Life in Ancient Greece and Greek Theater

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Life in Ancient Greeceand Greek Theater

• By Susan Carman
• James Russell and
• Marcia Stengel

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Life in Ancient Sparta

• Located in Southern Greece
• Spartans conquered people and made them slaves
  (Helots)
• controlled Helots- by a brutal system of
  government

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Military State

• Helots outnumbered Spartans
• Military state kept slaves in line
• Babies inspected by soldiers at birth
• Unhealthy babies taken as slaves
• Some babies left to die on a hillside

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Boys

• Left parents at age 7 begin military training
• Lasted 13 years
• Lived in barracks
• If they disobeyed they were whipped
• Taught athletics as well
• At age 20 they became soldiers

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Men

• Men also lived in barracks
• owed military service until age 60
• Married but didnt live with wife
• Age 30 soldiers then lived with wife
• Soldiers given land farmed by Helots

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Spartan Girls

• Infant girls exposed to death if weak
• Went to school at age 6 or 7
• lived in a barracks
• Educated in gymnastics and physical training
• Taught that lives were dedicated to Sparta
• Be strong to produce strong offspring

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Spartan Women

• Required to stay inside
• Allowed to move about
• Age 18 took fitness test
• If passed assigned a husband
• If failed second class citizen
• A lot of freedom from husband
• Husbands lived in barracks

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Athens
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Athens

• Located in Attica
• A limited democracy
• Evolved from a monarchy to a aristocracy
• Around 700 B.C. 507 B.C. democratic reforms
  were instituted
• Only males could participate in the government
• Males learned reading , writing , poetry, and
  rhetoric
• Women had a lower status than Spartans

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Athenian Girls

• Learned to read
• Learned important household skills
• Leaned mythology, religion and musical
  instruments
• Spent time in household with other women
• Left house only for religious purposes

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Athenian Women

• Married in their teens
• Marriage was arranged
• Could not own property
• Had few rights
• Not allowed to watch Olympic games
• Could divorce
• Participated in all religious ceremonies
• Had to obey husband
• Poorer women worked

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Athenian Boys Men

• Taught at home until 6 or 7
• Went to school from age 7-14
• Learned Homeric poetry and musical instruments,
  public speaking, reading ,writing , math ,
  science and government
• At 18 attended military school

• Activities included politics, arts, crafts,
  agriculture, trade
• Knew how to hunt and horseback ride
• Always be courteous
• Participated in government and military

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Greek Mythology

• WHAT IS A MYTH?A myth is a traditional story
  whose author is unknown. It has its roots in the
  primitive folk-beliefs of cultures and uses the
  supernatural to interpret natural events and to
  explain a culture's view of the universe and the
  nature of humanity.

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Some Greek Gods and Goddesses
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Olympic Games

• Began in 700 B.C.
• Began in town called Olympia in (South-Western
  Greece)
• In honor of the Greek God Zeus
• Women couldnt watch
• men were naked or wore thongs
• lasted for 5 days
• First day sacrificing to the gods
• Picture is the entry to the Olympic stadium

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Ancient Olympic Sports

• Boxing
• Wrestling
• Pancratium both boxing and wrestling combined
• Horse-racing
• Penthlon- sprinting, long-jump, javelin-hurling,
  discus-throwing, wrestling

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Famous Playwrights

• Based on myths or legends
• Discussed moral and social issues
• Explored relationship between men and gods
• Two types of plays were written
• Tragedy
• Comedy
• Picture of a Greek Theater

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Playwrights

• Aeschlylus- The Oresteia- a series of 3 plays
• that told of the hideous crimes of murder
  andrevenge of a powerful family. ( 525-456 B.C.)
• Euripdes- The Trojan Woman stripped war of its
  glamour by showing the suffering of women who
  were victims of war.
• Sophocles- Antigone explored what happens when
  and individual s moral duty conflicts with the
  laws of the state.

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The End
The End
The End