Greek Society & Culture

Agoge

The rigorous state-sponsored education and training program for Spartan citizens.

Agora

The central marketplace and public meeting space in a Greek city.

Alphabet

The Greek writing system adapted from the Phoenicians, adding vowels to create the first true alphabet.

Andron

The men’s dining room in a Greek house, used for hosting symposia.

Athenian women’s lives

Largely confined to the home (oikos), focusing on weaving, managing the household, and child-rearing.

Black-figure pottery

A style where dark silhouettes are painted on red clay, with details incised.

Chora

The agricultural land surrounding a Greek city-state.

Deme

A local village or neighborhood in Attica; the basic unit of Athenian political identity.

Gortyn Law Code

A detailed legal inscription from Crete dealing with family, property, and slavery laws.

Helots

The state-owned serfs or slaves in Sparta who worked the land.

Hetairai

High-status female companions/courtesans who were often educated and attended male social events.

Homoioi

"Equals"; the full Spartan citizens who underwent the Agoge.

Kore/Kouros

Archaic statues of young women (Kore) and young men (Kouros).

Linear B

The earliest form of Greek writing, used by the Mycenaeans for record-keeping.

Lives of enslaved people

Varied from brutal work in silver mines to domestic service or skilled labor.

Mediterranean Triad

The three staple crops of Greek life: grain, grapes (wine), and olives (oil).

Metic

A resident alien in Athens who had no political rights but paid taxes.

Oikos

The household; the basic social and economic unit of Greek society.

Perioikoi

"Those who live around"; free but non-citizen residents of Sparta who handled trade and manufacturing.

Red-figure pottery

A later style where the background is painted black, leaving the figures in the natural red of the clay for more detail.

Spartan lifestyle

Defined by austerity, military discipline, and a rejection of luxury (the "Spartan Mirage").

Symposium

A formalized drinking party for elite men featuring poetry, debate, and music.