In order to fully understand Greek mythology, you should also know some information on the culture of people who believed in and created this mythology. Below you will be able to explore the different aspects of ancient Greek culture and gain a better understanding of how their mythology worked.
LocationThe ancient Greeks were located in Greece (obviously). Their land consisted of one peninsula of mainland, along with many of the surrounding islands. They are surrounded by many bodies of water, including the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, Black Sea, and many smaller bays and rivers.
|
The Language
As you can probably guess, the ancient Greeks spoke...well, Greek! The Greeks were the first group of people to read and write with an alphabet, and this eventually lead to all modern European languages. Within the ancient Greek language, there were three different dialects: Aeolic, Ionic, and Doric. Depending on the area people lived in, they used one of these three dialects. Today, the Greek language is very different as it has changed over the years to sound better and look more modern and less confusing.
|
Everyday Life In ancient Greece, everyday life was quite different from what it is today! Men were often working as politicians and so were in positions of power, or they were in the military. Women of this time were very confined to their homes, and they would spend most of their days sewing, raising children, and making sure the household slaves were doing their jobs properly. Children in ancient Greece would enjoy playing with various wooden toys and lots of different games until they were six or seven years old and could begin their extensive educations where they would learn to read and write in various languages, as well as learning basic arithmetic.
Almost all Greek families owned a lot slaves, but the Greeks treated their slaves almost like a part of their family. They valued well-educated slaves, and slaves had various jobs. Some slaves worked as household hands, and would do all of the daily cooking, cleaning, and they would also assist in raising the children of their household. Other slaves worked as field laborers and helped grow crops and manage livestock, since most Greek families made their living off of their agriculture. The Greeks all lived in homes very similar in appearance. Most had many rooms that were all built around a central courtyard, which opened up the home to the outdoor air and sunshine. There was often a small kitchen where they would cook fresh fruit and vegetables along with meat to eat. After that there were usually a few bedrooms, a dining hall, and also a sitting room for women to be in while they sewed or did other activities. |
|
Greek Clothing
Another aspect of Greek culture that was very important was their clothing. Depending on your gender, age, and social status your clothing would vary greatly. Most women in ancient Greece would wear a long toga made out of linen, which was called a chiton. On top of this, they might have a cloak if it was a cold day.
Greek men wore almost exactly what the women of this time wore, however their togas were knee-length or shorter. They might wear another longer cloak if they were doing manual labor or were horse riding. As for their footwear, the Greeks wore flat sandals all year round. It was very common for Greeks to go barefoot in their houses, so sandals were usually taken off when entering a home. One more thing about Greek clothing to know is that they liked using bright colors, and so those who could afford it would often buy vibrantly colored togas and cloaks. |
Greek Art & TheatreIf you know anything about Greek culture, you know a huge part of it is the Greek's expression of art and theater! The Greeks were known for their elaborate plays and theatrical performances, and they were one of the first cultures to do this. It began as a way to worship the gods, mainly the Greek god Dionysus. They would have groups of men sing and then have actors act out scenes from myths and stories they had heard about the gods.
After a while, this worship turned into a form of entertainment, and so the Greeks took many of their stories such as "The Odyssey" and "The Iliad" and they would perform them often. They were well known for their tragedies and comedies, and the Greeks developed special stages for their performances. By standing on small hilltops and having their audience sit at the bottom of the hill, all people were able to see and hear the actors clearly. We still have terms such as "upstage" and "downstage" that are used in theater today, which came from the Greeks who literally had parts of their stages that were far up and down. The Greeks also showed their artistic abilities in many other forms of art. These included sculptures, pottery, stone carvings, and even mosaics and murals. The Greeks strived to show the true and real form of man, and so most of the sculptures and paintings you find from this period of time show the human in all of their "natural glory". Nonetheless, the Greeks had excellent craftsmanship and their sculptures and very beautiful and their pottery is very detailed. |