Ancient Greek Culture

The culture of Greece is characterized by a structured kind of hierarchy in the social and political life. Greek Gods first come to our mind when we think about the ancient Greek culture. The Greeks worshiped different gods for the power and qualities they possessed. Greek society was primarily divided into 'Free People' and 'Slaves'. This kind of social structure underwent evolution and the Athenian society was then categorized into 'Citizens' and 'Metics'. There are many angles through which the culture of a particular society/region can be studied.

Ancient Greek Culture Facts

The following points deal with everyday life and various angles of Greek culture. The Greek culture facts presented below should help understand more about this rich country.

• In ancient Greece, the nation was made up of independent/states and each of these states was known as polis. Athens was a large state/polis with an area of 2500 sq. km.
• Aristocrats governed most of the states in Greece. Majority of the aristocrats were landowners. The system in which aristocrats governed states was known as 'oligarchy'.
• Cleisthenes was the aristocrat who introduced the concept of democracy in 500 B.C.
• Military training formed an important part of life in ancient Greece. Theater and politics were the main topics of discussion apart from military training.
• Few of the important ancient Greek musical instruments included Hydraulis, Lyre, Aulos, Syrinx and Kithara.
• Marble stone was used in most of the architectural works of ancient Greece. Strength of this rock lead to its wide use in architecture.
• The mythology associated with Greek Gods and Goddesses had a great influence on the native culture. These Gods an Goddesses signify power, wealth and intellect.

Architecture of Greece
Important styles of architecture in Greece were the Doric, Iconic and Corinthian. The temple of a Greek goddess, Athena Parthenos was built in Doric style; it was built in the 5th century BC. The Doric style is characterized by a sturdy look. Iconic style is similar to that of Doric; it is however, a bit more elegant; the scroll-like design is the specialty of Iconic style. Eastern region of Greece has many buildings with this architectural style. The Corinthian is not used very often as the other styles mentioned above. Main features of this architectural style are the elaborate decorations which resemble acanthus leaves. This architecture style is mainly found in Roman temples.

Greek Food
The Greek food included different vegetables, fruits, etc. Bread (wheat) was the staple form of food. Religion was an important factor which influenced the diet of Greeks. Meat of only those animals sacrificed to god was used in the diet. Drinking milk was considered barbaric by the Greeks. Instead they preferred alcoholic drinks like wine. Eating with bare hands instead of using utensils was an interesting practice followed by the Greeks. The Greeks were unaware of the use of sugar; they obtained natural sugar from honey.

Spartans and their Culture
The culture of Spartans was very much different than that of the mainstream (Athenian) culture of Greece. The Spartan society believed in producing an army of disciplined and well-drilled soldiers. Boys and girls as well, went hard physical training in order to serve the military. During military training, the students were taught survival skills. Reading and writing though was part of the curriculum, emphasis was placed on physical training. Different activities used for physical training sessions included running, swimming, jumping, discuss throwing, javelin, etc. The Spartans thus, placed a greater emphasis on military training.

Lots of other points can be included in the discussion of culture, lifestyle, arts, etc. The topics covered in paragraphs above, should however, prove to be useful for the readers.