← Classical Studies syllabus

ScotlandClassical Studies

Life in Classical Greece

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Who counted as a citizen in classical Athens, and what did citizenship involve?

Citizenship in Athens: who qualified as a citizen, the rights and duties of the male citizen, and his role in the democracy through the assembly, council and juries.
Who counted as a citizen in classical Athens and what citizenship meant: the requirement of two Athenian parents, the exclusion of women, foreigners and the enslaved, and the rights and duties of the male citizen in the assembly, the council and the law courts.
11 min answer →

What did the Greeks believe about their gods, and how did religion shape daily life in Athens?

Greek religion: the Olympian gods and their characters, the central practice of sacrifice and prayer, the role of temples, festivals and oracles, and how religion ran through public and private life.
Greek religion in classical Athens: the Olympian gods and their human-like characters, the central practice of animal sacrifice and prayer, the role of temples and priests, the great civic festivals, the use of oracles, and how religion was woven through both public and private life.
11 min answer →

What was it like to grow up in classical Athens, and how was childhood shaped by the family and education?

Growing up in Athens: birth and acceptance into the family, the differing upbringing of boys and girls, and the education of an Athenian boy.
How childhood worked in classical Athens: the acceptance of a newborn into the family at the amphidromia, the very different upbringing of boys and girls, and the schooling of an Athenian boy in reading, music and physical training.
12 min answer →

How did the Athenians spend their leisure, and how were their festivals, theatre and athletics tied to religion?

Leisure and entertainment in Greece: athletic festivals such as the Olympic Games, the religious drama festivals where tragedy and comedy were staged, and the male drinking party, the symposium.
How Athenians spent their leisure: the great athletic festivals such as the Olympic Games, the religious drama festivals where tragedy and comedy were performed in honour of Dionysus, and the symposium, the male drinking party, and how leisure was tied to religion and citizen life.
11 min answer →

Who were the enslaved people of classical Athens, what work did they do, and how were they treated?

Enslaved people in classical Greece: how people became enslaved, the wide range of work they did, the great differences in their treatment, and the slim chances of freedom.
Enslaved people in classical Athens: how they were enslaved through war, piracy and birth, the wide range of work they did from household tasks to the silver mines, the sharp differences in how they were treated, and their limited chances of being freed.
11 min answer →

What were the lives, roles and legal position of women in classical Athens?

The role and status of women in Athens: their legal position under a male guardian, their work running the household, their seclusion, and the differing experience of citizen wives, enslaved women and hetairai.
The role and status of women in classical Athens: their lack of legal independence under a male guardian (kyrios), their central job running the household and weaving, their expected seclusion, and how the lives of citizen wives, enslaved women and hetairai differed.
11 min answer →