4ο HIGHT SCHOOL OF HERAKLION

The Occupations in Ancient Greece

Our knowledge about the professions in Ancient Greece comes from many inscriptions referring to past work-which is not much different from the contemporary one – which is offerings of craftsmen seeking the assistance of Athena Ergane, patron of crafts and manual labor.

It is worth noting that according to Pausanias, the first ones they called Athena Ergane was the Athenians. Pausanias also mentions that sacred bird of Athena Ergane was the rooster, because he woke croaking those who were working.

Illustration of Athena Ergane; clay tile, ar.13055, Museum; the Acropolis. Height: 0,218m.

The Occupations in Ancient GreeceIn an effort to meet these professions here is a table that will inform us.

The Occupationw in Ancient Greece

Astrologer-astronomerbooksellerGeometris- MathematicianAgronomist HerbalistbridgingstatuarydithyramboliveElaiopolisdealerWoollencourtesanZoologos- VeterinarianreaperThe doctor's professionTheopompuspotterAgrotis-farmeralfitopoiias = prepare meat offering, barley flour.Moneychanger = Services change foreign currency to local currency provided by the money changers.dyerShepherd or pastorRainmaker

grammariansteacherArboriculturalist Gardener-dendrologyDaktyliourgosLeather-sellers, -WhoDiftheropolis = dermatopolisweighing silfioupainteractresschaplainIschadopolis = figs Vendor.Growing grainmonger = peddler. engaged in retail trade monger.Kerameusguitar playerKnafefs, tanner, Tampakis.barberKoskinopolisbutcherhunterrowerstonemasonlogographers 

cookdivinerapicultureMemvradopolis = seller anchoviessmithengineersmithMystriopolisBoatswain = Owners and masters of merchant ships were the boatswainsailorshipwrightNafsikydis boatswainMonetize, coiner.Coin production techniquesExomidopoiiasBuilding-builderFinancial, economic.gunsmitheducatorPaidonomosPaidotriviswrestlerProduction,laundressShepherd, see and shepherdCivil and politicalAmbassadors, embassyboxerOrator, rhetoric

addles, saddlery, harnessskytotomon = tanner, shoemakerSpermatopolis = spermatemporos seed merchantauthorcounselPostman, messengerMason-architect-builder.tectonic craftsmanbankersnurseTrochadariouYalasaqueductLogger-woodcutterweaverphilosopherFreorychosCheirogastorChlamydourgia, Chlanidopoiia dancerGoldsmith-jeweler Psaras- fishmongercoppersmith 

The Occupations in Ancient Greece

The best known of these are:

• Baker

• Olive cultivator

• Trader

• Doctor

• Paidotrivis - Trainer

• Tutor

• Actor

• Transcriber

• Craftsman

Baker

Greek sailors and traders brought the Egyptian flour in Greece. Most popular was the white bread and between cities there was a strong competition for the best bread. On the 2nd century AD the first bakeries appeared, with the most dominant that of Theariou of Athens, whose name was written on many scripts.

Transcriber

The occasionally libraries in ancient Athens and the rest of the ancient Greek world contributed essentially to the dissemination and preservation of Greek literature from antiquity. During the wars of the Greeks among them, a class of educated slaves was created, who often did the work of a secretary or were forced to produce copies of important books, thus multiplying their number.   The books were a commodity from the 5th century. B.C. Originally booksellers manufactured their own copies for sale, and later they gradually began to use slaves for copying. .

Olive cultivation

Olive cultivation is the one that deals with the cultivation of olives. The olive tree in ancient Greece was considered a symbol of peace, fertility, purification, power, victory and repentance, playing a key role in ancient society.

Trader

Merchant is the person who, for profit, buys and sells natural or artificial products. In antiquity a dealer was someone carrying products of his work in the city to sell them. On the contrary, people who resold goods at the market were called mongers. The merchants of antiquity brought goods to the city in large quantities, as today the merchants.    The ancients considered unworthy of the profession, which is why the “big trading” was usually conducted by settlers

Doctor

The Greeks had the great temple of Asklepios at Epidaurus and many other churches across the country who were called `` Asclepiea (essentially serving as nursing places) the most important of which was on the island of Kos. Such areas were attended by patients. There, the priests of the god gave various herbal medicines and recommended proper diet. Patients were purified and offered their gifts to the temples. When the night came, each one was at his room resting, when supposedly, the god transformed – usually into a snake – appeared and healed them. In fact the treatment was done by the priests who were using natural medicines and often did surgeries.

Ιπποκράτης (460 – 377 π.Χ.) είναι ο πατέρας της ιατρικής.

Trainer

He was an expert trainer who guided the children and adolescents in their various physical exercises and supervised their proper conduct. It was about what currently the professor of physical education is nowadays except that they lacked theoretical knowledge of anatomy, physiology, hygiene, etc. at least before the 5th century. B.C.     There were private paidotrives with their own palaestrae and public ones working in state gymnasiums. Usually paidotrives were occupied and taught all sports and could have assistants and servants.

Tutor

In Athenian family, treatment was undertaken by his father who was the head of the family. However, treatment could be entrusted to others. Up to 7 years their boys and girls grew up together in the women's chambers and played various enjoyable games. At the age of 7 ,though, the boys accompanied by the teacher, went to school. The teacher was an old and trusty servant of the family.   Parents were required to pay a teacher who would take over the education of their children. The courses were not at a school, but at the house of the teacher. Something like a small in number special tutorial!

Actor

In ancient Greek theater, the actors were called hypocrites. The first hypocrite and the first to introduce this innovation which caused the birth of tragedy and of theater in general, was considered Thespis, when in the middle of the 6th century. B.C. during religious festivals dedicated to Dionysos,he interrupted dithyramb dance and responded in prose. Initially there was only a hypocrite, who conversed with Dance and then due to the evolution of ancient drama, Aeschylus added a second and Sophocles a third. In ancient times, the roles were interpreted using mask and was exclusively done by men, tradition which was followed later.

Craftsman(1)

In Athens, in the area of Ceramics, they set the famous workshops of potters who manufactured jars, cups (cups), vases of various shapes, lamps etc.    The painters usually fol lowed the red-black-figure rhythm, adding several t imes other colors too. Most vessels manufactured served purely practical purposes. The few who had decorative character were the pride of the workshops. The latter were usually s igned together by the potter and the painter of the vessels or one of the two.

Pottery Workshop: Red Crater.; (Oxford, Asmoleiano Museum).

Craftsman (2)

The skins of animals given by the vi l lagers or butchers were received by the tanners to be processed in their laboratories and then delivered to the skytotomous (shoemakers).      In fabrics, mainly originated from the rocket and the loom of the women , painters undertook to give the desiredcolor and gnafeis to be taken care of. The rest belonged to the tailors.

Butcher Tanner