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Ancient Athens. (N.D). Daily Life, the people’s perspective. Retrieved on 07/10/16 from ancientathens.weebly.com/everyday.life.html (Source F)

Ancient History Encyclopaedia. (2013). Greek religion. Retrieved on 05/10/16 from www.ancient.eu/Greek_religion/ (Source E)

BBC. (2014). Ancient Greeks: Athens. Retrieved on 04/10/16 from www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/ancient_greeks/athens/ (Source D)

Bradley, P., Patterson, D. (1988) Ancient Greece; using evidence. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. (Source B)

Clyne, J., Ford, R., Millar, D., Cummins, N & Cashman, L. (2012) History 7: The Ancient World. South Yarra, Victoria: Macmillan. (Source A)

Swinton, J. Georgevits, S. (2000) World history and citizenship. South Yarra, Australia: Macmillan Education Australia PTY LTD.

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Girls did not really have an easy life. They did not get to learn anything, apart from how to sew, cook, clean and take care of the children. They married at 12 to a man of age 30, who they didn’t even get to choose, and then spent the rest of their days waiting after the man of the house and looking after the children, slaves and property. There was only one room in the whole house where women were allowed to be alone. Other than that, the men basically controlled them. They weren’t free even in their own neighborhood, and could not leave the house unless they had a male relative with them. Being inside all the time made them pale, which was considered beauty, when really it was unhealthy. Women did not have rights. They just had to go along with the government and did not have a vote or freedom of speech. (Source A & F)

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Easy/difficult life for citizens/ men and boys

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Easy/difficult life for citizens/ men and boys

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Citizens had a great life. They had many people waiting on them, as if they were kings. They had a say in the government and could make up their own rules as to what they wanted to do. Citizens drank wine, ate food presented to them by their wives, threw parties and were in charge of everything. Boys had a good life, and were able to learn things like sport, music and academic education, whereas, girls did not get this opportunity. (Source A & C)

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Life was difficult for slaves. They had an especially bad life if they worked for the government, in underground mines, where they worked very hard for long hours. Slaves usually worked until they died. They were treated horribly, and were bought and sold in slave markets. If they worked for citizens, they got to work on the farm or in a shop, and occasionally tutored the children. Some slaves, if very lucky, could buy their way to freedom, but even then they still got treated terrible, and were looked down upon. A slave did not have the chance to prove themselves and have a good life. (Source D)

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Athenians looked up to Pericles, the great war general during the golden age. His childhood and youth were spent during the Persian wars, his father and the evacuation of Athens affected him. He owed much to the two teachers who influenced him the most. The first being Anaxagoras, who helped Pericles be freed of the superstitions held by the people he guided from his scientific ideas. The second teacher, Damon, was Pericles’ music teacher, who had an interest in politics and philosophy. Agariste, Pericles mother, was one of the Alcmaeonids. His father, Xanthippus, was a notable politician and general through the Persian war. Even though he was elected as one of the ten generals he still had the same rights as every other citizen. Pericles’ aims were to glorify Athens and to ensure that the unskilled masses, who had no military training, should not be debarred from benefitting the national income yet not getting paid for sitting around doing nothing. He was famous because he was a war general that everyone looked up to, especially the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars. (Source B)

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What did democracy really mean in Athens? - Melissa Schwartzberg

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Athens was mostly run by democracy. The government of Athens was made increasingly democratic in the first half of the 5th century until citizens finally shared in making government decisions. Democracy is the right to vote. There were about 30 000 citizens in Athens. The ruling council had 500 members (all male citizens) and were chosen by lot by year, every year.  The strategoi were known as the ‘important’ people in Athens. There were 10 generals, chosen from each of the ten tribes of citizens. Also were 9 archons. Their jobs were to do with family matters and festivals like the Great Dionysia, a time for fun, drinking and partying. The Ekklesia was the principal assembly of the democracy of ancient Athens during the time of the golden age. It was open to all male citizens with 2 years of military service. No one but citizens had any rights. Slaves didn’t, neither did metics or women. Wives could sometimes talk about it or offer advice to their husband, but in the end it was always the citizen that made the decision. Citizens had freedom of speech, and no lawyers. Citizens were the ones to make laws and uphold them. Sometimes the government would send out slaves as secret police to keep an eye out for the Athenian citizens, to make sure they were upholding the laws and doing the right thing. Consequently, Athens was a democracy but citizens were the only ones who could vote. (Source A, C & D)

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Explore the life of ancient Athenians as we journey through their culture, religion and government through this virtual museum

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Religion was always on the mind of an Athenian. They would regularly pray to their gods and attend and participate in the religious festivals. There were animal sacrifices, libations, sporting and artistic competitions, and myths for the face of gods and the beginning of mankind. The months of the year were named after the religious festivals that took place that month. The year began midsummer with the month of sacrifice, Hekatombaion, where 100 cattle were sacrificed. Two of the biggest religious festivals that were held in ancient Athens were the Olympic Games and the Great Dionysia. The Olympics were created to honour the gods, in particular, Zeus. The first day was dedicated to ceremonies and the swear-in of the judges and competitors before the altar. On the third day, there was a sacrifice of 100 oxen at the altar of Zeus, outside his temple. The other days were for sporting competitions, like javelin and running, apart from the last day which was dedicated to presenting awards to the winning competitors. The Great Dionysia was dedicated to Dionysus, the god of wine and theatre. Dionysus bought the vine and gift of wine to the Greeks. At the great Dionysia, actors would perform on stage, all in masks. In the circular flat area in front of the stage, the orchestra, the chorus danced and chanted versus accompanied by music. Throughout the year there were many religious festivals celebrated that the Athenians attended.  (Source A & E)

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There were 12 Gods worshipped not just in ancient Athens, but all over ancient Greece. Zeus, the chief god, was the God of thunder. Hera was his wife, and she was the goddess in charge of marriage. Poseidon was the god of the sea, earthquakes and horses. Hades was in charge of the dead, and was known as the god of the underworld. The God of light, creativity, prophecy and healing was Apollo. Aphrodite was the goddess of love, and Ares, the god of war. Artemis was the God of the moon and hunting, and Athena the goddess of wisdom. There was a big statue of Athena in the middle of Athens, as she was very important to Athenians. Dionysus was the god of wine and theatre. The god of fire and metalworking was Hephaistus. The final god, the god of messages, was Hermes. All Gods were said to reside on Mt Olympus. Athenians worshipped their gods in temples or sacred sites in major Greek communities, where they believed their gods dwelled, or during rituals temporarily visited. The ceremonies were carried out by priests and their attendants. Athenians regularly worshipped their many gods. (Source A & E)

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A large part of the economy was the agora: a large open space surrounded by buildings in the middle of the city. There were different sections for different types of businesses, like shops selling goods, for example, wine, fish, grapes, or potters’. Other stalls were there like sculptors, metal workers, workshops, bankers and money changers. In the stoa, friends met to talk business and politics. Pupils were also taught by famous thinkers there. The agora attracted many people to visit or live in Athens from other cities. Many people went there to promote their business, buy goods and talk about politics. (Source C)

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Boys trained to become a warrior and fight in war

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Ancient Athenians entertained themselves by going to festivals, and holding parties. Common forms of entertainment in ancient Athens were a men’s party. This was called a symposium. No women, not even their own wife would be allowed to come into the party unless they were some form of entertainment, like dancers. If the men got bored, they would invite one of the slaves in and watch them get drunk and act foolish. Women prepared the food for this party, like grapes and wine. Religious festivals were also entertaining and a fun time for everyone to enjoy.  (Source A)

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Men had pretty easy lives if they were citizens. Boys lived at home until they were 7 years old, when they went to school to learn musical, academic and physical education. They also memorized the work of philosophers. However, this was only for citizens (boys with an Athenian mother and father). Men married at 30 to a girl of 12. The men got waited on by slaves and their wives when they got home after a day of working around the town. Men had their own rooms which they would hold parties at, where the women weren’t invited. Every man between the age of 20 and 50 could be called upon for military service, and if he were rich, he could serve as a captain of warship for a year. This means that he would pay the crew and make repairs. Citizens had a say in the government and could vote. Men worked hard for their town and Athens if they were to go to war. They were prepared for war their whole lives so that one day they could do something good for Athens. (Source A, F & D)

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Women spent their days looking after looking after the house (cooking, cleaning and sewing), caring for the children, directing slaves and catering for men. They had no political rights and were basically owned by their husband. They married at twelve years old to a man of their father’s choice, usually a citizen of about 30, and would not be able to leave the house without a male relative. Being inside all the time made the women pale, which back then was considered a sign of beauty. This is why women’s faces were painted white on Greek pottery. Makeup was worn all over the face and on the eyes, lip and cheeks to show off their pale complexions. Girls rarely got to go to school, instead they learned how to cook, clean and sew etcetera with the occasional educational lesson from their mothers or slaves. Women also had no political rights, so they had no say in the government or what was happening. Athens was run politically as a democracy, so everyone had a vote. But, this was only citizens, which females were not. Women did not get to vote, or offer ideas for their husbands. They mostly stayed at home managing the house, children and slaves.  (Source A, F & C)

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There were three main social classes in ancient Athens. The first and highest class were the citizens. This was also the class with the lowest population, as not many used to fit the correct criteria to be a citizen. A citizen in Athens was a male with an Athenian mother and father. Citizens could work as shopkeepers, craftsmen and old land holding nobility. They were financially and politically equal with every other citizen, just not socially. The second class was Metics / foreigners. A Metic was a citizen from another state, that usually came to Athens because of the great economics (like the agora), arts theatre and education. Metics did not own land, but had access to courts, could own factories and become ship slaves, serve as hoplites in the army or oarsmen in the navy. They also took part in religious festivals. The third and final class, also the largest, was the slaves. Slaves worked either for citizens or the government. They were not treated well, and were bought and sold in slave markets. If a slave worked for the government, they would do horrible tasks, like underground mining or if they were luckier, become secret police to watch the citizens. However, if they worked for citizens they would help take care of the land, be tutors, nurses, pottery painters or shopkeepers. A very lucky slave could eventually buy their freedom. Slaves came about if they had a slave mother and father, if they were forced into slavery by being in debt or captured when their country lost a war. Women didn’t really fit into any class, even if their mother and father were Athenians. Consequently, the three main social classes in Ancient Athens included citizens, metics and slaves.  (Source A & D)