* Outside the city walls: The poorest often lived outside the main city walls, in areas that were less desirable and offered less protection. These areas might be on the outskirts of the city, in less fertile land, or near landfills. This placement reflected their lower social standing and lack of access to the resources and protections afforded to citizens within the walled city.
* Substandard housing: Their housing was rudimentary at best. Think simple huts or cramped, multi-family dwellings made of mud brick, wattle and daub, or other inexpensive materials. These structures likely lacked basic amenities like running water and proper sanitation.
* Crowded conditions: Overcrowding was common in poorer areas. Multiple families might share a single structure, leading to poor hygiene and increased vulnerability to disease.
* Near the harbors and industrial areas: In some cases, poor people might live near the harbors or industrial areas, seeking employment in manual labor or unskilled jobs. While proximity to work was a benefit, these locations often suffered from higher levels of pollution and noise.
* No dedicated "slums" in the modern sense: While the poor lived in less desirable conditions, the concept of a formally designated, segregated "slum" as we understand it today wasn't as rigidly defined in ancient Greece. Their living areas were more organically created due to factors like availability of land, proximity to work, and social standing.
It's important to remember that our understanding is based on limited archaeological evidence and written accounts that often focused on the lives of the wealthy and powerful. The lives of the poor were less documented, leaving much to interpretation and speculation.