The Jobs of the Ancient Greeks

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When people think of Ancient Greece, they think of the citizens of this time period as either soldiers or farmers. This, in fact, barely scratches the surface of the jobs in the Grecian culture. There were a variety of opportunities for both men and women to have a career.

1 Money Changer

Men held the job of money changer in Ancient Greece. It can be compared to the modern job of bank teller or currency exchange associate, which is a job held by many females. The primary responsibilities of the money changer were to change currency from one country’s rate to the next. This is an important position because it allowed commerce to run smoothly in Greece. Many people would travel from other lands to purchase goods in Greece.

2 Bard

A bard's job would be considered a nonpaid hobby in modern times. A bard would write poetry in epic style and perform it during public readings. Homer was considered a popular bard during this time period. These bards would commonly write melodramatic songs that influenced the people of that day.

3 Musician

Musicians were male or female just like modern times. They were hired to play instruments popular at the time, such as the flute and lyre, during public events. Some wealthy Grecians also would hire musicians for private performances. Musicians still perform in these types of situations. Sometimes dancers were hired in conjunction with musicians to expand the performance.

4 Druggist

Druggists in Ancient Greece were females. It was a job that was held in high regard by the citizens of Ancient Greece. They were responsible for gathering herbs and making them into various medications. This required a high knowledge of chemistry as well as botany. In modern times, both men and women work as druggists or chemists to make various drugs.

5 Baker

Women were responsible for baking bread in Ancient Greece. Men considered anything remotely resembling domestic service to be better suited for women. They would bake various types of breads and other treats and sell them to various customers. This is a profession that is occupied in modern times by men and women.

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