Summary: The Status Of Women In Ancient Greece

In Greece, as societies gradually became more focused on military prowess, women’s social (and political) status began to decline (Cantarella 23). Eventually, women had no rights and were supposed to devote themselves to childbearing (Cantarella 38-39). The practice arose for men with the means to confine the women of their family within the house (Cantarella 46). Only the poorest women would be seen outside the home (Cantarella 46). Though generalizations can be made, the roles of women in ancient Greece can be difficult to categorize as Greece was composed of so many different poleis. Life for women in Sparta, for example, differed greatly from the experiences of women elsewhere in Greece in regards to gender expectations (“Sparta”). Women
Domestic work was largely relegated to women, and men held the most power. Early in history women held a higher status, which was eventually lost due to a variety of factors. It is important to note that the information here is generalized, as societal expectations may have differed quite a bit between different groups within a culture, such as the wealthy and the poor. More information exists regarding the lives of the privileged and their experiences. I was not terribly surprised that women tended to be oppressed by men or that they were relegated to the realms of housework and childrearing. I was more shocked that in all three cultures, located on very different parts of the globe, women had, at one time, held a great deal of power. They still had decidedly feminine roles expected of them, but they were not viewed or treated as inferior to men. It saddens me that this respect was taken from women. Even today, the respect women deserve has not been restored. Things have improved substantially for women in the past century, but we are still fighting to be recognized as equals to men and to break out of the domestic role to which we have been confined for thousands of