By Shandra and Camille Ancient Athens

Time Period Greek Colonization began in the 11 th to 10 th century BCE, the city-state of Athens was part of the original colonization of Greece. Around 700BCE Athens had established it’s self as a polis (a Greek city state) Just shortly after that around 600BCE Athens developed the system of democracy

This Map is of Ancient Athens and all the land that was part of the ancient empire. This map is of where Athens is in comparison to today’s world.

Political Systems Early on Athens was ruled by a series of Tyrants and rich landowners. Athens along with some other small city states drove out the Tyrants and created DEMOCRACY Early on Athens was ruled by a series of Tyrants and rich landowners. Athens along with some other small city states drove out the Tyrants and created DEMOCRACY. M e e t i n g s w o u l d t a k e p l a c e o n t h e h i l l c a l l e d t h e P h y n x w h i c h w a s n e a r t h e A c r o p o l i s, a l l c i t i z e n s w h e t h e r t h e y w e r e r i c h o r i f t h e y w e r e p o o r c o u l d m a k e a s p e e c h i n t h e f o r u m a n d a l l c i t i z e n s c o u l d v o t e a t t h e A s s e m b l y. T h e A s s e m b l y m a d e i m p o r t a n t d e c i s i o n s s u c h a s i f t h e c o u n t r y w o u l d g o t o w a r o r n o t. Athens created democracy around 600 B.C.E.

Economic Systems Like many other ancient societies the Athenian’s economy consisted mainly of farming fishing and the trading of those goods. Athens had been a major economic “power” as you’d call it. Athenians were also known to have produced great marble and bronze works. The soil quality caused them to have to import many crops and food because they couldn’t grow these things in large amounts.

Social Systems The Athenian citizens were split into two different social classes. The Hoplite and the Thetes. The Hoplite consisted of military citizens. Every one was male in the Hoplite. As long as they could afford the equipment (swords, shields, etc.) they could be a Hoplite. The Thetes consisted of all the poorer people, like small farmers and craftsmen. Both social classes were generally equal in the number in each one.

Gender Roles The roles of the men and women in ancient Athens closely resembles the idea of the women staying at home and the men going hunting and fishing. Women usually stayed in the home, taking care children, house and the husband. Women were always under the control of a man and were not aloud to live independently. Women of poorer stature often helped their husbands in the fields doing the traditional mans work, because they couldn’t afford slaves or servants. Women did not have political rights.

Art Known for pottery. Pottery was unique and had specific designs of everyday life lived by the Athenian people. Clay impressions, shows that Athenians were involved in metal work. Art was inspired by religion. Greek paintings looked simple but unique. The body language represented showed the emotions of the time. This is the statue of Athena that is located inside the Parthenon. This huge statue is made out of gold and ivory.

Weaponry The Athenians along with most other Greeks used spears that were in between 6 ½ feet to 10 feet in length. The Athenian military also used short swords for when they were face to face with their opponent. Used a heavy round shield called a Hoplon (comes from the word Hoplite) They had other armor to cover the rest of their body that was made out of bronze which includes bronze helmets. Poorer Hoplites didn’t wear all bronze they often wore numerous layers of linen backed by small amounts of metal. In the 5 th century they also started using Trireme ships that used 170 rowers to fight in the water.

Architecture Greek life was dominated by religion so it should come as no surprise that most buildings served religious purposes. The Athenians used mainly limestone and marble for their temples. Their homes were made of wood, unbaked bricks and terracotta for roof tiles. Their cities were planned on a grid system, with roads that intersect at right angles which was one of the first places that this type of grid was planned. Buildings could be for one of five general purposes: religious, civic, domestic, funeral and recreational. The most famous example of Athenian architecture was the Parthenon. The Parthenon

Religion Athenian people took religion very seriously and alters were placed in their homes. Athenian people took religion very seriously and alters were placed in their homes. Athenian people worshiped many gods especially Athena. Whom their city was named after. Women had their own festival. To honor Demeter and Persephone. Many festivals were celebrated with singing, dancing and athletics. The Greek religion is extremely well known and commonly referred now as Greek mythology. The Greeks had many gods and goddesses that served different purposes and explained events that they could not yet explain. Such as the sunrise and fall which was controlled by Helios who rode a burning chariot across the sky. The gods also each represented certain characteristics like Ares who was the god of war and Hades who had control of the underworld.

pyUJX14 Greek Religion Reference

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