Feb+3+-+Life+in+Classical+Athens

Introduction to Classical Studies

• Course: CLA160 Introduction to Classical Studies

• Date: Feb. 3, 2025

• Instructor: Dr. Matt Ludwig

Life in Classical Athens

Athens Post-479 BCE

• Delian League Leadership:

  • Athens was a leader in the Delian League, a coalition of Greek city-states.

  • Received funding primarily for the Athenian navy.

• Continued Campaigns Against Persia:

  • Active military engagements with Persia and non-allied Greeks.

• Empire Built on Slavery:

  • Heavy reliance on slave labor, particularly from silver mines at Laureion, which housed around 30,000 slaves.

  • Average of one slave per family in Athenian households.

  • Slaves participated in all labor types across various educational levels.

  • Freed slaves often became metics; some accumulated significant wealth.

Pericles and the Athenian Golden Age

Overview of Pericles (495-425 BCE)

• Key Figure:

  • Most associated with the Athenian "golden age" during the 5th century.

• Political Influence:

  • Elected repeated stratēgos (general) between the late 460s and 429 BCE until his death.

  • Strong supporter of democratic ideals.

• Colonization and Citizenship Laws:

  • Oversaw major colonization projects to expand Athenian influence.

  • Enacted 451 BCE citizenship law requiring both parents to be Athenian citizens.

• Building Projects:

  • Instrumental in rebuilding the Acropolis after its destruction by Persians.

The Classical Acropolis

• Description:

  • Model of the Acropolis showcases the Panathenaic procession passing through the Propylaea (gates).

  • Significant structures include:

    • Temple of Athena Nike: Located to the right.

    • Pinacothece: Located to the left, serves as a portrait gallery.

    • Parthenon: The largest building dedicated to Athena Parthenos.

    • Erechtheum: Positioned on the north side of the Acropolis.

The Parthenon

Architectural Features

• Marble Temple for Athena Parthenos:

  • Represents a peak of engineering and artistic expression.

• Doric Columns:

  • Employed throughout for their traditional aesthetic and structural integrity.

• Design Elements:

  • Entasis: Slight curvature in columns for visual symmetry.

  • Sculptural Details:

    • Pediments:

      • East: Birth of Athena

      • West: Contest between Athens and Poseidon.

    • Metope Reliefs:

      • Various ancient battles represented (e.g. Trojan War) around the temple.

    • Interior Frieze:

      • Depicts the Panathenaic procession.

  • Statue of Athena:

    • Crafted by Phidias, was a massive wooden statue covered in ivory and gold, representing immense wealth.

Visual Arts in Classical Athens

Aesthetic Principles

• Artistic Shifts:

  • Focus on harmony, balance, and proportion in artistic representations.

  • Development of humanism and dynamic naturalism with an emphasis on human celebration.

• Example:

  • Myron’s Discobolus (Disk-Thrower) created c. 460 BCE highlights these artistic advancements.

Symposia – Elite Drinking Parties

Overview

• Nature of Symposia:

  • Exclusive, male-only gatherings centered around wine consumption, originating in the Archaic period.

  • Wine preparation involved mixing with water in a kratēr (mixing bowl).

• Cultural Context:

  • Pederasty prevalent: relationships between older and younger males emphasizing mentorship.

• Participants:

  • Erastēs: The older male pursuing the younger.

  • Erōmenos: The beloved younger male.

• Literary Representation:

  • Alcaeus' fr. 346 reflects the atmosphere of these gatherings.

Sex Work in Classical Athens

Acceptance and Dynamics

• General Acceptance:

  • Common for Athenian men to visit sex workers.

• Types of Sex Workers:

  • At Brothels: Pornai and pornoi.

  • At Symposia and Events: Auletrides (flute girls) and hetairai (courtesans).

• Companionship:

  • Long-term hetairai sometimes referred to as pallakai (concubines).

• Notable Figures:

  • Pericles’ metic concubine, Aspasia, potentially ran a brothel.

Children in Classical Athens

Childhood Trajectories

• Exposure and Education:

  • Child exposure, especially for girls, was common.

  • Formal education was rare and predominantly for the wealthy.

• Male Journey:

  • Learn a trade, become a soldier-citizen at 18-20, recognized citizenship at 30.

• Female Journey:

  • Arranged marriages in mid-teens and manage household tasks.

• Religious Roles:

  • Both genders had religious responsibilities from childhood (e.g., Lysistrata ll. 719ff.).

Classical Drama: Tragedy

Festivals and Structure

• Dramatic Festivals:

  • Lenaia (January) and City/Great Dionysia (March) were key theatrical events.

• Chorēgia:

  • Civic responsibility often funded by the affluent; examples include Pericles for Aeschylus’ Persians.

• Tragic Performances:

  • Featured three tragedians over three days featuring three tragedies each, plus a satyr play.

  • Judged by representatives from each tribe.

  • Specific performance elements including stylized costuming and all-male casts (actors and crew).

• Famous Dramatists:

  • Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides contributed significantly to this genre.

Classical Drama: Old Comedy

Characteristics and Contributions

• Introduction to Comedy:

  • Added to City Dionysia festival by at least 486 BCE.

• Representative Playwright:

  • Aristophanes noted for substantial surviving works.

• Key Differences from Tragedy:

  • Five comedies performed by different playwrights in one day.

  • Costumes that feature grotesque masks, padded buttocks, and leather props.

  • Focus on satire, political commentary, and comic characters.

• Structural Elements:

  • Included syzygy, agon, and parabasis for a variety show essence.

Lysistrata (411 BCE)

Themes and Analysis

• Contextual Background:

  • Emergence of anti-war sentiments in plays post-415 BCE, marked by female-dominated narratives like Lysistrata.

• Key Questions:

  • Examines women's roles and societal positions through various representations of household and societal responsibilities (e.g., marriage, finances, producing heirs).

• Tensions and Gender Roles:

  • Explores constructs of female madness and excess, examining whether the play reinforces or critiques stereotypes.

  • Delves into anxiety regarding female political power and agency.