1. Classical Athens Working Life (Men)

2. The Kyrios The kyrios was the head of the household.
He had to ensure that his wife was runnning the household, his children were being educated, as well as earn a living, host symposia (drinking parties) and represent the family at weddings, funerals, religious ceremonies, take part in political life...
The kyrios was a role model for the family.

3. Politics The kyrios would be involved in political life.
Only citizens were allowed this participation.
Women, metics and slaves were all excluded from participation.
Political participation meant citizens had to attend the Ecclesia, meetings, votes and debates.
This was more open to those who did not need to work – the rich.
Those who worked hard seemed to have been disapproved of.

4. Xenophon
“Jobs in craft and industry have a bad reputation and are regarded with contempt. For they ruin those who do them both physically and mentally. For those low-class jobs do not allow people enough time to be with their friends or to take part in public life, with a result that such workers are obviously bad at social and political activities.”

5. The Well-Off
Those who did not need to work had the time to socialise in the agora, the ecclesia, law courts or gymnasium.
Most citizens had to do some sort of work.

6. Farming Many Athenian citizens owned land outside the city.
Most Athenians worked their own land.
Farming methods were primitive.
A successful estate outside the city allowed meant an oikos could be self- sufficent.
Vines grow well in Greece

7. Farming (2) Fruits: olives, figs, grapes, apples, pears, pomegranates.
Cereals crops: barley, rye, wheat.
Animals: cows, goats, sheep; hence wool, dairy products, meat.
Honey was very important as there was no sugar.
Athens could not produce enough corn to feed itself, so had to import this from Egypt.

8. Olives
Life would have been very difficult without olives for the Athenians.
It was needed for cooking, lamps, preserving food, perfumes, medicines, washing…
Some olive trees were protected by the state – anyone found digging them up could be executed.
Olive oil was very valuable.

9. Olives (2) Stored in amphorae (ceramic vars).
It takes sixteen years for an olive tree to grow to maturity.
Winners at the Panathenaia won olive oil – not gold.
Exporting olive oil was very profitable.

10. Attica The region around Athens is called Attica.
Land was fertile, received a lot of sun, and was close to the market in Athens.
Its closeness to Piraeus (the harbour for Athens) was also important for import and export trade.
However, there was also the risk of drought.
Evidence that some food was imported.

11. Crafts and Trades
In the 5th c. BCE, most Athenians were employed in a trade or craft.
No large-scale industry or factories.
Most businesses were run by a family using a workshop/ shop.
“When the cock sings at dawn everyone jumps out of bed and goes to work: blacksmiths, potters, tanners, shoemakers, grocers, masseurs, lyre-and-shield- manufacturers - some of them are hard at it before it’s light.” Aristophanes

12. The AGora
The largest workshop we know of employed 120 slaves to make armour – this is exceptional.
Most workshops were much smaller.
The father of Demosthenes owned two workshops: one with 32 knife- makers, one with 20 carpenters.
The main hub of business in Athens was the agora, the central market- place/ forum.
Kerameikos - an area in the north-east of the city – was given over to industry.
Many potters worked here – Athens was/is famous for its pottery.
It was used for food and drink, as well as decoration.

13. The SKinny
Kyrios = head of the household; participated in political and social life.
Working life restricted political life – left govt to be run by the wealthy.
Olives, figs, grapes, barley, rye, wheat cows, goats, sheep (wool, dairy products, meat)
Athens had to import corn from Egypt
Olive oil was hugely important; stored in amphorae
Attica was fertile, close to the market in Athens, close to Piraeus (the harbour for Athens) However, there was also the risk of drought
No large-scale industry/ factories
Agora = market square; kerameikos area of workshops

14. Sources
In Search of the Greeks