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How were boys treated in ancient Greece?
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Answer ( 1 )
There were no laws against homosexuality in Ancient Greece. There were no punishments for being homosexual. In fact, Plato wrote about the importance of homosexuality in his book Symposium. He thought that homosexuality was natural and should not be punished.
Homosexuality was considered normal in Ancient Greece. They had different names for them such as pederasty, paiderastia, and ephebophilia.
They also believed that homosexuals could marry and have children. Homosexuality was seen as something that was innate within humans.
It wasn’t until the Middle Ages that homosexuality became illegal. During this time period, homosexuality was punishable by death.
The Ancient Greek World
Ancient Greece was a very different place than today. The Greeks lived in small villages where everyone knew each other. They had no privacy and shared everything. People didn’t own things; they rented them.
They ate together at communal tables and spent most of their lives working outside, not inside. And women weren’t allowed to speak out loud in public unless spoken to directly.
Women were expected to be quiet and obedient. They couldn’t go anywhere alone, and when they did, they were escorted by men. Women were considered property and were only allowed to marry within their social class.
If a woman married outside her class, she lost all rights to inheritance. She became a slave to her husband’s family.
And if a man died childless, his wife inherited nothing. So he left behind a widow who would become a slave to his relatives.
This is just some of the stuff that happened back then. But we still live in this world today. We’re still living in the same society. We still share our homes, our food, our clothes, our children, our friends, our families, our jobs, our vacations, our holidays, our celebrations, and our sorrows.
We still live in the same society.
Boys and Men in Ancient Greece
Ancient Greek culture was very different than modern Western society. Boys and men had many rights and privileges not afforded to women and girls. They were free citizens who enjoyed equal status with women.
However, there were some restrictions placed upon them. For instance, young male children were often raised by older female relatives until they reached adulthood. This practice was common among wealthy families, but it wasn’t required.
Another difference between ancient Greek culture and modern Western society is that boys and men were expected to be physically strong. The Greeks believed that strength came from eating well and exercising regularly.
They also believed that exercise should be done outdoors because they thought indoor workouts would lead to laziness. So, they exercised outside in the fresh air.
When they weren’t working out, boys and men spent most of their time playing sports. They played ball games, wrestled, ran races, and participated in athletic competitions.
Although these activities were considered masculine, they were open to everyone. Women and girls were welcome to participate too.
While this may seem strange to us today, it made sense back then. Back then, women didn’t work outside the home, so they needed to stay fit and healthy. Also, since women couldn’t vote, they needed to learn how to defend themselves.
Women and girls were taught martial arts, archery, and wrestling. These skills helped protect them against rape and assault.
And finally, boys and men were encouraged to spend time with each other. They were allowed to socialize together, play sports, and go camping.
This type of lifestyle led to a healthier population overall. People lived longer lives and suffered fewer illnesses. And, when they did become sick, they recovered faster.
Today, we take health for granted. We expect our doctors to heal us whenever we’re ill. But, back then, people knew nothing about germs and bacteria. They just assumed sickness was God’s punishment for sinning.
If they got sick, they prayed to God to cure them. Then, they went to bed and hoped for the best. If they died, they were buried in unmarked graves.
Education in Ancient Greece
Ancient Greeks had a very different view of gender than we do today. They believed that women should be educated just like men.
They thought girls should learn math, science, history, literature, philosophy, and geography. Boys learned only music, poetry, and athletics. Girls were taught to cook, sew, embroider, weave, spin, knit, and play musical instruments.
Girls were expected to marry young and bear children. Women who didn’t marry early often became prostitutes. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that women were considered property, not equal partners. He said that when a woman was widowed she would become the property of her husband’s family.
Women weren’t allowed to own land or businesses. Instead, they worked as slaves, cooks, seamstresses, and housekeepers. Women couldn’t vote until the 20th century. They couldn’t hold political office. And they couldn’t serve on juries.
Today, most countries allow women to vote, run for public office, and serve on juries. But many still treat women differently than men. Some believe that women shouldn’t work outside the home. Others say that women should stay at home and raise families.
Some argue that women should be paid equally for equal work. Others say that women aren’t qualified to perform certain jobs because they’re biologically unsuited for them.
Regardless of where you stand, there’s no denying that women have made tremendous strides since ancient times. We’ve come a long way, baby!
Final note
Boys and men in ancient Greece had many opportunities, but they also faced challenges. They were expected to work hard, learn, and excel academically. But they weren’t always given the same respect as girls and women.