Instead, they were given a crown of leaves.ДЄncient Greek homes were usually plain and simple. Athletes competed in boxing, wrestling, running, horse racing, chariot racing, and the pentathlon (five athletic events). Wars stopped to allow everyone to take part. However the Olympic Games began in Olympia in 776 BC in honor of Zeus, the chief god, and people who came from all over Greece and the Greek colonies to take part in them. About 150 BC Aglaonike was a woman astronomer.ДЄthletic competitions were held during religious festivals in every Greek city. Anyte of Tegea was a great poet who lived around 250 BC. Hipparchia of Maroneia (350-280 BC) was a philosopher. Timycha of Sparta was a philosopher about 375 BC. 508 BC) was an influential woman.ДЄbout 400 BC Arete of Cyrene was a famous philosopher. Telesilla of Argos was a famous poet who lived around 500 BC. Theano of Crotona (born c.546 BC) was a famous mathematician. Sappho (6th century BC) was a famous Greek woman poet. There were many great women in Ancient Greece. The Heraean games were held once every 4 years. However, women had their own games dedicated to the goddess Hera (wife of Zeus). Greek women were not allowed to participate in the Olympic Games. (Except in Sparta where they were typically older). Women from wealthy families were often well educated. In Ancient Greece, some girls were taught to read and write. In Ancient Greece, some women were tavern keepers. We also know from records that women owned land in Thessaly and in the Cretan city-state of Gortyn. However, in Sparta women owned much of the land. Women, even rich ones were expected to spin and weave cloth and make clothes. They might also have to help their husbands with farm work. However rich women would normally stay indoors and send slaves to do the shopping. In a rich family, the wife was expected to run the home and very often to manage the finances. They usually stayed in the back or upper part of the house. However in wealthy family women usually stayed apart from men. Women participated in religious festivals. The Greeks worshiped goddesses as well as gods. However, in that case, the baby became a slave. Sometimes strangers would adopt abandoned babies. Parents were entitled, by law, to abandon newborn babies to die of exposure.

When a child was born it was not regarded as a person until it was five days old when a special ceremony was held and the child became part of the family. Despite all the achievements of Ancient Greece for most of its people life was hard. Slaves were cheap and only the poorest Greeks could not afford them.Д®ven if they were not slaves most of the people in Ancient Greece had a very low standard of living. However, there were also a huge number of slaves imported from abroad. Furthermore, any child born to a slave was automatically a slave. Those slaves who worked in mines probably suffered the most. However, by law owners were allowed to flog slaves. If they worked in rich peopleвЂ™s homes slaves could be reasonably treated. (It is estimated that about 30% of the population of Athens was made up of slaves). However, the vast majority of people were peasants and craftsmen or slaves. In each city, there was an upper class and a middle class of men like substantial farmers, doctors, and teachers. Most of the people lived by farming and the main form of wealth was owning land. Like all early civilizations Ancient Greece was an agricultural society. They also began colonies on the Turkish coast and around the Black Sea and on the coast of North Africa. The Greeks founded colonies in southern Italy and southern France. The Ancient Greeks also founded many colonies in the Mediterranean between 750 BC and 500 BC. This practice gave us the word ostracize. If 600 men voted against him he was banished for 10 years. At an assembly, each year men wrote the name of an unpopular politician on pieces of broken pottery. The Athenians also had a method of removing politicians they disliked. They proposed new laws which were debated in an assembly, which all men could attend, held every 10 days.

In Athens, there was a council made up of 500 men. Methods of government varied among the Greek city-states. In a typical workshop, a craftsman worked with one or two assistants and perhaps a slave. However, there were also many temples and workshops.

Inside them, most of the land was occupied by private homes. Ancient Greek cities were protected by stone walls.

Ancient cities in greece