What was Greek art and entertainment like?

What did the Greeks enjoy?

The ancient Greeks enjoyed many kinds of art and entertainment. They watched plays in theatres, admired statues and temples, painted detailed pottery and joined in lively festivals.

Sport, music and dancing were also important. These activities were not only fun but also brought communities together and honoured the gods.

Two ancient Greek actors wearing theatre masks. — Image caption,
Greek theatre masks had exaggerated expressions so audiences in large theatres could tell the emotions.

A cartoon of an ancient Greek amphitheatre.

The Greeks had style! Their red and black pottery was very famous.
They were great builders too. The Greeks built grand temples to their gods and superb sculptures of brave heroes.
They pretty much invented the theatre as well.
Thousands of people watched plays by famous writers like Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus.
The Greeks had big festivals. There was music, dancing and feasting in honour of their gods.

Important words for the ancient Greeks

Keyword	Definition
Theatre	A place where people watch plays and performances.
Olympic Games	Sporting contest first held in Olympia to honour Zeus.
Pottery	Decorated clay vessels used for storage, drinking and art.
Knucklebones	A game played by children with small animal bones or stones.
Epicureanism	A Greek philosophy that taught real pleasures come from simple living and self-control.
Festivals	Celebrations held to honour the gods, often with music, food and games.

Watch: Ancient Greek theatre

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Find out about the topsy-turvy world of the ancient Greek theatre.

What were buildings and statues like?

Cartoon of an ancient Greek person carving a statue.

The Greeks carefully designed and measured their buildings, making sure they got all their angles, shapes and sizes right.
Their temples were held up with stone columns and sometimes decorated with stone carvings of famous battles from Greek myths.
The Greeks were really good at making statues too.
Sculptors carved lifelike marble statues and decorated them with brightly-coloured paints.

What role did music and dance play in ancient Greece?

A big, ancient stone theatre sits on a hillside, shaped like a half-circle with many rows of seats. Behind it are tall, rocky mountains and lots of trees, all under a bright, hazy sky. — Image caption,
Music was often used in plays which took place in theatres.

Dance was very important in Greek life, especially in festivals and plays. It helped the art form of theatre to grow and develop.
Plato, a Greek philosopher, believed that singing and dancing were part of being well-educated. He thought that they could shape a person's character.
Greek children were taught to sing and play instruments as part of their schooling.

What did ancient Greek pottery look like?

A selection of Ancient Greek pottery, decorated with different carvings and images. — Image caption,
The Greeks were famous for their clay pots. Potters in the city states of Corinth and Athens made beautiful pottery. They used a watery clay mixture to make patterns on the clay before it was hard. Then the pot was baked in an oven called a kiln. The areas painted with the clay mixture turned black and the unpainted areas turned a reddish-brown.

What did the ancient Greeks eat?

A picture drawn in the style of ancient Greek art. Two people are relaxing on long couches while another person brings them food on plates. The picture is decorated with simple shapes and patterns along the bottom and background. — Image caption,
Ancient Greek men reclining while sharing food and drink at a banquet, a common way of feasting together.

Ancient Greeks meals were simple, based on bread, olives, cheese and fruit. Meat was rarely eaten except at festivals or sacrifices.
Rich citizens enjoyed more meat and seafood but even they valued simple, balanced meals over luxury.
At special festivals, communities shared food in feasts to thank the gods and bring people together. Athenians believed meals should feed the mind as well as the body.
At banquets, people reclined on couches and enjoyed music, poetry and dancing.
Greek thinkers linked food with philosophy. Epicureanism taught that real pleasure comes from self-control and simple living and not eating excessive amounts.

What games and sports did ancient Greeks enjoy?

A hand holding a bunch of small, shiny metal pieces shaped like tiny rocks, with more pieces lying on a wooden table. — Image caption,
Knucklebones – a popular game played by ancient Greek children using small bones or stones.

The Olympic Games began in Greece in 776BC and were held every four years to honour the Greek god Zeus.
The Greeks also organised other important athletic festivals such as the Pythian, Nemean and Isthmian Games.
Children played games such as knucklebones which was a popular toy where they tossed small bones or pebbles and caught them skilfully.

What Greek festivals were there?

Image caption,
The lyre was a popular instrument at festivals. A lyre is a bit like a small harp and musicians play it by strumming or plucking it.

The Greeks loved big celebrations for their gods.
Every four years, Athens held the Panathenaic Games in honour of the god Athena.
There were competitions for athletics, poetry reading and music. The Games ended with an enormous all-night banquet.

Athens put on a drama festival called the Dionysia in honour of the god Dionysus.
He was the god of the theatre and wine.

A crowd of ancient Greek people smiling and waving.

Judges gave prizes for their favourite tragedy and comedy performances.
The Pythian Games were held in Delphi for the god Apollo.

Think like a historian

Pink thought bubble that says Thinking Points!

Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.

Why do you think the Greeks linked their entertainment (like theatre, music and games) with religion and the Gods?
What do the Olympic Games tell us about what the Greeks valued in people?
How might simple games like knucklebones have been just as important for children as great festivals were for adults?