Ancient Greece

Daily life, and Economy

DAILY LIFE

Family Life

• Husband headed the house hold and was responsible for its members.

• Wife ran the house hold and raised the children.

• The women spun thread and wove cloth even if they were wealthy.

• The parents usually arranged their child’s wedding.

Education

• Very few girls attended school.

• Some girls learned to read and write in their household.

• Each city-state differed in the education.

• Most boys, and some girls, started their education at age seven.

Food

• Greek diet based on such grains as wheat and barley which were used to make bread, cakes, and porridge. Greeks also ate a variety of fruits and vegetables. Sources of protein were eggs, poultry, and fish. The Greeks used a lot of olive oil and honey to sweeten their food. After animal sacrifices they enjoyed roasted pork, beef, lamb, and goat.

Clothes

• The Greeks wore belted garments of linen or

wool. Men’s garments hung down to the knees,

while the women’s garments usually fell to

the ankles. If it was cold , the Greeks would drape

cloaks over the shoulders and arms. They also wore

sandals.

The Greek Government

• When city-states were first formed, they were ruled by a few wealthy men.

• However, these city-states started moving to a democracy.

• Democracy means rule by the people, and in it people vote on who they want their leaders to be.

ECONOMY AND TRADE

Trade

• Merchants sold surplus goods abroad in exchange for slaves and products such as grain, timber, and metal.

• Greece mainly traded with Egypt, Sicily, and Scythia.

Economy and Currency

• Economy• Economy of ancient

Greece was characterized by the extreme importance of importing goods.

• Currency• Coinage probably began

in Lydia around 600 BC and arrived in mainland Greece around 550 BC

• The very first coins were made from electrum (an alloy of gold and silver) followed by coins of pure silver

Coins

• Each Greek city-state made their own kind of coin.

• Thebes Corinth

• Athens

Taxation

• Taxation was not well developed in ancient Greece.

• The eisphora was a tax on the very wealthy and was only used in times of need such as war.

• Taxes were also used to help build public works.

Bibliography and Sources

• Scheidel, Walter, Ian Morris, and Richard P. Saller, eds. The Cambridge Economic History of the Greco-Roman World (2008) 958pp

• "Ancient Greece." The World Book Encyclopedia 2010. 2010 ed. Vol. 8. Chicago, IL: World Book, 2010. 366-75. Print.