Role of Roman Women
The role of women in the early Roman Empire is much different than the roles of women today. In the early Roman Empire, women were not given many rights, with Roman law not concerning women as equal to men. In the Roman Empire, women were not allowed to participate in the political areas either. Very few Roman women, mainly the wealthy and those with a high social status enjoyed the freedom on owning a business. For example, one Roman woman made lamps, while others conducted their own businesses as midwifes, hair stylists or even doctors. This research paper will speak of several aspects of the Roman woman, childhood, adulthood, marriage, housing, family life and fashion.
Childhood of Roman Women Roman children played a number of games, and their toys are known from archaeology and literary sources. Girls are depicted in Roman art as playing many of the same games as boys, such as ball, hoop-rolling, and knucklebones. Dolls are sometimes found in the tombs of those who died before adulthood. The figures are typically 15–16 cm tall (about half the height of a Barbie doll), with jointed limbs, and made of materials such as wood, terracotta, and especially bone and ivory. Girls coming of age dedicated their dolls to Diana, the goddess most concerned with girlhood, or to Venus when they were preparing for marriage. Some and perhaps many girls went to a public primary school. Children of the elite were taught Greek as well as Latin from an early age. Children of both genders learned to behave socially by attending dinner parties and other events. Girls did receive some informal education inside the home, learning to read and write. Both parents would often play the role of educator; unfortunately it was frowned upon for a girl to be too educated. Girls from the lower classes of life would receive just enough education to aid them with running small businesses, like dressmaking, or becoming a sales woman. The skills a Roman girl needed to run a household
Childhood of Roman Women Roman children played a number of games, and their toys are known from archaeology and literary sources. Girls are depicted in Roman art as playing many of the same games as boys, such as ball, hoop-rolling, and knucklebones. Dolls are sometimes found in the tombs of those who died before adulthood. The figures are typically 15–16 cm tall (about half the height of a Barbie doll), with jointed limbs, and made of materials such as wood, terracotta, and especially bone and ivory. Girls coming of age dedicated their dolls to Diana, the goddess most concerned with girlhood, or to Venus when they were preparing for marriage. Some and perhaps many girls went to a public primary school. Children of the elite were taught Greek as well as Latin from an early age. Children of both genders learned to behave socially by attending dinner parties and other events. Girls did receive some informal education inside the home, learning to read and write. Both parents would often play the role of educator; unfortunately it was frowned upon for a girl to be too educated. Girls from the lower classes of life would receive just enough education to aid them with running small businesses, like dressmaking, or becoming a sales woman. The skills a Roman girl needed to run a household
Cited: James C. Thompson, B.A., M.Ed. DIVORCE IN ANCIENT ROME. July 2010. December 2011 <http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/divorceinancientrome.htm>. James C. Thompson, B.A., M.Ed. WOMEN IN THE ANCIENT WORLD-Fashion. July 2010. December 2011 <http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/womenandfashion.htm>. —. WOMEN IN THE ANCIENT WORLD-Housing. July 2010. December 2011 <http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/housinginancientrome.htm>. —. WOMEN IN THE ANCIENT WORLD-Marriage. July 2010. December 2011 <http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/marriageinancientrome.htm>. Mason, Moya. Ancient Roman Women: A Look at Their Lives. 2011. 01 December 2011 <http://www.moyak.com/papers/roman-women.html>. Pinchuk, Maryana. Women in Ancient Rome. n.d. December 2011 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Ancient_Rome>.