The social structure in ancient Athens is much differnent from what we have now. Only male citizens could send their kidds to school, wheras now everybody can attend. Men were rated highest and most valued as citizens that were able to take part in politics, run for goverment positions and preform militaty service.
Ancient Athenian women were considered citizens but had no or little independence. They had some influence in goverment but could no run for it, or have positions, or attened the assembley and vote. Women spent most of their time cooking, cleaning or organizing slaves to do these jobs. Rich women could own land but all their decisions had to be proofed by their gardians.
Metics were a middle class group, consiting of people from other countries or city-states that had come to live in Athens. They had no influence in politics and could not vote, attend the assembly or run for a political position. Most metics were merchants, coming to sell their wares. They could not own land and needed a citizen to sponser them or they ran the risk of being enslaved.
Slaves were bottom class but made up the largest amount of ancient Athens population. They were people who were bought, sold and owned by Athenians and had no voice in what they did and who they were sold to. Often they were sold into slavery as prisoners of war, when they`re city-stae was conquered. Slaves could be born in or out of Athens, and cooked, cleaned, cared for children, wove and sewed. The people of Athens loved fine jewelery and the silver mines were always in full swing. Slaves worked in brutal conditions to mine silver and often died in the process. Very rarely could citizenship be granted to a slave or metic.
Ancient Athenian women were considered citizens but had no or little independence. They had some influence in goverment but could no run for it, or have positions, or attened the assembley and vote. Women spent most of their time cooking, cleaning or organizing slaves to do these jobs. Rich women could own land but all their decisions had to be proofed by their gardians.
Metics were a middle class group, consiting of people from other countries or city-states that had come to live in Athens. They had no influence in politics and could not vote, attend the assembly or run for a political position. Most metics were merchants, coming to sell their wares. They could not own land and needed a citizen to sponser them or they ran the risk of being enslaved.
Slaves were bottom class but made up the largest amount of ancient Athens population. They were people who were bought, sold and owned by Athenians and had no voice in what they did and who they were sold to. Often they were sold into slavery as prisoners of war, when they`re city-stae was conquered. Slaves could be born in or out of Athens, and cooked, cleaned, cared for children, wove and sewed. The people of Athens loved fine jewelery and the silver mines were always in full swing. Slaves worked in brutal conditions to mine silver and often died in the process. Very rarely could citizenship be granted to a slave or metic.