4.21 Ancient Greek Daily, Family & Home Life

It was the ancient world of great thinkers, elaborate architecture, and powerful militaries. Enter the world of ancient Greece and find out what daily life looked like as you discover their ways.

Ancient Greece

Greece was a powerhouse in the ancient world. It had a strong military and admired leaders, like Alexander the Great. It raised some of the world’s greatest thinkers, like Socrates and Aristotle. It even developed democracy, holding that government was in the hands of the people, and was the founding place of the Olympic Games!

What would it have been like to live in this ancient land? Well, there were three things that were very important to all Greeks: education, strength, and culture. These determined what your daily life would be like, although it was different for boys and girls.

So, put on your ancient Greek tunic (which is like a long shirt worn without pants), strap on your sandals, and let’s explore how education, strength, and culture played a role in everyday life for ancient Greeks!

Example of a Greek tunic

1. Main points:

Ancient Greece was a significant civilization known for its strong military, influential leaders like Alexander the Great, and great thinkers like Socrates and Aristotle. It introduced democracy and the Olympic Games and valued education, strength, and culture in daily life.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What were the three important aspects of daily life in ancient Greece?
• Contextual Analysis: Who were some of the famous leaders and thinkers from ancient Greece?
• Thematic Analysis: How did ancient Greece contribute to the development of democracy and sports?

3. Further Discussion:

• If you could meet one person from ancient Greece, who would it be and why?

4. Answers:

• Content Analysis: "There were three things that were very important to all Greeks: education, strength, and culture."
• Contextual Analysis: "Admired leaders, like Alexander the Great… Greatest thinkers, like Socrates and Aristotle."
• Thematic Analysis: "It even developed democracy… And was the founding place of the Olympic Games!"

Daily Education

As a boy, depending on your family’s wealth, you probably would have begun your day with a pedagogue, which was a school teacher who instructed you in reading, writing, and math. Music was also very important in ancient Greece, so you would have probably had daily singing and music lessons.

As a girl, you would have spent much of your day with your mom. She would have taught you how to run your own household by doing housework, weaving, and cooking. You would helped tend to the home, which would have been made of wood or mud bricks with a courtyard in the middle. Fortunately, there were no indoor bathrooms to scrub, and ancient Greeks ate with their hands, so no silverware to clean!

You would have helped your mom prepare daily meals with foods such as bread, eggs, vegetables, cheese, figs, nuts, and fish. If your family had money, slaves would have helped with the daily household work and shopping. In this case, you and your mom would have rarely left the house, as this was frowned upon.

Layout of an ancient Greek home. Oikos=family room, andron=room for men, gyneceum=room for women.

1. Main points:

In ancient Greece, boys were educated in reading, writing, math, and music, while girls learned household skills from their mothers, including housework, weaving, and cooking. Homes were simple, and meals consisted of basic foods like bread and vegetables.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What kind of education did boys receive in ancient Greece?
• Socio-cultural Analysis: What were the typical daily activities for girls in ancient Greek households?
• Contextual Analysis: What were the living conditions in an ancient Greek home?

3. Further Discussion:

• If you could choose, would you prefer to learn like a boy or a girl in ancient Greece, and why?

4. Answers:

• Content Analysis: "A school teacher who instructed you in reading, writing, and math. Music was also very important."
• Socio-cultural Analysis: "She would have taught you how to run your own household by doing housework, weaving, and cooking."
• Contextual Analysis: "Homes… made of wood or mud bricks with a courtyard in the middle… no indoor bathrooms… ate with their hands, so no silverware to clean!"

Strength is the Key

Physical fitness and strength were important to the Greeks. They wanted their people to be ready for battle at a moment’s notice. If money allowed and you were a boy, you would have spent some days working with a private teacher who kept you fit and limber. If you were twelve or older, you might have gone to the gymnasium, which was a training facility complete with a practice field, changing rooms, and bathhouse. Here, you would have focused on physical training and prepared for military duty at age eighteen.

1. Main points:

In ancient Greece, physical fitness and strength were crucial, especially for boys, who trained with private teachers and at gymnasiums to prepare for military service starting at age eighteen.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: Why was physical fitness so important in ancient Greece?
• Socio-cultural Analysis: What kind of physical training did boys undergo in preparation for military duty?
• Contextual Analysis: What facilities were available at the gymnasium for physical training?

3. Further Discussion:

• How do you think this focus on physical fitness influenced Greek society and culture?

4. Answers:

• Content Analysis: "Physical fitness and strength were important to the Greeks. They wanted their people to be ready for battle at a moment’s notice."
• Socio-cultural Analysis: "You would have spent some days working with a private teacher who kept you fit and limber… focused on physical training and prepared for military duty at age eighteen."
• Contextual Analysis: "A training facility complete with a practice field, changing rooms, and bathhouse."

Everyday Culture

Most Greek cities were filled with elaborate temples and buildings with stone columns. Many had open air theaters that allowed spectators to take advantage of the warm, dry climate. You probably would have lived in the surrounding countryside or village, and it was mostly your father who would have traveled into the city. He might have spent the day going to the agora, or marketplace, as well as to bathhouses, the temple, or the barbershop for a haircut.

Ancient Greek temple

1. Main points:

Greek cities were known for their elaborate temples and buildings with stone columns, open air theaters, and a warm, dry climate. People usually lived in the countryside, with fathers often visiting the city for activities like going to the marketplace, bathhouses, temples, and barbershops.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What were some of the notable architectural features of Greek cities?
• Contextual Analysis: Where did most people live in relation to Greek cities, and what were common activities for men in the city?
• Thematic Analysis: How did the climate influence the design of Greek architecture and public spaces?

3. Further Discussion:

• If you could visit a Greek city in ancient times, what place would you like to see the most and why?

4. Answers:

• Content Analysis: "Most Greek cities were filled with elaborate temples and buildings with stone columns. Many had open air theaters."
• Contextual Analysis: "You probably would have lived in the surrounding countryside or village… He might have spent the day going to the agora, or marketplace, as well as to bathhouses, the temple, or the barbershop."
• Thematic Analysis: "Allowed spectators to take advantage of the warm, dry climate."

Lesson Summary

Daily life in ancient Greece was centered on three important aspects. Education was vital, so days were spent learning academics with a pedagogue or learning how to run your own household with your mom. Staying physically fit was strongly encouraged, so boys spent time with a private physical education teacher or at the gymnasium. People met daily in temples, barbershops, or even the agora to interact with each other and enjoy ancient Greek culture.