Life in Ancient Greece (500BC)

Most Ancient Greeks lived in villages or in the countryside.

The Ancient Greeks worshipped gods and goddesses and had large, beautiful temples
dedicated to them. The temples had stone columns and statues.

Most Ancient Greeks were farmers, fishermen, or merchants. There were also scholars,
soldiers, artists, scientists, and philosophers. Some Ancient Greeks were teachers,
craftsmen, or government workers too.

All these occupations were meant for men. Women were usually homemakers who took
care of the children and cooked meals.

One popular pastime in Ancient Greece was theatre. People sat in large, open-air theatres
to watch plays. They had festivals, played music, and danced.

The Ancient Greeks also loved sports. This included hunted, fishing, swimming, and various
ball games. In some parts of Greece, people enjoyed bull-jumping (leaping over a charging
bull).

Different Greek cities and towns had different types of school systems, but most Ancient
Greek boys did attend school.

They usually started school around age seven and finished when they were 18. Boys learned
reading, math, writing, and sometimes philosophy, government, and how to play a musical
instrument. In some cities, boys had two years of military school after they turned 18.

Girls were taught at home. If their mother could read and write, she often taught her
daughters to read and write as well. If not, she still taught them to cook, sew, and run a
household.