Athens

Question 1

Explain why a typical Athenian house was arranged in the way it was.

Answer 1

 inward facing centred around the courtyard, with no outward doors;
 courtyard as an important source of light, focal point for women
(and might possibly have a well);
 Andron, laid out as a luxury room, nearest the door where easily
able to greet visitors. Also reflects the dominance of men;
 few windows which are high up – comfort and security;
 women’s quarters – nearer to the slave’s quarters which reflects
their responsibility. Also have to pass the men’s area;
 slave quarters – size reflects need for domestic tasks to be done
leaving family freer;
 store room – issues of accessibility and security.

Question 2

Imagine you are an ancient Athenian. Would you like to live in an Athenian house such as the one in the picture? Explain your answer.

Answer 2

Accept any reasonable opinion from an Athenian perspective based on any of the following:
 design of an oikos;
 appearance;
 security;
 facilities;
 open courtyard etc.

Question 3

Name some sporting events from the Panathenaia.

Answer 3

Sporting events that took place at the Great Panathenaia: Pentathlon; wrestling; boxing; equestrian events; torch race and running/stadion
 boat races; chariot racing.

Question 4

Why was the panethenaia important?

Answer 4

 celebration of the founder of the city;
 feasting and the distribution of the sacrificial meat;
 for competition and the chance to win glory;
 the visual spectacle of the competition would be impressive;
 showing a sense of patriotic pride;
 emphasising the unification of the people of Athens.

Question 5

Why would an Athenian citizen enjoy the panethenaia?

Answer 5

 leisure;
 relaxation;
 sense of unity;
 competitions;
 celebration.

Question 6

What would an Athenian slave do?

Answer 6

 shopping;
 fetching water;
 supervising the children’s education;
 farming;
 practising a craft – e.g. shoemaking;
 slaves rented out by master;
 domestic duties;
 working in silver mines;
 spinning / weaving / making clothes;
 slaves employed by state;
 entertaining / serving at the symposium.

Question 7

How would a person become a slave?

Answer 7

 born into slavery;
 captured in war;
 captured and sold by pirates;
 abandoned as a baby and taken into slavery;
 sold into slavery by parents because of poverty;
 got into debt and became slave as result.

Question 8

How important were slaves?

Answer 8

 might enhance the household’s image and status;
 might offer a degree of self-sufficiency and provide more free time
and why this was important;
 source of revenue for family.

Question 9

What would be included in a symposium?

Answer 9

acrobats;
dancers;
drinking watered wine;
intellectual debate;
jugglers;
kottabos;
mimes;
music.

Question 10

How would a Kyrios prepare for a symposium?

Answer 10

 sending out of smart invitations;
 procurement of fine wine and food;
 securing the services of different entertainers;
 decoration and setting up of the andron
 welcoming of guests;
 food;
 drinking;
 entertainment

Question 11

How would a Symposium help the family?

Answer 11

 finance;
 arranging marriage;
 education of sons;
 politics;
 business;

Question 12

What items in a picture could suggest that the God in the picture is Dionyssus?

Answer 12

cart;
satyrs;
vines/ivy leaves
Leopards

Question 13

What were Dionysos’ responsibilities?

Answer 13

 wine;
 theatre
 wild partying;
 germination;
 growth;
 fertility;
 death;

Question 14

Explain how the Athenians worshipped Dionysos at the City Dionysia

Answer 14

 statue taken to the temple;
 priest had pride of place;
 singing of hymns;
 animals were paraded and sacrificed.
 theatrical competitions;

Question 15

What did a Greek comic actor wear?

Answer 15

 short tunics;
 lots of padding;
 strap-on phalloi;
 flat slippers;
 masks;
 leggings.

Question 16

Explain how humour was created by what the comic actors and Chorus wore.

Answer 16

 masks were oversized with exaggerated expressions to create a ridiculous and comic effect;
 costumes were thickly padded to allow actors to roll around in a
slapstick fashion;
 large leather phalloi could be used to simulate an erection;
 tunic allowed freedom of movement allowing physical comic routines and slapstick.

Question 17

To what extent did stage machinery, scenery and sound effects make the performance of an ancient Greek play impressive to a Greek audience?

Answer 17

 ekkuklema – change of scenes;
 sound effects;
 scenery rather simple and unimpressive;
 cranes – flying characters.

Question 18

What are some identifying features of Athene?

Answer 18

 spear, shield, helmet
 aegis
 Gorgon’s head.

Question 19

What were the responsibilities of Athene?

Answer 19

 founder of Athens
 tactical warfare
 weaving
 handicrafts
 wisdom.

Question 20

How did the Athenians worship Athene in the Panethenaia?

Answer 20

 grand procession through Athens towards the Acropolis and temple Athene
 at the end of this, a new peplos was presented to the statue of Athene on the Acropolis
 inter-deme competitions
 sacrifice of the animals to Athene which had been part of the procession
 great feast of sacrificial meat.

Question 21

What did tragic actors wear?

Answer 21

 flowing robes
 patterned robes
 special boots
 heavy/stiff robes
 masks.

Question 22

Explain how tragic actors costumes and masks contributed to their performance on stage.

Answer 22

Masks
 identification of character at a distance as facial features and expressions exaggerated
 ability to disguise men as women
 explanation based on enhanced acoustics with protruding mouth used to amplify voice should be credited, (though this theory has been largely discredited).
 credit ways in which mask might inhibit performance, e.g. by impeding movement, by covering face and so preventing facial expression showing emotion.
Costume
 identification of character through set clothing and bold patterns and colours where appropriate
 movement enhanced by flowing robes, or inhibited by stiff ones
 ability to disguise men as women
 realism of plot
 credit explanation based on comic effect as candidates may have taken question (b) to include comic as well as tragic actors.

Question 23

What happened to an animal throughout a sacrifice?

Answer 23

Preparation
 The animal was taken from market and led through the streets.
 Ribbons were put on the head and the horns were painted
 Water was poured on the animal’s head, causing it to nod
Killing
 The animal was then hit to stun it
 The animal’s throat was cut to kill it
Treatment of animal after death
 The thigh bones were burnt
 The entrails were examined
 The rest of the meat was shared out among all the participants.

Question 24

Explain the role of the participants in a sacrifice

Answer 24

 priest – poured water on animal’s head, prayed and cut the animal’s throat
 maiden – carried basket full of barley grain
 flute player – played throughout the ceremony
 attendant – to stun the animal
 the mantis – to read the entrails
 spectators – shared in the meat
 all participants – scattering barley.

Question 25

Why were sacrifices important in Athens?

Answer 25

 Means of ensuring the goodwill of the gods
 Opportunity to ask for a favour or blessing from the gods
 Chance to divine the will of the gods
 Unified the state
 Provided an opportunity to eat meat in a society where it was not regularly available.

Question 26

What rooms were there in a typical Athenian house?

Answer 26

 Andron;
 Gynaikon;
 slave accommodation;
 storeroom;
 workshop;
 bedrooms.
Andron and Gynaikon or equivalent description of these rooms should be included for throrough.
Do not accept courtyard, as this is given on the plan.