greece. This flavorful soup filled with various beans, lentils, vegetables and tomatoes.

Bougatsa makes a tasty breakfast for the family. Head to a bakery for a fresh baked batch in the mornings. It is a pastry filled with custard and topped with sugar. Another family favourite! Why do things with a million calories always taste so good?

Tiganita are deep fried battered vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant or peppers. Can be served with tzatziki sauce for dipping. A great way to get the kids to eat their vegetables!

Saganaki is a fried cheese dish topped with lemon and pepper. It is usually eaten with fresh bread. I liked this one more than the kids!

Keftedes are Greek meatballs flavored with mint and oregano. One of the best Greek food for kids to eat while visiting Greece!

Greek Yogurt & Honey makes a great breakfast for the kids. This fresh thick yogurt drizzled with sweet honey will be a hit with the kids. We tried this in Greece and it is now a family staple back home too!

Are you visiting Greece with kids? Check out these fun things to do in Athens with kids. Or head to the beautiful island of Crete. With picturesque villages, pretty beaches and lots of things to do in Crete with kids.

Share your favoruite Greek Food for Kids on our Facebook page!
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Greek Food For Kids! -Greece Food Facts!

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There are plenty of scrumptious Greek food for kids to sample on your family trip to Greece. Greek food is one of the famous Mediterranean Cuisines with influences from Italy and Turkey. Olive Oil is a staple as well as fresh herbs and fresh fruit and veg.

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Kids learn about the food people from Ancient Greece ate including what they ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. What did they drink and did they use forks? Strange foods and fun facts.

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Food travellers joining our gastronomic experiences love hearing our stories about Greek food culture and the local cuisine. We put together a list of 10 Greek food "tidbits" to enjoy, while dreaming of your culinary vacations in Greece.

1. Greeks, the champions of olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil slowly receives cult status around the world as the miraculous component of the Mediterranean diet and the Greek food culture. More and more scientists prove its medicinal benefits through researches proving that EVOO helps prevent diseases like Alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer.

At the same time, olive oil sommeliers highlight the gustatory profiles of premium extra virgin olive oils according to the olive variety and the terroir, just like wine sommeliers do with wine. Together with talented chefs, they help create exquisite dishes of haute cuisine.

Greek extra virgin olive oil has always been the superstar of our Greek food culture. We hold two world records at the same time: Greeks are the main producers and most avid consumers of extra virgin olive oil in the world. Specifically in Crete, locals consume 21lt of extra virgin olive oil, per person, per year (!).

Greeks have discovered the benefits and extraordinary taste of olive oil since ancient times. No wonder that one of the oldest olive trees in the world "resides" in Crete - that of Vouves, believed to be between 2,000 - 4,000 years old.

Did you now? In Greece and Turkey, still in practice is the ancient sport of oil wrestling, where athletes are slathered with glistening olive oil before competing.
Join us on our evening food tour or contact us to arrange an olive oil experience especially for you and follow our expert olive oil sommelier into the world of premium extra virgin olive oil. Learn all about the local olive varietals and the remarkable benefits of olive oil, which is the basis of the world's healthiest diet: the Mediterranean diet.

2. Her Majesty, "Queen Feta of Greece"

Feta cheese is probably the most well known Greek product, made even more famous recently with this baked feta pasta recipe going viral on social media. Feta has also received Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status in the EU. Among other specifications, it is implied that, in order for a white brined cheese to be called feta, it must be produced in Greece only (bye, bye danish feta) and be part of the Greek food culture. In addition, it has to be made exclusively from sheep's milk or a mix of sheep's and goat's milk. On top of this, only from Greek breeds of animals grown in certain Greek regions, fed on their natural flora. Pretty specific, eh?
Join us on our morning food tour or contact us to arrange a special Greek cheese tasting experience and follow our cheese experts into the fascinating world of cheese while you taste some of the best that are traditionally made in Greece!
Feta has been made in Greece since antiquity, and proof for that can be found in ancient Greek literature. According to the myth, the "first" cheesemaker is referred back in 8th c. BC, in Homer's Odyssey. The giant Cyclops, Polyphemus is considered the accidental "father" of homemade feta.

The story describes that, as Polyphemus transported the milk collected from his sheep in animal skinbags, one day he realized that the milk had curdled and had taken a solid, tasty and conservable form, probably the forerunner of feta.

photo credit: F.Baltatzis

3. Greeks VS Barbarians

Ancient Greeks distinguished themselves from foreigners. Their sense of identity was also reflected through their common food culture. But which were those similar dietary habits that set them apart from the so called "barbarians"?

Ancient Greeks considered the daily consumption of meat a barbaric tradition. Animal killing was mainly connected to religious sacrifices and big feasts. In the same way, they didn't drink milk, especially cow's milk and butter, but created cheese from it instead. As for ancient Greeks, the cultivation of land was a sign of progress and civilisation, a way to transform the gifts of Greek nature through human skills and ingenuity.

Greek wines, along with grains and olive oil, were the pillars of ancient Greek diet and Greek food culture. Getting drunk was frowned upon, therefore Greeks wouldn't drink their wine straight, but mixed with water. Other "flavourings" included saltwater, honey and... pine resin.

The Greek wine referred now as "retsina", was created thousand years ago. In ancient Greece resin was used to seal the lid of amphorae (ceramic vessels) in order to preserve the quality of Greek wines, when exported to Greek colonies. Soon, Greeks became familiar with this new, distinctive taste and seem to enjoy their resinated white wine even till today.

In modern Greece, retsina produces excellent gastronomic wines and a winery very close to Athens even has managed to introduce high-quality sparkling wines -including resin- to the market! Interested to give it a taste? Join us on our wine tasting tour here!

4. Ikaria is the Greek island where people forget to die

Ikaria island is a "blue zone", where people live to be more than 100. Locals practice Ikaria's longevity secrets for ages. Do you want to know them?

These islanders have a very different perception of time. From the moment you land on the island you experience Ikaria's motto: "Don't stress if there's no reason to". People here have a very relaxed lifestyle and take their time to do things, not rushing to squeeze errands into a day. They meet up with friends to drink wine, chat and play games, while they keep very close family ties. Ikariots, no matter their age, they keep being active in their communities, which gives them energy and a sense of purpose.

Most of them grow fruit and vegetables in their own garden and reap the benefits of Mediterranean diet and nourish the Greek food culture. They eat less meat and sugar, enjoy Ikaria's plant-based food, drink a lot of herb teas, consume tons of olive oil and never skip their daily ritual, a cup of Greek coffee after their mid-afternoon siesta.

The highlight of social interaction and unity you will ever experience in Ikaria is its famed "panigyria". These are long-lasting Greek traditional feasts to celebrate Saints and involve lots of local food, copious amount of Ikarian wine, music and dance till the day after.

5. There's a tree in love with Greece only

Chios is a Greek island in the north-eastern part of the Aegean sea, that has a world exclusivity. Its the only place on the planet were the precious masticha is produced from the resin of the mastic tree. Although native mastic trees can be found around the Mediterranean, only in Chios mastic trees ooze their beneficial "teardrops", while attempts to grow it elsewhere in the world never succeeded.

Mastiha is the first natural gum ever existed, therefore gifted its name to the word "masticate". Known for its medicinal and gustatory properties since ancient times, mastic crystals can be used to add a Greek flavour in your desserts and mastic liqueur to make cocktails or drink as an after-dinner digestive as part of the Greek food culture.

Mastiha has a very distinctive taste and is a great food souvenir from Greece to bring back home. Join our evening food walk to learn more about it and of course to taste it!

6. There's a coin in my cake!

Vasilopita is the Greek New Year's cake that contains a hidden coin believed to bring good luck to the receiver, followed by a gift as well. Vasilopita cake is dedicated to Saint Basil who is actually the Greek Santa Claus. The story has it that when St Basil was the bishop of Caesaria in Cappadocia, he called on the citizens to raise a ransom payment to stop the siege of the city by its enemies.

Each member of the city had to give whatever they had in gold and jewellery. Miraculously, the attack never happened and Basil had to return all the valuables to the citizens. He had no idea what belonged to whom, so he baked loaves with their items inside and gave it back to the citizens. By miracle again, each citizen received back his own jewellery.

7. The Saint of lost things and his cake

Did you know that Greece has its own "Lost & Found" food? Yes, it's called Fanouropita and it's part of the big list of Greek food culture.

Fanouropita is a Greek vegan cake (or Greek fasting cake). Made with olive oil and no dairy at all, it is baked to celebrate Saint Fanourios. The celebrated patron saint of "revelations" is believed to help you find your lost belongings. His name comes from the Greek verb 'fanerono' which means to reveal. Disclosures might also have a metaphorical meaning, so for example, singles may bake a cake in his name in hope of finding love soon.

photo credit: syntagesjotis

8. The Greek potato story

As said many times before, we recommend our culinary experiences as the perfect way for travellers to get to know the Greek food culture. But at the same time, we also learn from our guests food stories from around the world,- a reason we love our job so much. Recently, during our afternoon food tour, our guests shared a food story from their country that made us feel somehow connected.

We discovered that we shared a similar story about how potatoes were introduced into our countries. The Greek story has it that, in early 19th c., Greece's first governor, Ioannis Kapodistrias, wanted to introduce the cultivation of the potato into the new country. According to the legend, he ordered potatoes to be given for free, but Greeks showed no interest in the new, "exotic" crop. Therefore, he thought of a trick; he ordered sacks of potatoes to be unloaded on public display and placed guards around them.

The guards were instructed to turn a blind eye, when the locals started stealing all the potatoes, thinking that they were something "valuable". Kapodistrias' plan was crowned with success and Greeks finally fell in love with potatoes and made it part of their Greek food culture.

9. The invention of Greek cold coffee

Back in 1957, during the International Trade Fair in Thessaloniki, Nestle company was introducing a chocolate beverage produced instantly in a shaker. One of the employees wanted to have his regular instant coffee but could not find any hot water, so he mixed the coffee with cold water in the shaker.

This is how Greek frappe was invented, accidentally and out of need. This foamy cold drink quickly became a massive hit all around the country. Locals made this Greek coffee with water and ice cubes, (sugar and milk) and sip it with a straw. Frappe now has been replaced with the most popular cappuccino freddo and freddo espresso, but Greeks still enjoy them with the same pleasure!

10. Cretans welcome you with a shot (of raki)

If you've ever been to Crete, one thing you still remember is for sure the burning shot served to you by locals for welcome. Raki or tsikoudia is a Greek alcoholic drink made on Crete by distilling grape pomace. But it means much more than that. Raki incorporates the Greek hospitality in a glass and is a way to communicate and break the ice.

If a Cretan is happy to see you, you will know; he will invite you over for a shot glass of raki, and treat you with a lot of Cretan food. Be aware: you'll probably end up drinking more than one, chatting and laughing all night. In Cretan restaurants, tsikoudia is offered for free at the end of your meal with fruit or sweets, as the owner's thank you note for being a guest.

A must do when visiting Crete during fall, is to join one of the "kazanemata". These are big feasts set up in most villages to celebrate the making of the new tsikoudia and part of the Greek food culture. To better enjoy it, Cretans even created the "ten commandments" of raki:

"The first glass (of raki) brings appetite, the second health, the third joy, the fourth happiness, the fifth excitement. The sixth brings chatter, the seventh fight, the eighth the police, the ninth the judge... and the tenth, funeral".

photo credit: ecoevents

We love to hear from you. Have you ever been to Greece? Do you have any funny Greek food stories to share with us? Let's chat.

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The Virtual Tour of the Acropolis monuments is a web application that allows the exploration of the archaeological site in an interactive way.

The Virtual Tour of the Acropolis monuments consists of high-resolution gigapixel images and panoramas of the most prominent monuments - the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike - as well as detailed photographic displays of selected views from the outer surface of the ancient walls surrounding the hill. Each view is complemented with descriptive information about the monuments and selected areas of interest.

An orthophoto map of the site's area facilitates orientation and navigation of the visitor to each viewpoint. The images allow detailed zooming onto the architectural features of the monuments, which are otherwise difficult to experience during an onsite visit. Visitors can comprehend the location of the monuments in relation to its surroundings or even to realize a virtual "walk" through the site by selecting at will their own successive viewpoints.

CONTRIBUTORS

The application is an initiative of the Acropolis Restoration Service (YSMA) and comprises an upgrade from a previous version with a focus on extending the app's functionality to both stationary and portable devices. The decision to adopt "state of the art" technological solutions to "bring online" the entirety of the archaeological site is not merely a statement for the preservation work undertaken by the institution, but also a great contribution to the institution's mission to promote access to cultural heritage. Enhanced visual access may be used as a starting point for interested parties and potential visitors to get to know the monuments, but also as a scientific or educational tool to enable research in various disciplines.

The application has been created through the collaboration of the Documentation Office of YSMA with Culturplay that specializes in the provision of digital media solutions and interarctive tools for the cultural heritage domain.

The following people worked for this application:
YSMA - Project supervision, Content management: E. Lempidaki, I. Alexopoulos, M. Katsianis, K. Koutsadelis, D. Mavromati, E.Petropoulou

Culturplay - Project production

Design, Programming, Image Processing: A. Giannakidis

Panoramic Photography: G. Gerogiannis

Technology Consultant: A. Skorjanc

Programming: Y. Stergiou, G. Giakoumidakis, G. Papadakis

Typography: A. Mouriadou, E. Bountouraki

Production Support: L. Mantzourani

PRODUCTION DETAILS

The production of panoramic photomosaics at resolutions of several gigapixels was realised between 2010 and 2014 by employing established practices of digital image acquisition and processing.

In order to achieve the best possible mapping of natural lighting on the monuments together with the display of shaded details, High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging techniques were used for capturing and combining different exposure levels of the same theme.

Starting from the RAW photos all the way up to the combined and color-corrected finalised panoramas, all intermediate outputs were maintained in order to be able to reproduce and control the entire manufacturing process for future reference.

The krpano viewer and revelant tools are used for the display of the panoramic images within the application. Techniques to minimize the optical deformation of the monuments were applied during the construction of the photomosaics and are also used for their rendering within the application.

Particular emphasis was also placed on the typographic formatting of all textual information included, especially with respect to its effective adaptation to different screen sizes. Moreover, a series of interface controls were developed to facilitate user navigation tasks on touch screens.

The contents of the application are stored in a Content Delivery Network that significantly accelerates data serving to end-users.

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The Virtual Tour of the Acropolis monuments is a web application that allows the exploration of the archaeological site in an interactive way. The Virtual Tour of the Acropolis monuments consists of high-resolution gigapixel images and panoramas of the most prominent monuments - the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike - as well as detailed photographic displays of selected views from the outer surface of the ancient walls surrounding the hill.

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