Women's Role In Roman Society

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The role of women in the Roman Empire during Late Antiquity is a restricted one, secondary in most things to their male counterparts. Women could not hold political office or serve in the military, limiting their direct public influence in state affairs. This is not to say, however, that free Roman women were powerless. They had the right to own property, run businesses, and could freely divorce while keeping their property (Frier and McGinn 155). A far cry from the rights of men, who could do all these things and more, but by no means were women without power.
Imperial women played an especially large role in Roman society. While barred from publicly holding office, women in the Imperial family exerted their influence on the Emperor and the Empire in other ways: as guardians, regents, lovers, mothers, sisters. Three women stand out as being particularly influential in politics and religion: Galla Placidia, who was Valentinian III’s regent in the mid 400’s in the Western Empire; Pulcheria, who was Theodosius II’s regent in the East around the same time; and Theodora, …show more content…

This is especially true not only in the case of weak or young Emperors such as Valentinian III or Theodosius II, but also with strong Emperors like Justinian. Women were instrumental in spreading the glory of the Church and in influencing their Emperor’s laws and policies. The historians of the time, universally male and often not fond of these powerful women, often slandered them with rumors of promiscuity or incest, as seen in the cases of Galla Placidia and Theodora. The men of the time seem to have felt threatened by a woman who publicly held power. Even virtuous Pulcheria was seen as unfit to rule in her own name. Despite their inability, for the most part, to rule the Empire from the front and center, Imperial women often held influence and power equal to or greater than the Emperors they nominally

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