Was it common in small villages in ancient times to offer free shelter to wanderers and travellers?

by vanity6_9

Often old stories, myths etc across various cultures will feature a traveller seeking food and shelter as they pass through a town. Was this historically common? Was there less of a divide between the private and public spheres in ancient times, and a more relaxed attitude towards sharing possessions? I've read before of businessmen whose associates often came from out of town (merchants for example) who would be hospitable in ways that would be seen as unusual today - sharing beds with their guests for example. If hospitality was approached differently in ancient times, was this attitude customary across all social classes, regardless of economic circumstances?

93calcetines

In an effort to narrow down OP's question, can we say around 500 BC? I'd be more interested in a compare/contrast type response looking at multiple time periods but I know that may be a bit much to ask.

Edit: Let's also specify Greece to make it a more specific question.

jamofthepineapple

could i also narrow it down to the viking period.... specifically, whichever period is most like skyrim