What Did Everyday Life in Ancient Athens Really Look Like?
Source: GreekReporter.com
We all know the ancient Greek city-state of Athens, the main urban center that flourished and became a true superpower during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. What we may not know is that Athens was a tremendously vibrant and dynamic society, defined by unique elements worth exploring.
Citizens of Athens benefited from a rich culture and a fascinating daily life. One of the main elements of Athenian society was that it was strictly structured around the family unit of the ancient Greeks. This was known as the oikos and was clearly divided into distinct social classes, each of which had their unique features.
Daily life in Athens varied significantly and the role of each one within the Athenian society was based on factors such as gender, social status, and, of course, occupation. By analyzing these details we can get a deeper and clearer look at the various aspects of the everyday life of the citizens of Classical Athens, we can understand much more about the true psyche of the ancient Greeks and the captivating world of ancient Athenians.
Family Life and Gender Roles in ancient Athens
As we have already seen, the oikos were the foundation and the cornerstone of Athenian society. We are talking about a deeply patriarchal society, where the male head of the household exercised absolute authority over his wife, children, and –not to forget– any slaves or servants the family processed.
The role of women in Ancient Athens is a fascinating chapter on its own. Women in Classical Athens were primarily responsible for managing everything domestic. They were the heads of the houses in terms of raising children, but they had significantly limited rights as well as freedoms compared to their male counterparts when it came to public life and civic duties.
From various archaeological sources, we know that marriages in Athens were typically arranged by the families themselves. This means that it was rare for a couple to get married based on true love or a long relationship that led to marriage. These arranged weddings often involved older men marrying younger women, as this was viewed as preferable. As the main roles of women in Athenian society were bearing children and running the household efficiently, these were the primary tasks of the newly-wedded women.
When we take social class into account, we see that surprisingly enough, wealthy women were more often restricted and secluded within the home, while lower-class women had more freedom of movement. This makes absolute sense if we think that lower-class women were needed to perform household tasks such as fetching water and shopping at the market, as their families didn’t have any servants or slaves.
Social Structure and Occupations
The Athenian society was clearly and distinctively divided into three main social classes: citizens, metics –who were foreign residents,– and slaves.
Only male citizens had political rights and could own land. They would actively participate in the assemblies and decision-making processes of their city, creating the direct democratic processes of ancient Athens that we know today. Many of the Athenian citizens were farmers who cultivated the land outside of the city walls. Others engaged in various occupations and professions, such as artisans, craftsmen, merchants, and soldiers, who were known as hoplites when armed with a shield and spear.
We shouldn’t forget that despite its democratic traditions, slavery was a prevalent feature of Athenian society. The slaves normally worked in households, as well as in sectors such as agriculture, and industry. They were considered the property of their owners and had no legal rights or freedoms.
The Education of Ancient Athens
Education was highly valued in Classical Athens and this was particularly true for boys. The sons of wealthy families received a holistic and well-rounded education that included subjects such as reading, writing, arithmetic, poetry, music, and sports. These young men would often progress to advanced studies in rhetoric and philosophy, with some even attending famous philosophical schools such as Plato’s Academy. However, it has to be noted that this was only a selected minority, primarily from the Athenian elite.
Girls, on the other hand, did not receive some form of formal schooling. This doesn’t mean that they were totally illiterate, though. Girls were instead educated at home in domestic skills such as spinning, weaving, and household management, subjects truly fundamental for the proper functioning of Athenian society. The goal of their education was mainly to prepare them for their future roles as wives and mothers, who would be in charge of the everyday management of their oikos.
Religion and Festivals
Religion was obviously another integral part of daily life in Classical Athens. Athenians, like any other proud Greek, believed in not just one but many gods and goddesses who influenced all sorts of aspects of their everyday lives and the decisions they would make.
The famous twelve Olympian gods, led by Zeus, were the most important deities in the Greek pantheon and were venerated to the highest degree in Athens. The Athenians were known for making many sacrifices and for praying intensively to the gods to seek their favor and assistance in their endeavors. This would happen both at an individual level and as a united community that wanted to promote the interests of Athens in the Greek world and beyond.
Throughout the year, the Athenians celebrated a wide range of religious festivals, such as the Panathenaea. The Panathenaea was one of the most prominent religious festivals, which honored the patron goddess of the city, Athena. These rituals and festivals involved events such as grand processions, animal sacrifices, popular games, and artistic competitions, and their primary role was to unite the community and reinforce their shared cultural identity.
Athenian Arts, Culture and Leisure
The city of Athens during its peak as a superpower of the Greek world had a truly vibrant cultural scene, with theatre, poetry, art, and philosophy being among the fields that flourished significantly during this period, thus offering timeless gifts to humanity that we enjoy to this day.
Theatre performances, including both tragedies and comedies, were very popular forms of entertainment among ordinary Athenians. This particular aspect of Athenian life shows us the advanced level of cultural development of Athens at that time. However, only male citizens were allowed to be actors and attend the theatre; women were strictly excluded from these public performances, as their role was seen as more important elsewhere –namely at home– than at the heart of the cultural melting pots of the city.
The so-called Symposia was another important aspect of Athenian social life, for which many things have been written and said across the ages. These were the parties of the elite, where particularly wealthy men would gather to exchange views and have a good time. These gatherings involved a lot of good food, wine, music, and inspiring intellectual conversation, and they provided an opportunity for men to bond and discuss various topics.
Athletics and sports were also another important part of the everyday life of the Athenians. They were highly valued in their society, with events such as the Panathenaic Games showcasing the beauty of the physical prowess of the young men of Athens. In their leisure time, men enjoyed various games, including dice, checkers, and marbles, which complemented the more physically demanding sports.
We can safely say that daily life in Classical Athens was shaped and determined by many factors including gender, social status, and occupation, among many others. For those interested in the less prominent –and mainly combative– events of the ancient Greek world, the ancient Athenian society offers a great glimpse into the soul of the ancient Greeks. From family life and education to religion and culture, we can understand and appreciate the rich and fascinating world of a society that managed to develop one of the world’s most powerful and inspirational states.
The original article: GreekReporter.com .
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