Ancient Greek occupations developed over an extensive period of time which spanned from the early Bronze Age, the Dark Age and carried on till the Hellenistic Age. Greeks worked as actors, physicians, barbers, tailors, and architects and also acted in plays, sang songs and played music.

Ancient Greek Occupations

Outside Athens, winemakers, shepherds, and farmers existed.Work in ancient Greek occupation meant to door to set in motion. Weavers, blacksmiths, priests, witches and wizards, poets, army commanders, and soldiers, as well as spinners as well as farmers, were common.

Ancient Greek Jobs and Trade

Hesiod’s father was a seafarer and trader. Envy and a bit of healthy competition existed in ancient Greece leading to people wanting to emulate the rich by dint of hard work. He considered the latent strife as good for mortals and it was perhaps the beginning of the rat race and fierce competition of modern times.

There were goldsmiths as well according to Odyssey where different kinds of craftsmen were also mentioned. Sailing and seafaring was a preferred occupation and it explains the conquests of the Greek empire.

Going over to uncharted lands as well as distant places was common among traders and came up for special mention in the texts about ancient Greek occupations. It is also known that the people talked and discussed politics during their spare time over food and wine.

Painting, seafaring, winemaking and many more

Occupations for men included drawing pictures, acting, carpentry, medicine, farming, cart driving, writing poetry and penning history, jewelry making as well as taking part in the administrative process. They worked as magistrates, mariners, miners, money changers, musicians, slavers and many more.

The spiritually inclined became philosophers as well. Warriors fought battles, vintners made wines and sophists taught public speaking.Women led secluded lives and bore children, but some of them also weaved and baked bread.

Wives were known to perform menial tasks for like cleaning, waste removing, and fetching water and carried on home-based businesses as well. Prostitution, courtesans, entertainers, and conversationalists were common. Rich women managed slaves and were not involved in any ancient Greek occupations.