Hidden Voices of Greece and Rome
Examine the lives of people usually left out of the Greek and Roman story — enslaved people who made up roughly 30% of Athens and powered Rome's economy, women whose lives varied dramatically between Athens (largely confined to the home) and Sparta (physical training, property ownership), and conquered peoples across both empires — and evaluate whose voices are missing from the historical record and why
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“Could your child tell you about the lives of enslaved people or women in ancient Greece and Rome, and explain why we know less about them than about famous leaders?”
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- Activity. Examine the lives of people usually left out of the Greek and Roman story — enslaved people who made up roughly 30% of Athens and powered Rome's economy, women whose lives varied dramatically between Athens (largely confined to the home) and Sparta (physical training, property ownership), and conquered peoples across both empires — and evaluate whose voices are missing from the historical record and why
What to notice. Describe the daily life of an enslaved person in Athens or Rome using available evidence • Compare the lives of women in Athens and Sparta, explaining key differences • Explain why the historical record favours elite men and what this means for our understanding
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Could your child tell you about the lives of enslaved people or women in ancient Greece and Rome, and explain why we know less about them than about famous leaders?
Examine the lives of people usually left out of the Greek and Roman story — enslaved people who made up roughly 30% of Athens and powered Rome's economy, women whose lives varied dramatically between Athens (largely confined to the home) and Sparta (physical training, property ownership), and conquered peoples across both empires — and evaluate whose voices are missing from the historical record and why
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Check understanding
- Describe the daily life of an enslaved person in Athens or Rome using available evidence
- Compare the lives of women in Athens and Sparta, explaining key differences
- Explain why the historical record favours elite men and what this means for our understanding
“Could your child tell you about the lives of enslaved people or women in ancient Greece and Rome, and explain why we know less about them than about famous leaders?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Meta
- Subject
- History
- Domain
- Ancient Greece & Rome
- Age range
- Ages 11–13