Princess Maria of Greece and Denmark

Princess Maria of Greece and Denmark was a daughter of King George I of Greece and his wife Grand Duchess Olga Constantinovna of Russia. She was a sister of King Constantine I of Greece and a first cousin of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and King George V of the United Kingdom.

Festive attire featured coins and gold threads

On feast days, women in Megara adorned themselves with strings of coins and silver chains, and wore veils of transparent silk interwoven with gold threads. Festive costumes were distinguished from practical, dark-colored everyday wear by their rich embroidery, bright colors, and ornamentation.

Men wore the iconic fustanella skirt

Men often wore the fustanella, a full-pleated skirt that originated from southern Albania and became a national symbol. It was commonly paired with a vest, a sleeveless coat, and a leather belt used to carry weapons.

Diverse musical life in Greece

While elites in cities attended orchestral concerts and ballroom dances, ordinary people enjoyed folk festivals featuring chain dances, often accompanied by the clarinet, violin, and laouto. In cities, tavernas became hubs for rebetika music played with bouzoukis and baglamas.

Singing heroic ballads at table feasts

Heroic songs, or klephtic ballads, were often sung by soloists at banquets while seated around tables filled with food and wine. Singers and their audience used these songs to emotionally relive stories of bravery and life's challenges.

Leisurely train travel in Greece

Trains in Greece often made leisurely stops of several minutes at stations, where passengers alighted to socialize while hawkers sold goods and wine shops opened.

Travel time in Crete was slow

A journey across Crete from the Mesara plain to Heraklion, a distance of about 60 km, took 24 hours with a brief overnight stop.

Democratic and Accessible Public Education

Schools of all grades were abundant and free to all, and it was common to see children from diverse social backgrounds, such as a cabdriver's daughter and a government official's child, sitting side by side in class.

Village Life and Daily Work Patterns

Peasants typically lived in large villages rather than isolated farmhouses to protect themselves from brigandage, traveling daily to work in the fields with bread and olives for lunch.

Costs of Basic Food Items

In 1870, bread cost between 55 and 65 lepta, and it was noted that a modest feast of olives, salted fish, and halvah could be bought for just three sous.

Bread and Olives as Staples

For ordinary Greek families, bread and olives were the staple foods, often supplemented by seasonal vegetables or wild greens. Meat and fish played only a secondary role in their daily diet.

Low wages for shepherds

Shepherds were among the lowest-paid workers, often receiving only 60 drachmas plus provisions for six months of labor. In contrast, cotton field workers could earn up to 3 drachmas per day in the same era.

Rural wages in the early 1870s

In the early 1870s, workers in cotton fields earned between 1.5 and 2.5 drachmas daily, while men working in vineyards received 3 drachmas plus provisions. Shepherds were paid significantly less, receiving only 60 drachmas for six months of work along with provisions.

Wages and Long Shifts in 1870 Greece

In 1870, average daily wages were 2.5 drachmas for men, 1.5 for women, and 0.5 for children. Workers in textile factories often endured 12-hour shifts, six days a week, with two additional hours of unpaid work on Sundays.

Child Labor in Mines and Factories

Children as young as six were considered eligible for employment, with some young girls working in spinning mills having to stand on stools to reach the machinery. In the mines, children were employed in tasks such as sorting ores and carrying stone.