Silver age facts for kids

A silver age is a special time in history that comes right after a "golden age". It's still a great and important period, but maybe not quite as perfect or amazing as the Golden Age before it. The name comes from the metal silver, which is valuable but usually not as valuable as gold in many cultures.

The Silver Age in Greek Myths

The very first "Silver Age" (called Argyrón Génos in Greek) was the second of five "Ages of Man". These ages were described by an ancient Greek poet named Hesiod in his poem Works and Days. The Silver Age came after the Golden Age and before the Bronze Age.

Life During the Silver Age

People in the Silver Age lived a very long time as children, sometimes for a hundred years, without growing up. But then, they would suddenly become old and die quickly. During this age, Kronos was no longer in charge, and the world was ruled by Zeus.

Zeus made some big changes during the Silver Age. Before, it was always spring. But now, Zeus created four different seasons. This meant people had to build houses to protect themselves from the weather. They also had to start working hard to find and grow their own food, unlike in the Golden Age when food was easy to get. This was when people first started planting seeds to grow grain.

Why Zeus Ended the Silver Age

The people of the Silver Age were not as good or noble as those from the Golden Age. They often fought with each other and did not properly honor or serve the gods. This made Zeus very angry. Because of their actions and their lack of respect for the gods, Zeus decided to destroy them. He did this with a great flood, known as the Ogygian Deluge.

Other "Silver Ages" in History

The idea of a "Silver Age" isn't just for ancient Greek myths. People have used this term to describe other important periods that followed a "Golden Age" in different parts of history and culture. Here are a few examples:

• The Silver Age of Latin literature: This was a time when Latin writing was still very good, but perhaps not quite as perfect as the earlier "Golden Age" of Latin literature.
• The Silver Age of Comic Books: This was a very popular and creative time for comic books, especially for DC Comics. A series from 2000 called Silver Age was even named after this period.
• The Silver Age of Russian Poetry: This was a period of great poetry in Russia, following an earlier "Golden Age" of Russian poetry.
• The Silver Age of Alpinism: This refers to a significant time in the history of mountain climbing, especially in the Alps.
• The Treta Yuga: In ancient Indian philosophy, this is the second of four ages in a cycle, similar to how the Silver Age follows the Golden Age.

See also

In Spanish: Edades del hombre para niños