The Metallic Ages of Hesiod Three-age system

hesiod inspired muse, gustave moreau, 1891

in poem, works , days, ancient greek poet hesiod possibly between 750 , 650 bc, defined 5 successive ages of man: 1. golden, 2. silver, 3. bronze, 4. heroic , 5. iron. bronze age , iron age based on use of metal:

... zeus father created third generation of mortals, age of bronze ... terrible , strong, , ghastly action of ares theirs, , violence. ... weapons of these men bronze, of bronze houses, , worked bronzesmiths. there not yet black iron.

hesiod knew traditional poetry, such iliad, , heirloom bronze artifacts abounded in greek society, before use of iron make tools , weapons, bronze had been preferred material , iron not smelted @ all. did not continue manufacturing metaphor, mixed metaphors, switching on market value of each metal. iron cheaper bronze, there must have been golden , silver age. portrays sequence of metallic ages, degradation rather progression. each age has less of moral value preceding. of own age says: , wish not part of fifth generation of men, had died before came, or had been born afterward.