ATHENS
• Named after Athena• Goddess of wisdom, war, and
civilization • Her shrine (The Parthenon) sits
in the middle of Athens
• The Agora was the center of commerce• Public markets and meeting
places• Government buildings and
temples
ACROPOLIS
• Built on a hill in the center of the city
• Originally built as a citadel where people could retreat if there was an attack
• Later, many temples were added (although it could still be used as a fortress)
• At the center was The Parthenon
HOMES IN ATHENS
• Most homes were plain; made of mud bricks
• Consisted of rooms around an open courtyard
• Had kitchens, storerooms, dining rooms, and bathrooms
• Water had to be carried from a public fountain
BOYS IN ATHENS
• Schools taught reading, writing and mathematics, music, poetry, sport and gymnastics
• Education typically lasted from age 5-18
• Some went during their mid-twenties in an academy where they would also study philosophy, ethics, and rhetoric (the skill of persuasive public speaking)
• As men, many would become active in politics or other aspects of Athenian life
GIRLS IN ATHENS
• Girls received little formal education (except perhaps in the aristocrats' homes through tutors)
• generally kept at home and had no political power in Athens
• The education of a girl involved spinning, weaving, and other domestic art.
• Athenian women and girls were kept at home with no participation in sports or politics
• Wives were considered property of their husbands
SLAVES IN ATHENS
• Some people became slaves after being captured during battles
• Slaves were lowest class, but less harshly treated than in most other Greek cities
• Had no rights, and an owner could kill a slave. Could buy freedom or be freed by master
• Did a lot in Athens: constructed buildings, forged weapons & armor, farmed, mined, created pottery