Social Structure of Athens

Honestly, there is not much to tell about social structure because it is nonexistent in modern day Athens. However in ancient Athens, they had a simple yet complex social structure. Women were considered to be outside of the social class system. Women had no place outside of the home, she were in whatever group your husband or father was. Also, women were not considered citizens and could not vote or own their own property. Next up at the bottom of the social society were the slaves. Slaves were common among all Athenian citizens, and even though they are at the bottom of the social structure, they are treated fair and can be freed. The next rank up is the lower class. The lower class was mostly free men who were once slaves or very poor families. These people were not citizens and had very little, if any, rights or say in politics. The second to top was the middle class. The middle class in Athens was mostly noncitizens who could not vote or own land. These people were usually merchants or traders who lived in Athens because of the economic stability and guarantee of work. Also, many middle class families were citizens and could vote and own land. Lastly, the top was the upper class. To be considered upper class in Athens, you have a citizen, a man, and to either have a high rank in the military or no job. This was considered a leisure class of sorts and to fully enjoy it, you had to be free from the economic burdens of society. Very few families were considered upper class.

Many ancient civilizations like Athens had social structures similar to this one, but also many of the cultures made the social structures extinct. So one main difference between ancient and present day Athens is that present has no social society, as ancient did.