Saturday, April 30, 2011

A Day In Ancient Greece

You wake up, then go to work, and then come home where you eat dinner (preferably Mediterranean food...OPA!), and then go to sleep, right? Well, in ancient Greece, they spent their time in a slightly different way, but some of their habits are still relevant for a good majority of people in today’s society.

Most men in ancient Greece were being trained for military purposes, or discussing politics, but if that was not the case then they went to the Theatre, which often involved current politics and gods in some form, so that way they could just watch it instead of talk about it to everyone else.

Women were normally not allowed to watch theatre or perform at the theatre, so male actors played the women roles. The lives of women in Ancient Greece were closely tied to domestic work, spinning, weaving and other domestic duties, so they were not involved in public life or in politics, and their lives were normally quite confined to the house although one public duty was acting as a priestess at a temple.

The children, however, were much like the children of today. Because they could not do domestic chores, or understand politics or theatre, they usually used up their time by playing with toys and games.

In Greece at this time, and even still today, most all people made their living by farming, and what was convenient was that often the citizens would have land around their homes which they could use to provide their income (and to provide us with yummy Greek food today!). The downside, though, is that the Greek landscape was hard to farm.

Grapes were usually picked around September and either kept for eating or made into wine, and olives were either picked by hand or knocked out of the trees with wooden sticks. Olives especially were an important product to the Greeks because it had so many uses including; cooking, lighting, beauty products and it could also be used for athletic purposes (and it also makes olive oil which is used in so many of Zizikis great Dallas Greek dishes!).

The Ancient Greeks usually ate bread and porridge with food such as cheese, vegetables, fish, eggs and fruit. At Zizikis, though, there are so many more options for any person living in the modern day world who wants some great Mediterranean food fit for an ancient Greek himself!

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