EVERYDAY LIFE IN ANCIENT ATHENS

 

 

Everyday life in ancient Athens in the Hellenistic era was more intellectually stimulating and exciting than in most ancient cities mainly due to the fact that Greeks excelled in theater and philosophy. and were involved in politics and athletic contests as well.

In addition, their culture had developed the vital art of public discussion at the agora. Men if they were not training as soldiers often discussed politics in groups or went to the theater to watch tragedies and comedies for entertainment.  

They could strongly relate to the plays, of course, which often involved ancient politics and actions of Greek gods in some form.

  The men of ancient Greece also had full citizenship status and could vote something women were not allowed to do.  

Regarding the realm of theater, women were not allowed to watch plays, much less to act in them, the theater was a masculine affair and the roles of women were always plaid by men.   

Life for men in ancient Athens also involved playing games that did not involve physical activity including marbles, dice, and checkers. The ancient Greek version of checkers was similar to the current version of backgammon however it involved a board, stones, and dice. 

The life of women in ancient Athens was closely tied to hard domestic work, including spinning, weaving, cooking, and other domestic chores. they were not involved in public life or politics whatsoever.  

 Females as a whole were mostly confined to the home although they could be priestesses in the temple. 

Girls in ancient Greece were not formally educated, rather their mothers taught them the skills they need for running a household,  they were married young often to older men. The ideal Athenian woman did not go out in public or interact with men she was not related to her, though this ideology of seclusion could only be practiced in wealthy families.  

In most households, women were needed to carry out tasks, such as going to the market and carrying water which required taking time outside the house where interaction with men was possible. 

Ancient Athenians had to eat, of course so it was only natural that the citizens often owned land outside the city which provided for their income.

The Greek landscape and climate made farming a very difficult endeavor. In September it was time to harvest the grape. which were either kept for eating or used for making wine, Winemaking was done by treading the grapes on foot and then keeping the juice in enormous barrels to ferment.

Olives were picked by hand or knocked down the trees with wooden sticks.  Some were crushed in a press to produce oil while others were preserved for consumption.  

Olive oil was extremely useful for ancient Athenians since it had many uses such as cooking, and lighting. beauty products and athletic purposes. Olives and their associated products were associated with the economy of ancient Athens.

Grains were usually sowed in October to ensure that they will grow during the wettest season., The farmers used a plow driven by oxen while a second man would follow sowing the seeds.

In spring. crops were harvested using sickles. After harvesting the grain it was then threshed using mules and the help of the wind which separated the chaff from the grain. the husks were then discarded and the grain was pounded in a mortar with a pestle.  Then the flour was baked into bread.