Athenian Adultery Essay
What does the Athenian adultery law state? Why is adultery such a serious offense in Athenian law?
In classical Athens there were certain offences in which homicide was justified and allowed. The act which is usually rendered in English as "adultery" was called moicheia (μοιχεία) in Greek. Catching a woman of your family committing adultery was one of those times. The reason that this speech exists is because there must have been some doubt as to whether the husband actually caught his wife in the act of committing adultery or whether it was all and elaborate ruse to have some sort of reason to murder some other person. In these cases the man was only allowed to be killed because men were allowed to kill the women of their family pretty much …show more content…
They rarely took part in politics, could not own land and were not allowed to vote. The only “public role” women had to do was give birth to children for the state. Girls were usually raised in a women’s chamber, which was a place just for women in the house and most of the time not seen by her father. At the age of seven girls would usually start an all-girls school and would marry at young ages usually around thirteen to fourteen years old. Their fathers were usually the ones to pick their husband, which were usually much older. Few women had jobs and the ones who did would sell goods on the market to earn money. Women that were “important” had the role of priestesses, but usually all women stayed in their homes. Wives in Athens had separate rooms in their house and would never go out alone. They would teach and educate their sons until they were six or seven and ready to go to school likewise they would raise their daughters until they go to school and then they would be ready to marry. Slavery started during the bronze ages onwards. Slaves and children were property of their owners and were allowed to be sold and traded by the slave dealers. Slave markets were known in many cities. Slaves were sold and sometimes given to the people by their owners and were treated very harsh in factories, agriculture and mining. Few slaves were seen working in
In classical Athens there were certain offences in which homicide was justified and allowed. The act which is usually rendered in English as "adultery" was called moicheia (μοιχεία) in Greek. Catching a woman of your family committing adultery was one of those times. The reason that this speech exists is because there must have been some doubt as to whether the husband actually caught his wife in the act of committing adultery or whether it was all and elaborate ruse to have some sort of reason to murder some other person. In these cases the man was only allowed to be killed because men were allowed to kill the women of their family pretty much …show more content…
They rarely took part in politics, could not own land and were not allowed to vote. The only “public role” women had to do was give birth to children for the state. Girls were usually raised in a women’s chamber, which was a place just for women in the house and most of the time not seen by her father. At the age of seven girls would usually start an all-girls school and would marry at young ages usually around thirteen to fourteen years old. Their fathers were usually the ones to pick their husband, which were usually much older. Few women had jobs and the ones who did would sell goods on the market to earn money. Women that were “important” had the role of priestesses, but usually all women stayed in their homes. Wives in Athens had separate rooms in their house and would never go out alone. They would teach and educate their sons until they were six or seven and ready to go to school likewise they would raise their daughters until they go to school and then they would be ready to marry. Slavery started during the bronze ages onwards. Slaves and children were property of their owners and were allowed to be sold and traded by the slave dealers. Slave markets were known in many cities. Slaves were sold and sometimes given to the people by their owners and were treated very harsh in factories, agriculture and mining. Few slaves were seen working in