Women in Athens
What were the general responsibilities of women in Athens.
The general responsibilities of a woman was to stay inside and supervise workers, record the family’s income, make clothing, and store food.
What is a phalanx formation?
A phalanx formation is where every member looked out for each other. Xenophon describes it as a well-built house. Historian talks about how the best men should be placed both in front and rear of the ranks. With this ‘modified’ formation, the men in the middle (with presumably lesser moral or physical prowess) would be inspired by the front-placed men while also being ‘physically’ driven forth by the rear-placed men.
What is an Democracy and which city state practices it?
A democracy is a form of government in which the ruling power is in the hands of ALL the people. (Athens)
What rights did citizens in Athens have?
- The right to vote
- The right to own land
- Legal rights
What are the main differences between Athenian and Spartan women?
Spartan women endure rigorous training and they were not expected to fight but remain strong and fit for birth. Only when women died during childbirth did they have their names placed on grave markers. Athenian women were reduced to fulfilling domestic duties, they stayed home, and they were expected to weave clothing for the family, oversee the servants and look after the household’s money, supplies and materials. They were not allowed to be citizens but could own land and be educated.
What weapons and clothing did the Greek Hoplites wear and wield?
Wore: Greaves, breastplate and helmet.
Wielded: Spear, short-sword and shield.
What is an oligarchy and which city state practices it?
An oligarchy is a form of government in which the ruling power is in the hands of a few leaders. (Sparta)
Who were the Metics?
Metics were foreigners who lived in Athens but weren't born there.
“…record the family’s income…give out what is to be spent, plan ahead for what should be stored and ensure that supplies for a year are not used in a month.”
What does this quote explicit and implicitly state to the reader?
The quote tells us that women were responsible for the family’s finances. She had to ensure that money and supplies would last to support their needs. This implies that a woman’s job was very important as without them monitoring the finances, a household may not have survived for long.
Why do you think Hoplites wore and wielded lightweight armour and weapons?
This is because overtime, Greeks realised their phalanx formation was penetrable and they needed to place emphasis on their clothing and weapons. When the phalanx formation failed, Greek Hoplites had to become more agile (quick) in battle and be able to move more easily.
What is meant by the quote “It is this class that provides the rowers for the fleet and on which the power of the city is based” (Remember this quote is written by an oligarch)
This quote implies that the poor and the common people should have power because they contribute more to society as opposed to the noble and rich.
Why did Athens only let men whose fathers were citizens be citizens?
The reason why Athens restricted citizenship to only men whose parents were born in Athens was to keep power in the hands of Athenians. This is because only citizens could participate or vote in government.