Homes: Most Greek houses were built only with bricks and some mud. In the towns homes were small, but in the country people built larger houses. Most of the houses didn't have much furniture in them.
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Men: The Greek men often worked in farming, trade or army. Men's activities encompassed politics, arts and crafts, construction, agriculture, sea-faring, manufacturing and trade. Agriculture, the most common male activity, is only rarely illustrated. Yet the large majority of citizens of all Greek states relied upon the land for their basic income; even the rich, who did not labor in the fields themselves, tended to oversee directly the farming of at least some of their property rather than leasing it all. |
| Women: Women's lives were closely tied to the home. They learned spinning, weaving, and other skills that would be useful in running the household. Duties of a rural woman included some of the agricultural work: the harvesting of olives and fruit was their responsibility, as may have been the gathering of vegetables. Serving as a priestess in one of the temples was one of the only public duties that a woman might perform |  |
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Gods: The Ancient Greeks believed
the gods were like people in the way they acted. They painted, fought, fell
in love, had jobs, lied and helped others. The power of the gods was wonderful.
They could change the events of history by helping one person against another.
Some were in love with human beings. Zeus had many love affairs with mortal
women. His wife, the goddess Hera, became angry, because of this, and punished
the women and their children. The ancient Greeks were a deeply religious
people. They worshipped many gods whom they believed appeared in human form
and yet were endowed with superhuman strength and ageless beauty. The Iliad
and the Odyssey, our earliest surviving examples of Greek literature, record
men's interactions with various gods and goddesses whose characters and
appearances underwent little change in the centuries that
followed.
Click Here to see a comparison of the Greek and Roman gods. |
| What did the Greeks like to eat? The sea provided the ancient Greeks with many things, including a source of food. Many types of seafood were popular and were eaten by most. Farmers grew some grains, like wheat and barley, and kept goats to provide milk and cheese. Most people also raised chickens and ate eggs regularly. Although the soil was poor for growing many types of grains, olive trees and grapes grew quite well in Greece and they do today. Olives and olive oil were part of the basic diet. Grapes grew along the hillsides of Greece and were used for making wine. This popular beverage was usually mixed with water and served at any meal. |  |
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Entertainment: If you were a man living in ancient Greece, you might go to the theater to see dramas performed in honor of the gods. Theaters were built outside, usually along the slope of a hillside. All of the actors were men - they even played the female roles! Each actor played several parts in the play by wearing a different mask for each part. Women were probably not allowed to go to the theater. |
Images from National Geographic, March 1944