Acient+Greek+Families

= __Ancient Greek Families __ = = The Homes = = Ancient Greek families were similar to the average American family today in ways such as living under one roof with a father, a mother, and children. Ancient Greek houses were simple, made from mud bricks and plaster, with roofs made of pottery tiles. Richer families lived in much larger houses, with many more rooms, than the poorer families. = = = = ** Children and Education ** = = Younger girls would grow up helping the mother around the house so they learned household chores instead of attending school. Girls would also learn songs and dances to perform at religious ceremonies or festivals. The majority of children that attended school were boys. Athens and Sparta had different learning styles for the children. In Athens children would learn different subjects, and in Sparta the young boys would attend military camps or schools. = == =//Spartan boys were taken around the age of seven to be put in military schools (picture from "300") Even though both are in Greece, Athens and Sparta have their different ways (education)//= = ** Clothing ** = =Every man wore a chiton, and woman wore clothes very similar. A chiton is a long rectangular piece of cloth with holes for the head arms, sometimes worn belted. A richer man would wear a more decorated and fancier chiton than a man with a lower status in society. As for the woman, their chiton would depend on the status in society that her husband stood.= =** Marriage/Divorce **= = They also compare in that men got married between the ages of twenty-five and thirty. A difference in the age of marriage is with the woman, who is married between twelve and sixteen. Another big difference in the marriage of woman is that an Acient Greek woman may not have even known her husband becasue all partners of the woman were chosen by a male relative such as a father, brother, or uncle. The Ancient Greek marriage ceremony was much different than the typical American marriage ceremony today. The parents of the woman would organize a party where they would pay a dowry to the man, and then the woman would move in with the man. While the woman was staying in the man's house they were considered married, and if she ever moved out they were divorced. Divorce was fairly common in Ancient Greece and when the woman did move out her parent's dowry was to be returned and the children would stay with the father.= = ** Men and Women ** = = In Ancient Greek life men were very, very superior to women. Men were paid so much respect because they were given the most responibility. Women were barely ever seen publicly, for a womens life was in the home. Greek women who were wealthier went out of the house on special occasions only, such as weddings, funerals, and religious ceremonies. Woman who were not as wealthy and did not have slaves went out of the house more often to do things like get water, work in the fields, or sell vegetables or flowers in the marketplace.=

Some aspects of Ancient Greek Family structure can be seen today. Some things that are the same are who is present in a household, and some parts of marriage (a party to celebrate) and divorce (typically when a couple no longer lives together they are divorced). =** Link: [] **= = ** Bibliography ** = =[] [] []= [] []