Thomas R. Martin, An Overview of Classical Greek History from Mycenae to Alexander

Athenian Empire in the Golden Age: The Periclean Building Program

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9.4.1. IX.[4] Athenian Private Dwellings

Athenians lived in a variety of different kinds of private dwellings in the city proper, in its densely populated suburb around the main harbor of Piraeus, in villages of varying sizes scattered throughout the countryside of Attica, and, occasionally, in isolated farmsteads. The majority of city and suburban dwellers lived in apartment buildings, which could be several stories high. Most apartment dwellers probably crowded themselves and their families into no more space than a room or two, which they rented from the building's owner, because they could not afford a very high rent. Wealthier people in the city owned individual homes, but they frequently had a house and land in the countryside, too. Dwellers in the countryside owned or rented houses that varied in size from tiny bungalows to larger structures perhaps on the scale of a small modern house that might be accompanied by other farm buildings such as sheds. Indeed, Athenian private houses in both in the city and the country were generally modest in size.

9.4.1.1. City Houses

Archaeology has not been able to reveal much detail about the homes of residents of Athens because the modern city covers the remains of almost all the residential districts of the ancient city and thus inhibits excavation. Nevertheless, we know that homes in ancient Athens were wedged haphazardly against one another along narrow, winding streets. Even the residences of rich people followed the same basic design of bedrooms, storerooms, and dining rooms grouped around open-air courtyards. Some houses had more than one story. The women and men of the household usually had rooms set apart for their separate use, especially if there were infants or small children in the family. These youngsters would be looked after in the women's quarters, but all members of the household would see each other frequently despite the notional division of the interior space of the home by gender and age. The architectural tradition of grouping the house's rooms around a courtyard facilitated contact among all the members of the household, who included the slaves of the family. Wall paintings or works of art were as yet uncommon as decoration in private homes. Sparse furnishings and simple furniture were the rule. Water for household needs had to be fetched from public fountains. This onerous and constant work was performed by women and the household's slaves. Sanitary facilities usually consisted of a pit dug just outside the front door. The pits were emptied by collectors paid to dump manure outside the city at a distance set by law.

• city proper: Athens [Plan]; Athens [Site]
• Piraeus: Athens and Piraeus [Atlas]; Description plans and photos of Piraeus [Site]
• apartment buildings: Apt. house with shops and room for weaving [Architecture]; Apt. house with shops and olive processing plant? [Architecture]; Athens: House of the Marbleworkers [Architecture]; Houses [Browser]
• homes of residents of Athens: House of the Marbleworkers [Architecture]; Houses [Browser]
• narrow, winding streets.: Ancient Street in Thasos [View]
• rooms set apart for their separate use: Xen. Ec. 9.6 [Text]
• infants or small children: Woman and two children [View]
• Sparse furnishings: Woman and chest [View]
• public fountains.: Women at Fountainhead [View]
• collectors paid to dump manure: Aristot. Ath. Pol. 50.2 [Text]

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OCLC: 33900145
ISBN: 0300069561

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