ASPASIA
Greetings, wanderer.
It is my pleasure to introduce you to a unique
tour -
ASPASIA
- One that won't take you to impressive landmarks
or famous battle sites, but through a typical
Athenian home.
ASPASIA
My name is Aspasia.
Though I am not originally from Athens, I
have climbed to the top of its social ladder
using my wit and intellect.
ASPASIA
I've even earned the love of Perikles, one
of the most powerful men in the city.
ASPASIA
The mind truly is a beautiful thing.
ASPASIA
If Olympos is Zeus's sanctuary, then my house
is my own.
ASPASIA
It is a place where I can shelter myself from
the noise and stress of city life.
ASPASIA
For an outgoing people like the Greeks, the
house was a refuge of privacy.
ASPASIA
Inside, they could escape from the constant
demands of civic life to enjoy the simple
pleasures of family life.
ASPASIA
Look for me when you are done, and we can
discuss the things you've seen.
Farewell for now.
NARRATOR
The house, or oikos, was a residence for Greek
families and their slaves.
NARRATOR
Contrary to modern houses, which look outward,
the Greek household was built to look inward
on a courtyard.
NARRATOR
The courtyard was the house's central fixture.
It was the building's main source of daylight,
and also the location of religious altars
dedicated to worship.
NARRATOR
The building itself was made up of familiar
accommodations, including bedrooms, storage
rooms, a kitchen, and a living room.
NARRATOR
Women were generally in charge of tending
to the home, which in Greece was called oikonomia
-
NARRATOR
- a term that inspired the modern word "economy".
NARRATOR
A pasta was a corridor that connected a house's
courtyard to its residential section.
NARRATOR
Archaeological evidence from the city of Olynthos
reveals that pastas were added to Greek home
design in the 5th century BCE.
NARRATOR
Greeks had no qualms about combining their
work and their private lives, and many of
them worked from home.
NARRATOR
Artisans like blacksmiths, sculptors, and
potters often had workshops in their houses.
Some even operated small stores to sell their
work.
NARRATOR
Similarly, doctors were known to treat patients
in special offices located in their homes.
NARRATOR
Women also worked in the house, and were responsible
for making textiles, as well as producing
clothes and supervising weaving, which was
carried out by slaves.
NARRATOR
If a household was wealthy enough, they could
even produce a surplus of textiles to sell
in times of financial difficulty.
NARRATOR
The inner courtyard was the nexus of the house.
NARRATOR
Functionally, it allowed air to circulate,
and also provided access to most of the rooms.
NARRATOR
It also sometimes housed a well or a cistern
that collected rainwater.
NARRATOR
In the center of the courtyard was an altar
to Zeus Herkeios [[Zeus of the Fence]], who
served as the protector of the household.
NARRATOR
Women would often use the space to sew and
cook, while children used it as a play area.
NARRATOR
Furthermore, if the family had pets or animals,
the courtyard was where they were allowed
to run free.
NARRATOR
The bathroom was located in the back of the
house.
NARRATOR
Much like today, it was used for cleaning
and washing, although the Greeks used chamber
pots instead of toilets.
NARRATOR
Most bathrooms had a louterion [[basin]] that
could be filled with water for washing.
NARRATOR
Mirrors, razors, strigils, and sponges could
also be found in the bathroom, along with
small vases called aryballoi which were usually
filled with perfume or oil.
NARRATOR
Greek homes had kitchens where the family's
meals were prepared.
NARRATOR
The Greeks did not often eat meat, except
during special occasions like banquets or
after sacrifices.
NARRATOR
They had a mainly grain-based diet, eating
staples such as bread, porridge, or a barley
cake called maza.
NARRATOR
They also occasionally ate poultry, fish,
and other sea food, as well as fruits, vegetables,
goat milk and cheese, and olive oil.
NARRATOR
Food was cooked on a tripod, or sometimes
in a klibanos, which was a sort of mobile
oven.
NARRATOR
Other cooking implements included braziers,
mortars and pestles, a spit to hold food over
a fire, platters, and frying pans.
NARRATOR
The family also used the kitchen to store
food in containers called pithoi.
NARRATOR
Symposia were major social institutions in
Greece.
They were drinking parties held exclusively
for men.
NARRATOR
The party took place in the men's section
of the house, the andron, where residents
and guests reclined on special couches called
klinai.
NARRATOR
Food was served on low tables set in front
of the couches, while wine was placed in a
krater [[mixing bowl]] in the center of the
room.
NARRATOR
During a symposium, men drank, sang, had philosophical
discussions, and played games like kottabos.
NARRATOR
Musicians, dancers, and even courtesans were
often welcomed to attend as well.
NARRATOR
However, wives and daughters were always excluded.
NARRATOR
The pyrgos, or upper storeys, was the women's
quarter of the house, where they could pursue
their activities and observe the city without
being seen themselves.
NARRATOR
The rooftops were also used in a special rite
called the Adonia, a private celebration held
in honor of Adonis, which was reserved for
women.
NARRATOR
At the beginning of spring, women filled terracotta
pots with soil and lettuce seeds, then climbed
a ladder to place the pots on the rooftop.
NARRATOR
These pots served as the women's very own
"Gardens of Adonis".
ASPASIA
I hope you now have a better understanding
of the routines and home life of the Greek
people.
ASPASIA
What would you like to do next?
ASPASIA
Then let's start with a simple question.
ASPASIA
Which group of people celebrated the Adonia?
ASPASIA
The Adonia was not celebrated by pets, as
adorable as that would be.
ASPASIA
Keep trying.
ASPASIA
Men did have exclusive parties, but they were
called symposia.
Try another answer.
ASPASIA
No, children preferred playing in the courtyard
to planting seeds in pots.
Try again.
ASPASIA
Correct!
The Adonia was celebrated by women of all
stations.
ASPASIA
Let's move on to the next question.
ASPASIA
Which of the following was known as the "protector
of the household"?
ASPASIA
Athena Ergane was actually the god of arts
and crafts.
Try another answer.
ASPASIA
Apollo Patroos was believed to be the father
of the Ionian Greeks.
ASPASIA
Keep trying, though!
ASPASIA
Which of the following was known as the "protector
of the household"?
ASPASIA
No, this particular Zeus was known as "Zeus
of the Oath".
Try again.
ASPASIA
Yes!
Zeus Herkeios protected the household, and
an altar to the god usually stood in the center
of the house's courtyard.
ASPASIA
On to the final question.
ASPASIA
Which of the following was not located in
the bathroom?
ASPASIA
The louterion was a water basin that was located
in the bathroom.
Try a different answer.
ASPASIA
I'm afraid mirrors were quite common in bathrooms.
Keep trying.
ASPASIA
Strigils were often found in Greek bathrooms,
where they were most likely used to remove
sweat before bathing.
ASPASIA
Try again.
ASPASIA
Correct!
The klibanos was a mobile oven usually found
in the kitchen.
ASPASIA
It seems you really know your way around Greek
homes.
Well done, wanderer.
ASPASIA
Farewell, wanderer, and thank you for visiting
my city.
