Olivia Shasserre
Professor A. Berkowitz
History of Western Civilization
21 March 2016
Women of Ancient Rome: Private Life
Brigham Young once said, “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” Women in history are not documented as much as men, but are still credited for the small but tedious tasks they completed. In the beginning, women had no rights whatsoever but as time went on and rome became an empire ,they gained small rights. During the roman empire, women of all social classes maintained the same pattern in their public life. These women share many qualities that make up their private life. Although there were some differences in the social classes, each woman birthed children, performed everyday household chores, produced the families wardrobe, and practiced a strong faith and education.
Since women of this time had little rights, they often produced children to get a leadership role. Although it seemed like the father had the most power, since he had ownership of the mother and children as written in the Twelve Tables. When a couple had children, especially the first boy, the wife would gain a little more authority. In the letter from Hilarion to his wife, he is telling her to expose/kill their child if it is female (249). This was common in many households since the male is in charge. As the mother began having more children,the children would look up to their mother just as equally as their father. Once a woman had three children, she was “free” from her husband and could disobey him (261). Roman women were valued on how many children they birthed and were responsible for instilling class and respect into their children. The mother relatives in sharing the life and the be...
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...reciated by the Romans. These women produced children just so they could care and nurture for them. They also poured out their blood, sweat and tears to create a better life for their spouse and children. These women took care of all the necessities a family needed and raised their kids to be a respectful, noble Roman. The love, time, and effort that these women put into raising their families will probably never be duplicated again. These women will forever be remembered and their perseverance will live on for many generations.
Works Cited
Cartwright, Mark. "Women in the Roman World." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Creative Commons, 22 Feb. 2014. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.
PBS. "The Roman Empire." PBS. Devillier Donegan Enterprises, 2006. Web. 20 Mar. 2016
Young, Brigham. "Quotes About Women." (4150 Quotes). Goodreads, 2016. Web. 08 Mar. 2016.
In this analysis, an examination will be provided on how sources from Pompeii and Herculaneum can be interpreted to make known the role and status that women of first century AD possessed. Specifically, reference will be made to the Fresco from the triclinium of the Villa of the Mysteries, Inscription of the Eumachia Building and the tablets of Poppaea Note. Nevertheless, prior to analysing the evidence that these sources reveal; it should be noted that the women of Pompeii are not to be placed in a homogenous grouping. This is a result of the diversified roles and status that women occupied in Pompeii and Herculaneum. To provide a comprehensive analysis of the roles and status women possessed, the report will be categorised into a domestic, professional and slave context; to ensure the dichotomy in the grouping of women is made explicit.
Thesis Statement: Men and women were in different social classes, women were expected to be in charge of running the household, the hardships of motherhood.
Family roles in ancient Egypt and ancient Rome were a very important part of life.
Lefkowitz, Mary R., and Maureen B. Fant. Women's Life in Greece and Rome. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 2005.
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