Can you imagine traveling back in time and seeing what life was really like in Ancient Greece? In this project, you are going to do exactly that… through ten very different characters who will open the door to their world!
Each character has their own story, dreams, worries, and way of seeing Athens and their time. Throughout five activity sheets for each character, we will work on a variety of skills: understanding their daily life, imagining their emotions and dilemmas, writing personal diaries, representing them in oral activities, reflecting on Greek society and comparing it to our own…
Here are the ten protagonists you will meet:
Later you will get to know them better, but for now, we can introduce them briefly. We have everything from young people dreaming of becoming soldiers to elderly women who tell stories, as well as politicians, sailors, builders, and students… These are our Greeks:
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Demetrios of Philopappos, a politician in the Assembly, passionately defending democracy.
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Menesicles, a hardworking builder at the Parthenon, dreaming of a quieter life.
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Nicias, a curious young boy studying at school, who dreams of becoming a philosopher.
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Timea, a brave woman secretly learning philosophy in a world where it is forbidden for her.
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Pheidippides, the tireless runner-soldier carrying vital news between cities.
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Eumaeus, a merchant from the Greek islands, always ready to make a deal at the busy port of Piraeus.
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Melania, a craftswoman who creates musical instruments, bringing music to life with her hands.
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Clisthenes, an impulsive teenager training to become a soldier, dreaming of glory.
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Calias, a painter who brings myths to life on beautiful ceramic vases.
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Antiope, a wise old woman who keeps the memory of myths alive by telling stories to children and young people.
Each character will show you a different side of Ancient Greece: art, politics, commerce, education, war, music, everyday life… As you work through their sheets, you’ll get closer not only to their lives, but also to their way of thinking and feeling. Get ready to travel back in time, hear their voices… and write your own story through this project. Let’s begin!
Demetrios: politician in the Assembly
My name is Demetrios, I was born in Athens and I am a free citizen. That means I can speak and vote in the Assembly. And speak I do! I love debating ideas, giving speeches, and convincing others. Sometimes, when they applaud me, I feel like I am on top of the world.
I am convinced that democracy is the best system there is: citizens must decide together what is best for the city. That’s why I never miss a meeting at the Pnyx, where the debates are held. Some say I am too proud… but shouldn’t one be sure of what one thinks?
I live in a large house with my wife, my young son, and several slaves. Not everyone can vote in Athens, only free men born here. That makes me feel responsible: I speak for those who cannot.
When I am not at the Assembly, I like to walk around the Agora and discuss the decisions with other citizens. Politics is everywhere: in the temples, in the theaters, at banquets. And I always want to be at the center of everything.
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Menesicles: builder at the Parthenon
My name is Menesicles, and I am a builder working on the construction of the Parthenon, on the Acropolis of Athens. I am 33 years old, and my life is not easy, but sometimes I am amazed by the beauty of what we are creating. I wake up at dawn and spend the day working among dust, marble, and giant columns. My main task is to raise the structures and prepare the site for the sculptors, like Phidias, whom I admire greatly, even though sometimes it feels like his art has little to do with the hard physical work we do.
I live in a modest house in one of the poor neighborhoods of Athens, with my wife and two children. My salary is not much, but just enough so that my family does not go hungry, although I always complain about how poorly we are paid for so much effort. I don’t care much about politics or the great debates among the citizens. I prefer to talk about how to build better and faster. My secret dream is to one day have a small house in the countryside, far from the noise of the city.
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Nicias: boy who goes to school
Hello! My name is Nicias, and I am 12 years old. I live in Athens, very close to the Agora, with my mother, my father, and my two younger sisters. Every morning I get up early to go to school. It’s not like modern schools: there are no blackboards or desks, and we don’t use books either. We learn by listening, repeating, and writing on wax tablets.
My teacher is very wise, but also very strict… and quite scary when he gets angry. I especially love mathematics. I enjoy solving geometry problems, and sometimes I imagine myself teaching others or writing books like the great scholars.
My father wants me to follow in his footsteps and become a politician, like my grandfather. But secretly, I dream of becoming a philosopher and thinking about the great questions of life. I’m a bit shy, so sometimes I don’t dare to raise my hand in class, but at home, I never stop asking questions.
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Timea: woman interested in Philosophy
My name is Timea, and I live in Athens, in a house with a courtyard, together with my husband, who is a merchant, and my sister-in-law, who helps me with the household chores. From the outside, I seem like an ordinary woman, busy with wool, children, and meals. But inside, I am someone else. I dream of learning.
As a child, I asked more questions than I spoke. But soon, they taught me that women should not ask questions, and even less study philosophy. How unfair! So I do what I can: when my husband is away on business, I lock myself in the back room and read the scrolls lent to me by a friend whose brother is a teacher. I learned to read by secretly observing, and I have no intention of stopping.
I admire Socrates. I would love to sit in a corner of the Agora and listen to him, even if I had to disguise myself as a slave so that no one would chase me away. I truly believe that women can think, reason, and teach. And even if I must do it in secret, I will continue learning, letter by letter, idea by idea.
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Pheidippides: Athenian soldier
My name is Pheidippides, I am 30 years old, and I am a hemerodromos: a messenger of the army who runs long distances to deliver important news. I don’t have much time to talk, because I am almost always running. I trained from a young age to endure the heat, the hills, the stones… and the exhaustion. Speed is part of my life, but so are discipline and endurance. Some say I am like a shadow that passes quickly and silently along the roads of Greece.
I come from the Battle of Marathon, where our soldiers fought bravely against the Persians. As soon as the battle ended, I was entrusted with carrying the news to Athens. It is an enormous responsibility. Every step I take, every drop of sweat, is for the safety of my city. My body aches, but I will not stop. In my mind, there is only one phrase: “We have won!”
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Eumaeus: merchant newly arrived at Piraeus
Greetings from the port of Piraeus! My name is Eumaeus, I am 39 years old, and I am a merchant. I come from Naxos, a beautiful island full of vineyards, but for some time now I have settled here, in the bustling port of Athens. I spend my days selling wine, oil, and pottery, and talking with sailors, customers, merchants… and even foreigners! I have learned several languages, and I love listening to and telling stories. Sometimes people say I talk too much, but I say that talking is part of the business.
My dream is to open my own shop inside the city, near the Agora, and not have to depend solely on the port market. I’m always thinking of new ways to earn a few more drachmas. I love watching people, learning how they negotiate, and above all, enjoying the constant movement of Piraeus: it’s like a city within a city, full of scents, accents, and secrets.
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Melania: craftswoman of musical instruments
My name is Melania, and I am 35 years old. I work with my hands, with care and passion. In my small workshop, on a quiet street in Athens, I make musical instruments: mainly lyres and auloi. People say that my instruments sound as if they have a soul, and that fills me with pride. I do not seek fame, but musicians from all over the city come to me to order unique pieces.
I am not very talkative; I prefer the silence of the workshop, the smell of freshly cut wood, and the soft singing that sometimes escapes my lips while I work. I like to think that each instrument carries a little piece of my soul. I polish every string, every mouthpiece, every part, until everything sounds exactly as it should. Some say I am too much of a perfectionist… but music deserves it.
Sometimes, while I work, I imagine a young poet playing my lyre under an olive tree, or a young woman making my aulos sing at a festival. Then I smile and work even harder. Because in every note that sounds, there will also be a piece of my voice.
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Clisthenes: teenager training to be a soldier
My name is Clisthenes, and I am 16 years old. I am training to enter the ephebate, the mandatory military service that all young Athenians must complete. My father was a soldier, and he always tells stories of brave battles against the Spartans. I want to be like him, even though sometimes I don’t fully understand what «war» really means. I imagine myself fighting with courage, earning the respect of others… and, most of all, of my father.
I train every day with other boys my age: we run, lift weights, and learn to handle the spear and the shield. I get excited when I think that one day I will defend Athens. Sometimes I am a bit impulsive and get into trouble for talking too much or trying too hard to show off. But I am sure of one thing: I will not give up. I am determined to become a good soldier.
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Calias: ceramic painter
My name is Calias, I am 42 years old, and I spend my days painting amphorae, kraters, and ceramic cups. My workshop is located on a quiet street in Athens, not far from the Agora. With patience and a steady hand, I draw scenes of gods, heroes, and legendary battles. I love imagining what the gods of Olympus looked like and bringing them to life with my brush.
Sometimes, while I work, I listen to the neighbors chatting, and that also inspires me. I observe a lot: the way someone moves, how children laugh, or how philosophers argue in the square. All of that helps me give expression to the figures I paint.
My work requires concentration, but also good humor. People say I always have a funny story to tell while I paint. And even though I have been doing this for many years, I still get excited whenever I finish an especially beautiful piece.
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Antiope: elderly storyteller of myths
My name is Antiope, I am 68 years old, and I am known in my neighborhood for telling stories that make people dream. I never went to school, but I learned by listening: to the wise men speaking in the square, to the sailors returning with tales from the sea, and to the poets reciting at sunset.
Now it is I who tells the stories. Every time I sit on the stone at the corner, the children gather around, sit in a circle, and wait. I tell them about Perseus, about Medusa, about Athena being born from the skull of Zeus… And sometimes, if I feel like it, I mix a little truth with a little imagination. I love to see their eyes widen with wonder.
They say I have a good memory and a voice that captivates. I simply believe that stories are a gift passed down, like a torch handed from one person to another. As long as I can speak, I will keep telling them.
