EVERYDAY LIFE IN ANCIENT

GREECE

Life in Ancient Greece was different for rich and poor, and for men and women. Greek citizens were taught that their patriotic duty was to marry and have children

Slaves with their owner.

LIFE FOR WOMENIn Athens, only girls form rich families had lessons. They didn´t go to school, but learnt how to read and write at home. They also learnt music and arithmetic (Maths). They were given lessons so they could be good housewives. They often married when they were only 14 years old, but their husband could be much older tan they were.

LIFE FOR WOMENRich women took care of the slaves in their household. Women made sure that the children were looked after, that meals were cooked, and spent lots of time weaving and spinning cloth.They were not allowed to go our of the house very often.

This image on Greek pot shows a woman spinning.

This image on Greek pot shows women spinning.

LIFE FOR WOMENPoorer women had to work hard, with no slaves to help them, but they had more freedom to go where they wanted. They had to go shopping and collect water from the wells.

LIFE FOR MENRich Athenian boys usually spent much longer at school than girls. They learnt to read and write. They also had music lessons and plenty of physical education. Poorer families could not afford to send their sons to school for long, so they only received a basic education.

This scene from a Greek pot shows a boy taking a music lesson wit his teacher. It also shows a student

writing on a tablet.

LIFE FOR MENAt the age of 18 young men had to fight in the army for two years. Sometimes they went on to further education where they learnt subjects like mathematics, science and geography.Men often did the same job as their fathers. Some worked as farmers or fishermen. Others went to sea as sailors or as oarsmen in the triremes.

Oarsmen in the triremes.

slavesSlaves were people who had to work for other people without having any wages (money). They could be sold by their owners to somebody else.There were large numbers of slaves un Ancient Greece. They were often people the Greeks had captured during wars. Some slaves were owned by families, working in the family home or farm. Many had to work in the Athenian silver mines. Working in these mines was dirty and very dangerous. Silver from the mines was used to make Athenian coins.