The last building along the creek was the glass bottle making plant where the wine bottles and bottles for distilled spirits were blown. The aqueduct was continued along the creek side of the building where large barrels filled with sifted sand were lined up. Whenever the aqueduct was in use the excess water would be allowed to pour into these barrels and run out through a small opening at the bottom, effectively washing impurities out of the sand. The glass bottles were made using this sand along with soda ash and limestone, which are melted together in furnaces that reach high temperatures.
The term soda ash (sodium carbonate), one of the glass making components, originated from the burning and leaching of sodium-rich kelp and seaweed to produce a crude soda ash. The crude soda ash could then be used to reduce the melting point of silica sand to produce glass. Soda ash also could be recovered from dry dessert lake beds, but the main source was to produce soda ash from trona ore which could be mined in Central Anatolia of Asia Minor.
A series of refining steps are required to produce soda ash from trona ore. First the raw ore from the mine is crushed and screened. The material is then calcinated by being fed into an enclosed kiln and heated to drive off unwanted gases and convert the sodium sesquicarbonate (Na₂CO₃ · CaCO₃ · 2H₂O) to sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃). The calcined soda ash is then dissolved in water, and the resulting solution is filtered to remove any remaining insoluble materials. The water is next evaporated in black amphorae ceramic pots in the sun on the South side of the building, allowing sodium carbonate crystals to form. The sodium carbonate crystals are then scraped out of the amphorae pots and stored in a large ceramic pithoi pot ready for use in glass making.
The final building on the street across from the glass making plant was the ceramic jar making facility. The ceramic facility made large 10-gallon amphorae pots, and smaller personal size containers for storing products all year round.
On the way out of town, I ran past our family’s Alcmaeonidae General Store with its large warehouse off the back and couldn’t help thinking that father and grandfather had built a fearsome vertically integrated agri-business.
We loaded up the carriage in the afternoon after lunchtime. Most of the luggage strapped to the top was actually Taygete’s as Ariphron and I left most of our stuff back at the mansion in Athens. After saying our goodbyes to Mother, Father gave her a farewell kiss and told her he’d be back next weekend. We all climbed into the carriage with Taygete sitting next to father.
Father’s driver and bodyguard climbed into the box seat, picked up the reins, gave the two horses pulling the carriage a lateral click to go and we headed down the country road at a trot. We headed towards Kalyvia Thorikou first so we could catch the central roadway of the Attic Peninsula which would take us around the north side of Mount Hymettus to enter Athens from the Northern suburbs. The whole trip would take us 3-4 hours barring anything unforeseen.
“So, you excited Taygete? You haven’t really been out of our tribe’s home ground much. I’m sure this is going to be all new for you.”
“I’m really looking forward to it father. This is all very exciting.”
“Just be careful when you get to Athens and take precautions in what you do. An Alcmaeonidae has a lot of value, both as a political hostage and as a kidnapped abductee. You’ll need to take your daggers with you while out and about, and be smart about what parts of town you go to.”
“I’ll be careful father.”
“Pericles, show her around and make sure doesn’t get lost until she gets used to the place.”
“My pleasure. It should be fun to run around with my lovable little sister in a new and exciting place for at least a little while. Don’t worry too much, Father, Taygete is pretty sharp, and I’m sure she’ll ditch me before too long for the new friends she’s sure to make.”
“Yay, I’ll get to go on a date with Big Brother!” Taygete, the Bro-Con, squealed with joy.
I couldn’t help but let out a sigh and shake my head.
It wasn’t long before Taygete returned to looking out the window at the passing scenery with a fascinated gleam in her eye, and father pulled out his paperwork for the affairs of the family business.
The first large town we came to was Markopoulo Mesogavias, famous for its extremely fertile land and a multitude of quality products such as wine, olive oil, cheeses, yogurt, pistachios, and figs. Not surprisingly, cultivated vineyards, olive groves and pistachio trees formed the landscape of the surrounding area.
After that we came to the small town of Koropi, followed by Karellas, a small village, both of which were surrounded by small farms.
Once we came into the Mesogeia valley, it wasn’t long before the carriage came into the towns of Upper and Lower Paeania. In the arms of Mount Hymettus, and surrounded by vineyards and olive groves was the town of Paeania, birthplace of the famous orator Demosthenes.
Nearby Paeania was the Koutouki Cave with a natural entrance located 500 meters up the mountain side. The entrance led down to a vast main chamber of 60 x 60 meters which then split off into smaller rooms. The interior decoration of the main chamber is impressive, and a sight to see, featuring tall columns that resemble stone waterfalls, astonishing stalactites and stalagmites, as well as color combinations that create a majestic and imposing atmosphere.
The last small town we came to was Glyka Nera, meaning "sweet water", an area of farmlands and olive groves, before the city of Athens came into sight.
Athens, the largest Hellenes city, was located on the southwest slope of Mount Lycabettus, between the small rivers Cephissus to the west, Ilissos to the south, and the Eridanos to the north, the latter of which flowed through the town.
The total population of Athens was around 350,000 people. This included free citizens, metics (foreign residents), slaves, women, and children. Of this total, roughly 35,000 were adult male citizens who had completed their military training and were eligible to vote. Women and children made up a significant portion of the population but did not have the same political rights as male citizens. Slavery was also a significant part of Athenian society, with one third of the population enslaved, amounting to roughly 120,000 in number. The rest, known as metics, were foreign residents who lived in Athens but did not have the same rights as citizens. They were often merchants, craftsmen, or laborers that contributed to the city's economy.
Approaching the city walls the homes were predominantly small and practical like many of the houses we had passed by in the small towns and villages. The homes were made of sun-dried bricks built on a foundation of stone which protected the more vulnerable elements from damp. The bricks were made from mud, straw, and water, which were mixed together, shaped into bricks, and dried in the sun. Timber was used for the roof structures and roofs themselves were made of thatch with eaves which overhung the permeable walls. Windows in these houses were relatively small, lacking glass, and positioned high up on the façade. Typically covered with wooden shutters, these windows allowed for ventilation and some natural light to enter the interior while protecting against weather elements and offering privacy.
Once the carriage passed the city walls at the eastern Gate of Diochares the nature and character of the houses changed considerably. City houses were built with adjoining walls and were divided into small blocks by narrow, winding and irregular streets. Shops were sometimes located in the rooms towards the street with balconies occasionally on the second floor. Smaller city houses were predominantly rear facing with the windows and doors opening to balconies and patios in the back yard.
In the wealthier neighborhoods, the houses were inward-facing, with major openings looking onto the central courtyard, or atrium, rather than the street. The open-air atrium, enveloped by the house’s various rooms and surrounded by a peristyle colonnade that provided shade and protection from weather, allowed for light and air circulation. The courtyard frequently contained an altar to the goddess Hestia who was the goddess of hearth and home. There might also be a well for water located there and a cistern for rainwater collection from the roof.
The most obvious change was that the houses were made of stone rather than sun-dried mud bricks, allowing for multiple story houses. Stucco, made from a combination of materials like gypsum, marble dust, and glue, was then used to cover walls, providing a smooth, finished surface for both the exterior and interior of buildings. The use of stucco also allowed for the creation of decorative elements like relief panels, friezes, and cornices, adding to the aesthetic appeal of buildings.
Stone walls also meant that Clay tiles, instead of woven thatch straw, could be used for roofing. These fired ceramic roof tiles were durable, resistant to fire, and helped keep the interior of the house cool. Clay roof tiles showed an S-shape, with the pan and cover tile forming one piece. They were much larger than modern roof tiles, being up to 90 cm (35.43 in) long, 70 cm (27.56 in) wide, 3–4 cm (1.18–1.57 in) thick and weighing around 30 kg (66 lb) apiece. Only stone walls, rather than mudbrick and wood walls, were strong enough to support the weight of a tiled roof.
The carriage finally pulled up to the front of father’s mansion in the city. It was a large, two and half story stuccoed stone structure that occupied two house plots on the block and was back set from the street far enough to provide room for the ornate semi-circle front porch. The house was especially unusual in that there were large glass windows on the front of the house made up of wooden slats between flat glass panes in a grid pattern separating individual panes of glass within the window sash. There were two on the ground floor, three on the first floor up from the ground, and one on the top floor two stories up from ground floor. Underneath the windows on the first floor were stuccoed stone planter boxes filled with an assortment of beautiful blooming flowers.
The roof of the house was clay tile, with a set of three dormers on both sides. Gutters on both sides of the roof drained into cisterns on both sides of the house. The cistern on the left side was on an elevated stand next to the bathroom and provided water for flushing the toilet on the ground floor. The cistern on the right side was at the back of the house and provided water for general cleaning and drinking water for the horses.
The ornate front porch in itself stood out as a reflection of the family’s wealth and prestige. The semi-circle slate roof was supported by four Ionic marble columns and the floor of the porch was tiled with a beautiful mosaic pattern.
Finally, the cobble stone street was continued right up to the front porch, planter boxes and the stuccoed stone wall, with a cap stone, on the left side of the house that separated father’s house from the neighbors. The cobble stone then continued around on the right side of the house to the backyard where the horse barn was located.
Upon arrival we all jumped out of the carriage and started grabbing our luggage. With as sore as my backside was, I was glad to be back on my feet and quickly grabbed my weapons, armor and leather travel bag off the top of the carriage. Amidst all the banging around we were doing the front door of the house opened and out came father’s mistress Alcyone, and her daughter Aethusa flanked by three maids to greet us.
Alcyone was a beautiful woman in her thirties with a heart shaped face, green eyes, pale skin and long dark brown hair that spilled over her shoulders. She was wearing two emerald earrings and a gold necklace with an emerald stone that both brought out the color of her eyes and drew your focus in to her ample cleavage which itself was accentuated by her dark brown V-cut dress that matched her hair color and showed off her buxom chest, thin waist and wide hips.
She had originally been the wife of a merchant that worked for father. After he died at sea on a voyage, father took her in as a mistress along with her daughter.
Standing next to her was Aethusa, a young woman with turquoise eyes, fair skin and long brown hair styled in a sleek, neat manner loosely tied with a hairpin. She was wearing a pearl earring on her left ear and a silver bangle around her left wrist, and an elegant and refined dress featuring a delicate white-and-purple color scheme.
Alcyone gave a slight bow and greeted with “Welcome home Xanthippus, darling, and you too Pericles and Ariphron. And what do we have here? Who is this beautiful young lady I see before me?” as she stared expectantly at Taygete.
Taygete did a perfect curtsey, saying “I am Taygete Alcmaeonid. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“I’m glad to meet you dear, I’m Alcyone, and I look forward to getting to know you.”
Aethusa stepped forward too, saying “Nice to meet you too, I’m Aethusa. I hope we can get along.”
Afterwards everybody else gave their hellos, Alcyone told the house servants to get Taygete’s luggage and take it up to her room on the middle floor, and father’s driver told him he would be by tomorrow morning to take him to work before he drove the carriage around the back of the house to the barn.
The front door of the house opened into a large, rectangular, ornately decorated hall, known as an Andron, with a towering atrium open to the floor above ground level. Though the outside walls were stuccoed, the inside walls were covered with plaster, made from lime and sand, in order to provide a smooth surface. The entire ground floor was tiled, with a large mosaic pattern in the middle of the Andron. A balcony, supported by marble ionic columns, overlooked the room from the upstairs and served as a hallway which ran from the shuttered windows on one side of the house to the shuttered windows on the other.
The upstairs was reached by an open stairway embedded in the back wall which went from the left to right. The stairs to the basement were underneath it behind a doorway next to the wall of the kitchen which also had a door to access the basement stairs.
To the right of the entryway and at the front of the house was the dining room. Across from it, the kitchen took up the rest of the space to the back of the house. To the left of the entryway and at the front of the house was a large living room with leather couches and chairs, and a coffee table. Next to it and towards the middle of the house was the bathroom. The bathroom had a washbasin, a bathtub and a toilet which could be flushed with rainwater from the roof stored in the raised cistern outside. All three of them drained through a ceramic sewer line which went to a large bucket outside that could then be used to ‘water’ the gardens in the backyard.
On the left side of the Andron a hallway ran to the back of house and a door to the stone patio. The back of house was effectively the ‘women’s quarters,’ where the Thracian female servants father owned could conduct various domestic tasks, from weaving and cooking to child-rearing and engaging in crafts. In the center of the back of the house was a large common room which connected the maid’s bedrooms to the kitchen and looked out on the back patio and gardens when the window shutters were opened. Positioned towards the rear of the house, it offered a degree of seclusion from the house’s more public areas, such as the andron or living room.
Interestingly enough, father’s mistress Alcyone’s room wasn’t in the women’s quarters, but was upstairs on the top floor at the front of the house. On the other side of the hallway, which ran between the window dormers, was father’s bedroom at the back of the house. Aethusa, Alcyone’s daughter, also didn’t have her bedroom located there, being on the second floor at the front of the house over the dining room.
As for Taygete, Ariphron and myself, Taygete’s room was at the front of the house over the living room, Ariphron’s room was in the middle to the left at the back of the house, and my room was in the middle right behind the stairs and thus was wider than the other four bedrooms on the second floor at the back of the house. The two other bedrooms on the backside of the house over the kitchen and the ‘women’s quarters’ were unused and could be used as guest bedrooms. All four bedrooms at the back of the house had shuttered windows facing the back yard and doors that led out onto the wood deck on the one story up over the patio at the back of the house.