ANCIENT GREECE
Follow-up 6: Theatre Masks
Spartan Life
Objectives: To make a suitable theatre mask for a character from Greek
legend; to know that actors in Greek theatre wore masks and
costume.
Materials: Materials for making papier mache, paints, felt-tips, crayons,
picture books, post-cards, prints showing Greek heroes and
monsters
Class set-up: Activity may be best done individually or else in pairs; suitable
costumes could also be made, in which case a small group
could work together on one character to produce the mask and
costume.
Vocabulary:Legend, myth, names of the heroes/monsters chosen for the
activity e.g. Medusa, Herakles, Achilles, Cyclops
Activity:
Tell the class about some of the heroes and monsters of Greek legends (you could use the Geography Story about Odysseus). Look at some pictures in picture books, or prints/postcards of paintings of Greek heroes. Ask the children if the characters look like they had imagined them.
Explain that in Greek theatre, tragic plays often retold old legends. The actors would wear different masks to play the different characters in the story. Use the Festivals Explore section of the website to show examples of theatre masks. Tell the class that they are going to choose a character from a Greek legend and make a suitable theatre mask for them.
Individuals or pairs choose their character and make initial sketches of the mask, indicating colours and special details, before choosing the best one. They will then model the mask with papier mache on an inflated balloon. Once this is dry, using their chosen design the children will use paints, felt-tips or crayons to create the face of their character. They may also want to add hair, using perhaps strips of paper or wool.
Once the masks are completed, they could be modelled to the rest of the class, with the maker explaining who the mask is for and what aspects of that character they wanted the mask to emphasise.
The finished masks could be hung on a wall as part of a lovely display on Greek theatre.
Background Information:
For more information visit and look at the following section
The Festivals Explore section of the website.
You may find the following Background Information sheets, found on useful for this activity:
Theatre
Key background information
Sparta was one of the strongest city-states in Greece.
Was ruled by 2 kings at a time and a Council of 30 elders, who were all citizens over the age of 60.
In the archaic period, Sparta produced fine art and literature.
Was a military state.
Had a key role in defeating Persia.
Defeated Athens in the Peloponnesian War and was then at the height of her power.
Made a treaty with Persia, the ‘King’s Peace’, in 386 BC.
Was defeated by Thebes in 371 BC, never regained supremacy.
Life for men
Spartan boys left their families at 7 to be trained to become part of the full-time professional army.
Had very strict education and training.
Boys were not well fed and punished if caught stealing food.
Boys were encouraged to fight each other but not in anger.
Cowardice was seen almost as a crime.
Spartan education put emphasis on physical fitness.
Boys were taken to the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia to be flogged to show their
toughness and endurance.
The training of males was divided into age groups and called the agôgê (upbringing):
Boys 7- 17 learned reading, writing, dancing and singing; also tough physical education
Older boys, 18-19, trained for the army and in survival techniques.
Youths, 20-29, underwent rigorous military training as part of the standing army.
Young adults, 30+, were full citizens and expected to marry.
A man had to remain in his barracks until he was 30 and if he married (could marry from the age of 20) he had to visit his wife in secrecy.
All adult men belonged to ‘messes’- small groups that met and dined together and were housed in individual ‘men’s houses’.
All citizens were hoplites.
Life for women
Women received an education and physical training.
Physical training made them fit and strong so they would have healthy babies (to become good soldiers).
Physical training probably focused on gymnastics, choral song and dance.
Xenophon says that the legendary law-giver Lycurgus thought wool-working and the related sedentary life found in other states were best left to slave women: the activity was traditionally disdained by Spartan women.
The Perioikoi
(Free, non-Spartans of Laconia and Messenia)
Had to provide military service to the Spartans
Did not have the privileges of citizenship (e.g. member of the Spartan assembly, able to be a magistrate).
Were involved with the management of trade and manufacture, as Spartans not allowed to be engaged in trade.
The Helots
(The ‘serf’ population)
Were Greeks of the area around Sparta that were defeated in war by the Spartans.
Were owned by Spartans as a whole (not by individuals).
The magistrates (ephors) declared war on them annually as constant fear of revolt.
They provided most of the agricultural produce for the rest of the population.
Those of Messenia took part in regular revolts.
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