Ancient Greece Research Paper

Ancient Greece: Society, Culture & Identity
Ancient Greece was made up of independent city-states and sometimes they were called polis (oligarchy) except the cities of Athens and Sparta. The Spartans were ruled by monarchy while the Athenians introduced the first democratic government in the world. This meant that citizens of Athens were allowed to vote to choose in the political matters. Therefore, to be a citizen one would have to be born with Athenian parents and be a male. Men were either serving in the military, into political issues, hosting parties or in the theater for entertaining. Metics, people who immigrated to Athens to trade or practice their craft, were not allowed to take part in political matters, and could never truly earn
the full rights of a citizen. Metics were required to pay taxes and serve in the military, they could not own land or marry an Athenian.
Slaves, children and women were treated the same in other parts of Ancient Greece, with no legal rights and barely taking part in public life.
Women were trained in domestic skills for them to be able to run a home when married, they might be married off by their fathers at the earliest age of 13 . The main purpose of marriage was to produce a child who will continue the father’s affair once he grows up. Children can be kept or abandoned once born, the choice is up to the parents. The agora is where most of the socializing happens, men goes there to shop for the needs. The only women allowed in the agora were slaves who do tasks for their masters. And women who do not have slaves to carry out their tasks for the
family.
Women in Sparta were trained with the men to become stronger and bear healthy children to join the military. Handicapped children were often abandoned and left to die. In Sparta, young boys were taken from their parents to train to join the military at the age of 7. Their mothers encourage them to come home with honor. Some mothers kill their sons when they show weakness.
Greek society was divided into two parts free men and slaves. And the Athenians felt uneasy about the number of metics and slaves since they made up half the population of Athens. Slaves in Sparta (helots) have outnumbered and rebelled against the Spartans in the past and although the Spartans defeated the rebellion they continued fearing that a rebellion may happen again. Therefore, all male citizen were required to serve as full-time warriors in Sparta. Slaves were mainly owned by free men, they did work for their masters, some slave who is skilled craftsmen could practice their skills but their earnings would go to the family that owns them. Most slaves were either born into slavery or were prisoners of pirates. Some were sold from foreign countries. Even though slaves were referred to as being owned in Ancient Greece selves were treated, sometimes, as part of the family. They were also a big part and help to the economy of Ancient Greece. Greeks could also become slaves by falling into debt but they were freed once their debt was paid off. Ancient Greeks worshiped gods and goddesses, the reason for why the temples in Ancient Greece are the most elegant architectures.
Once a year, in Athens, people go up to the Parthenon, a temple on top of the acropolis, to present the goddess Athena a new robe for her birthday. At the temple oxen and other animals were sacrificed while the meat was distributed for the people to eat. This celebration included dancing, singing, games, and prizes. Even foreign residents celebrated it. This how celebrations bring people together. The Ancient Greeks’ belief in their gods was strong. A normal home in Ancient Greece included an altar for the
gods.
Ancient Greeks that lived in the countryside worked mostly as farmers. The meat was obtained through hunting and the rearing of domesticated animals, hunting was considered a sport for the wealthy families but it was a serious business for the poor. Many Ancient Greeks lived near water. The sea, river, and lakes provided fish and shellfish which was a main source of protein. In the mountainous terrain and hot dry climate few goods can flourish just like, olive trees and bees. Country people used opens to carry heavy load to the market, they transported many goods to the market. But as time passed, people started cutting down trees soil erosion increase leaving even more fertile land.
The first ever Olympic Games originated in Ancient Greece and they took place on mount Olympus where the gods were believed to live. Different types of games occur on this day an example is, wrestling. Women were not allowed to watch or participate in the games, only the men play, naked, they had their own games also held at Olympia in honour of the goddess Hera. There were no cash prices at the Olympic Games but because the winner brought honor to his cities he might sometimes be given money on his way home, or even free meals for life.
Greek mythology is rich in stories of heroes, quarreling God and goddesses and mythical, unusual creatures. While keeping people entertained the stories also answered some questions, just like how the world came to be. These stories traveled by mouths. Poets or actors memorizing the stories by heart and later on these stories were written. Greek dramas were performed in temples to honor the gods and as it got more popular it large open theaters were built, for entertainment.
Music and dance were both an important part of Greek life. People sang and danced on religious ceremonies. Music was enjoyed for pleasure entertainment at the family celebration and parties and is used in drama acts. On religious celebration like the Spartans, who loved war also complained that lack of music was a hardship on war, therefore, Spartans soldiers blew tunes on pipes as they marched.
In Ancient Athens, wedding ceremonies started after dark. The veiled bride traveled from her home to the home of the groom while standing in a chariot. Her family followed the chariot on foot, carrying the gifts. Friends of the bride and groom lit the way, carrying torches and playing music to scare away evil spirits. During the wedding ceremony, the bride would eat an apple, or another piece of fruit, to show that food and other basic needs would now come from her husband. Gifts to the new couple might include baskets, furniture, jewelry, mirrors, perfume, vases filled with greenery. In Ancient Sparta, the ceremony was very simple. After a physical fight or struggle, to prove his superior strength, the groom would toss his bride over his shoulder and carry her off.
Ancient Greeks could devote time to studying and thinking because their civilization was wealthy and secure. They learned astrology from the Babylonians and mathematics from Egyptians. They used their scientific knowledge to create practical inventions. Greek philosophers recognized the value of experimenting but they could not see their limitations, therefore, creating wrong assumptions.
Greek is known for its great art and knowledge. Ancient Greeks contributed a lot to the world today. The Olympic Games, democracy, art, and knowledge about medicine and math. Ancient Greece is also known for its great architecture, the temples they built and their great beliefs in gods. Ancient Greeks were also known by their ranks, men, women and children, and slaves. Greek women can only participate in the religious serving circle otherwise, they were married to an Athenian or married off by their fathers. As said before they do not take part in political issues. They do chores or direct the house slaves of what to do. Men's life in the past, not just in Ancient Greece, were more interesting than the lives of women. They host parties drink and eat until they were full, while women entertained them, with dances and professional entertainers played some music, these parties occur on the hosts home on the lower floor while the women stay on the upper floors doing nothing. They can also take part in political matters, the it is a place where they vote. Philosophers and poets hang around the agora to share information and recite poems or line they memorized by heart. Spartans were born warriors they were known for their toughness and determination. Slaves were known to work for their owners but half of the populations of Athens and Sparta were slaves and metics. The citizens do nothing about it because the most of Ancient Greeks economy is made by the slaves and metics. People were known by what they were in the society in Ancient Greece and how much honor you carry and what you've done for the city.
Bibliography:
http://www.crystalinks.com/greekculture.html http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/Main_Page/ Ancient World by Charlotte Hurdman, Philip Steele, and Richard Tames