This volume by James Augustus St. John presents a comprehensive study of the manners, customs, and private life of the ancient Greeks. The author investigates marriage ceremonies, dowries, and the legal constraints that governed the formation of families in Athens and Sparta. The narrative explores the conditions of married women, their authority within the household, and the contrast between domestic virtue and the influence of the hetairæ.
Detailed examinations of private dwellings, architectural styles, and household furniture illustrate the material culture of the period. The text covers the culinary habits of the Greeks, detailing their daily food, meats, fish, poultry, and fruits. Through extensive references to classical authors and poets, the work reconstructs the physical environment and social interactions of daily existence in ancient Hellas. The volume concludes with an in-depth analysis of dress, the toilette, and personal ornaments, showing how clothing and style reflected the broader cultural values of the civilization.
