Ancient Greek was a well-developed society, in many aspects. Renowned for being the birthplace o democracy, ancient Greece witnessed the acme of philosophy, art, literature, and thought. Greek engaged in all sort of Ancient Greek Occupations.

Ancient Greek Occupations

There were artists, athletes, astrologers, astronomers, grammarians, bankers, merchants, lawyers, philosophers, scientists, sculptors, statesmen, writers, planners, generals, rulers, physicians and the list is endless.

Greek Civilization Occupation

Ancient Greek civilization flourished from around 776 to 30 B.C. The sources of Greek jobs are literature, philosophical dialogues and treatises, historical narratives, speeches, poems and so on. Many philosophical works by Plato and Aristotle analyzed the then economic structure of the society.

Xenophon in Oikonomikos (Economics – “household management”) and Poroi (Revenues) is concerned with two extended essays on household management and the means by which the state may obtain more revenues, respectively. The latter is one of the most important documents concerning state interests in trade and mining.

Poems and dramas point to trade, manufacturing, the status of businessmen, and other economic matters. Archeological evidence also helps us to understand the details of pottery manufacture and trade.

The potter’s work consisted of selecting the clay, fashioning the vase, drying and painting, baking it, and applying varnish. The different vase types indicate the goods they contained, such as olive oil, wine, or grain.

The nature of Greek economy is debated even today. However, the occupation of an individual in ancient Greek society many a time depended on the state or polis he lived. Farmers, shepherds, fishermen, blacksmiths, statesmen, or warriors were some of the ancient Greeks.

Now let us move on to the particulars of ancient Greek occupations. 80% of the ancient Greeks were engaged in agriculture. The farmers depended on the seasons of winter, autumn and summer for harvesting, sowing, seeding etc.

Craftsmanship is ancient Greece was mostly domestic-oriented. Weaving and baking, jobs which were meant for women earlier gradually changed their nature when Greek economy became commercialized.

Ancient Greek workers

Metal ore deposits were common in ancient Greece. Around the 5th century BC, The Greek learned to prospect, treat, and refine the ore. Most of the workers in mines were slaves.

Ancient Greek jobs and trade

The Greek also engaged in maritime trade. The class of traders known as Emporio was major participants in the commerce of ancient Greece.It is said that ancient Greek doctors revolutionized medicine, by making it professional including in it the methods of experimentation and observation. Medicine was made less superstitious. Geographers and biographers also earned their living with their works.

Greek mathematicians and the contributions they have made to the science of mathematics are remarkable. Some were writers and they wrote epics, odes, lyrics, elegies, poems, satires, and letters.

However, girls of ancient Greece were taught cooking, weaving, and cleaning. Generally, it was the men who undertook various professions and the women were confined to their homes. Boys were provided education from a very early age whereas the women were married off at an age of 15 or 16.