Roles of Men, Women, and Children

Men, women, and children in ancient Greece had different roles and responsibilities. Let's look at the roles you and your friends and family would have had if you had lived in ancient Greece.

What would the men in your family have done in ancient Greece?

Men in Greece wore special clothes. Every Greek man owned several chitons, long, rectangular pieces of cloth with holes for the head and arms. The chitons were decorated based on the man's status in society. The richest men had the fanciest chitons, made out of the most expensive cloth and with the most decorations.
The man was in charge of the family and the house. Most men worked during the day as businessmen or farmers. When they were at home, they were treated with great respect. Even during dinner, the men laid on couches and were fed and entertained by the slaves while the women and children ate in another room.
Men were given the most responsibility and, therefore, were considered the most important people in ancient Greece.

What would the women in your family have done in ancient Greece?

Women dressed in clothes much like those worn by the men. If you were married to a rich man, your chiton would have been made of brightly colored wool or linen. On special occasions women wore wigs and makeup.
Women didn't have as many privileges as men in ancient Greece. For example, they were not allowed to eat or sleep in the same room as men, go to the Olympics, or go into the marketplace or streets of the city.
Since they spent a lot of time in the house, their most important tasks, aside from having children, were running the household and managing the slaves. Women in less wealthy households did not have slaves and had to do all the housework themselves. In peasant households, the women were in charge of working the fields.

What would you have done in ancient Greece?

Boys and girls had different roles in ancient Greece. Girls grew up helping their mothers around the house. All girls were taught to cook, weave, and clean. Girls also learned ancient secret songs and dances so they could participate in the religious festivals. Some girls were taught to read and write by their mothers, but this was rare. At age 15, the girls of wealthy families were expected to throw away their toys and marry the man that their father chose for them. Peasant girls found their own husbands while working in the fields.
Boys were considered to be more important than girls and were sent to school at age 6. At school they learned to read, write the alphabet, add on an abacus, and enjoy poetry and music. Boys were expected to have a healthy mind and body. They were taught to have healthy bodies by participating in gymnastics -- this included wrestling, running, jumping, and throwing the javelin. At age 16, boys began to train for their future jobs. If they wanted to be in the army, they would have started training at age 7 and entered the army at age 20. Other popular jobs were those of businessmen and Olympic athletes.

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