athenian

Everyday

1. Belonging to or coming from Athens, the capital city of Greece, especially ancient Athens. tree →
2. A person who lived in ancient Athens or lives in Athens today. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons about ancient Greece it describes the people, buildings, government and ideas of Athens, the city famous for early democracy, the Parthenon and thinkers like Socrates and Plato. Stories often compare Athenians with Spartans. Common phrases: "Athenian democracy", "the Athenian army", "an Athenian citizen".

Examples

• The Athenians built the Parthenon on a hill called the Acropolis. tree →
• Athenian democracy let some citizens vote on laws. tree →
• Women and slaves could not vote in the Athenian assembly. tree →
• Socrates was a famous Athenian thinker. tree →
• The Athenian navy fought the Persians at Salamis. tree →
• We compared Athenian and Spartan children in class. tree →
• An Athenian boy went to school to learn reading, music and sport. tree →
• Daedalus, a descendant of Erechtheus, was an Athenian architect, sculptor, and mechanician. tree →

Note

Written with a capital A because it comes from a place name. Plural: Athenians. Remember that Athenian democracy was not for everyone: only free adult men who were citizens could vote. Do not confuse Athens (Greece) with Athens, a town in the USA.