Daily Life in Ancient Greece: Family, Politics, and Arts

1. Greek Theatre 600 – 200 BC Charlie Dube

2. Political Climate • Greeks had no king or queen • Democracy ruled • Greeks lived in city states – each city state was a separate political unit • Greeks were first society to use democracy

3. Family Structure • Men earned money – bread winner • Men spent majority of time away from home – women ran the household • Children were home schooled and worked around the house • Wealthier families had slaves – cooked, cleaned, tutored children

4. Role Of Women • No political rights – controlled by men • Most important duties – bear children and run household • Also had some agricultural duties – harvesting of olives and fruits

5. Homes • Modest size houses – made of relatively cheap material • 2-3 rooms in smaller houses – 6 rooms in larger houses • Greek houses did have kitchens and bathrooms – some had second floors

6. Clothing • Clothing was very simple – linen in summer, wool in winter • Most families made their own set of clothes – mother/ daughter • Clothes decorated to represent family’s city-state • Wealthy could buy clothes and jewelry in agora or market place

7. Food • Greek women grew, harvested, and collected fruits and vegetables (grapes used for wine) • Fish – part of diet – also chicken and eggs • Ate meat – wealthier a family was – the more meat they had • Wealthy hunted for sport • Slaves cooked the food

8. Power • Politicians have most power • Wealthy had power – wealthier the person- more power he has • Men are in power • Women have little or no rights • Slaves have no rights

9. Arts • Greeks created what is known as “Classical Art” • Known for: • Sculptures – idealized people – showed strength in men and women • temples – religious beliefs in gods • Vases – show importance of strength, athletics, and war

10. Art (continued) • Artists are fairly well respected • Popular artists are playwrights and sculptures – painters are also fairly popular • Wealthy are both audience and patrons for painting and sculptures • Entire public watched plays

11. Theatre • Originally Dionysian Festival • Changed to Athenian Drama Festival • Competition – Thespis won first competition in 534 B.C. • Tragedy • Comedy

12. Playwrights • Aeschylus – first known playwright –changed from storytelling to acting • Sophocles – won most drama competitions – changed number of actors from two to three • Euripides – most popular playwright – wrote about political and religious topics of the time

13. Stages • Amphitheatre's – most common theatre type • Theatre at Delphi • Attic theatre • Theatre of Dionysus held roughly 17,000 people • Wealthier people sat in seats – others sat on hillside overlooking stage

14. Costumes • Actors wore little to no make up • Masks with exaggerated facial expressions were used • Cothornos or buskins were leather boots laced up to the knees

15. Effects • No lighting – plays ran from sunrise to sunset • Little or no scenery • Originally action took place in orchestra • After focus shifted from chorus to characters – action moved to stage

16. No directors – playwrights acted as directors Originally only two actors until Sophocles added third actor Revolutionized theatre – multiple-man scenes Chorus – originally twelve men – changed to fifteen Actors/ Directors

17. Play Structure • Tragedy • Comedy • Satyr

18. Tragedy • Play intended to teach religious lessons • Designed to show right and wrong paths in life • Consisted of prologue, parados, 5 dramatic scenes, and exodus (ending) • In some cases – public required to attend

19. Comedies •Greeks made model for the comedy •Comedy had 2 stages: •Old comedy - Cratinus and Aristophanes •New comedy - Menander

20. Sophocles • Born near Athens 496 BC • Son of wealthy manufacturer • Held many public offices throughout life • Treasurer of Delian League(443 BC) – General of Athenian army(441 BC) • Founder of the cult of the god Asclepius (established hospital) • Died 406 BC

21. One first drama festival at 28 years old Wrote 123 plays for Athenian theatre(only 7 survived) Won 24 festivals Finished second at every festival he did not win Sophocles (numbers)

22. Sophocles (innovations) • Responsible for innovations to theatre • Ended tradition of writing trilogies on connected topics • Introduced painted background scenery • Changed number of actors from 2 to 3 • Brought chorus from 12 to 15 men

23. Oedipus • Oedipus is taken to oracle by father – oracle reveals Oedipus will kill father and marry mother • Father gives him away • Oedipus grows up – returns home (unknowingly) kills father and marries mother • Oedipus introduces and is basis for Freud’s Oedipus complex