Social Roles
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Social Roles
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| Women Greek women had very limited freedom outside the home. Women were always under the control of husbands, brothers, or fathers. If they had their husband's permission to do so, they could attend weddings, funerals, some religious festivals, and could visit female neighbors for brief periods of time. In their home, Greek women were in charge! Their job was to run the house, make the clothes, and bear children. Most Greek women did not do housework themselves. Most Greek households had slaves. Wives and daughters were not allowed to watch the Olympic Games as the participants in the games did not wear clothes. |
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Men
Men ran the government, and spent a great deal of their time away from home. When not involved in politics, the men spent time in the fields, overseeing or working the crops, sailing, hunting, manufacturing or in trade. In ancient Greece, the husband was the head of the household. His duty was to care for the members of his household, and to determine their children's marriages. For fun, in addition to drinking parties, the men enjoyed wrestling, horseback riding, and the famous Olympic Games. When the men entertained their male friends, at the popular drinking parties, their wives and daughters were not allowed to attend. |
| Kids Greek Boys: In most Greek city-states, when young, the boys stayed at home, helping in the fields, sailing, and fishing. At age 6 or 7, they went to school. Greek Girls: Little girls stayed at home until they were married at the age of 13 or 14. Until then their job was to help their mother, and to help in the fields, if necessary. Like their mother, they could attend certain festivals, funerals, and visit neighbors for brief periods of time with previous permission. Greek Babies: The ancient Greeks considered their children to be "youths" until they reached the age of 30! When a child was born to an ancient Greek family, the father carried his child in a ritual dance around the household. Friends and relatives sent gifts. The family decorated the doorway of their home with a wreath of olives (for a boy) or a wreath of wool (for a girl). |
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Slaves
Slaves were very important to the ancient Greek way of life. Slaves cleaned, cooked, worked in the fields, factories, shops, mines, and on ships. Most slaves lives were not that different from a poor Greek citizen's life. There were things slaves could not do. They could not go to school, or enter politics, or use their own name. They were given a name by the citizen who owned them and were the property of their owner. Slaves were not citizens of ancient Greece. People became slaves in many ways. Some people became slaves when captured in battle. Some were the children of slaves. Some were Greek infants, abandoned on a hill or at the gates of a town, left to die, or to be rescued by someone passing by. Some children were sold into slavery by poor families, and some children were kidnapped. Male slaves watched the door, to make sure no one came in when the man of the house was away, except for female neighbors, and acted as tutors to the young male children. |
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