Study Guides

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils establish broad knowledge of ancient Greek civilisation. They learn about the geography and location of the ancient Greek city-states, Athens and Sparta's rivalry, and evaluate what ancient Greek myths can tell us about Ancient Greek culture.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe what life was like in the Ancient Greek city-state of Athens.

Key Notes

• The land around Athens was hard to farm. Athenians imported lots of food and built a seafaring trading society.
• By 431 BCE the important city state of Athens was a democracy; Athenians debated and voted on laws in the Assembly.
• Men had duties; they had to obey the laws, serve in the army, help run the city, pay taxes and serve on juries.
• Women were expected to stay at home and do housework; they cleaned, cooked and wove cloth.
• About 100,000 enslaved people made up about a third of the population and almost every home had at least one.

Vocabulary To Learn

• Athens: Athens was one of the largest city-cities in Ancient Greece
• democracy: democracy is a form of government where the people hold power
• Assembly: the Assembly was a gathering of Ancient Greek men who made decisions in Athens
• enslaved person: an enslaved person is someone owned by someone else who forces them to work without pay

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• That a country having a democratic government involves all the people in the country having a say.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Ancient Greece's location and history Study Guide
• Sparta's rivalry with Athens Study Guide
• The city-states of Ancient Greece Study Guide
• What Greek myths can tell us about Ancient Greece Study Guide
• What we know about Ancient Greece Study Guide