/
EN
ANCIENT GREECE 800 – 146 BC
The emerging of the early high civilizations in the Mediterranean region, the Antique Greece, among others, laid the foundation for the Western part of Europe. From this moment on written sources let us take part in the life and the world as perceived by the humans living at that time. Several fundamental ideas, such as the one referring to democracy have survived until today. The adventures of Odysseus, Iliad as well as antique buildings and scultpures, the greek deities, historians, poets and philosophs deeply influenced our world and our way of reasoning. The polis, the city-state developed and full citizens were permitted to participate in political life.[1] Human life expectancy still was very low. Similarly to the precedent periods most people worked as farmers, artisan craftsmanships mainly were performed by people living in the cities. [2] Athenes was the center of trade – here popular assemblies took place, which only male citizen were permitted to attend, women and slaves were not allowed to.[3] After numerous warlike conflicts Greece finally became roman province in 146 BC.[4] Strikingly spoken, being excluded from political activities, dominated by men and without any rights the woman's role can be divided into two parts. Either she occupied the role of wife and mother, or she worked as a prostitute. Women were married and thus responsible for ensuring descendants as well as for all household actitivities, for field work, if they were farmers.[5]The business of prostitution, documentated for the first time in the 7th century BC[6] in these times was tollerated and spread out far. There were worehouses, prostitution was done in the street and there were high-class prostitutes. Especially young men and even slaves frequented the women (singularily even men). Here were used different denominations for the different social classes the women came from. The boundaries not were defined very clearly. Scientists suppose that the hetairai served for more than pure sexual activities, but also for intellectual exchanges, and exclusively were accessible for the superior classes of society.[7] Concubines in contrary only were responsible for physical satisfaction.[8]
The emerging of the early high civilizations in the Mediterranean region, the Antique Greece, among others, laid the foundation for the Western part of Europe. From this moment on written sources let us take part in the life and the world as perceived by the humans living at that time. Several fundamental ideas, such as the one referring to democracy have survived until today. The adventures of Odysseus, Iliad as well as antique buildings and scultpures, the greek deities, historians, poets and philosophs deeply influenced our world and our way of reasoning. The polis, the city-state developed and full citizens were permitted to participate in political life.[1] Human life expectancy still was very low. Similarly to the precedent periods most people worked as farmers, artisan craftsmanships mainly were performed by people living in the cities. [2] Athenes was the center of trade – here popular assemblies took place, which only male citizen were permitted to attend, women and slaves were not allowed to.[3] After numerous warlike conflicts Greece finally became roman province in 146 BC.[4] Strikingly spoken, being excluded from political activities, dominated by men and without any rights the woman's role can be divided into two parts. Either she occupied the role of wife and mother, or she worked as a prostitute. Women were married and thus responsible for ensuring descendants as well as for all household actitivities, for field work, if they were farmers.[5]The business of prostitution, documentated for the first time in the 7th century BC[6] in these times was tollerated and spread out far. There were worehouses, prostitution was done in the street and there were high-class prostitutes. Especially young men and even slaves frequented the women (singularily even men). Here were used different denominations for the different social classes the women came from. The boundaries not were defined very clearly. Scientists suppose that the hetairai served for more than pure sexual activities, but also for intellectual exchanges, and exclusively were accessible for the superior classes of society.[7] Concubines in contrary only were responsible for physical satisfaction.[8]
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||