Women of Ancient Rome & China

The empires of Rome and China were very great ones, they both had many similarities and differences in the way they ran their empires. One major difference was the way they treated their women. Both Chinese and Roman women were unequal in social status than the men of the empires were, but they were definitely treated different in both empires. Women of China were treated quite harshly and were expected to take orders at all times by their husbands, and were to serve them always. This started to happen especially after Confucius died because he taught people to treat each other the same, “after his death women became less free and lost status,”(Arvind 10). Women of Rome were treated like goddesses; they were to stay at home as housewives and watch over the children, Roman men would go through great lengths to preserve their wives.

The women of the Chinese and Roman empires were treated differently from the men. The main difference between the status of men to women in China is the fact that they would never be treated as equals, women 's jobs were to please their husbands and obey the authority of the men of the empire. Chinese women were expected to maintain the household while their husbands were out making a living for their families. In Rome, women were to be housewives as well; however, they were given more luxuries than the women of China. Chinese women worked just as hard as their husbands; while their husbands were out working they would tidy the house and make sure the household was full of groceries by the time the husband got home. In Rome, the women were treated with more care; they were even allowed simple freedoms such as being able to compete in sporting events.

Women did not play very significant roles in society in either of the empires. They would never be treated as equals at any time. Chinese women of poor classes could be sold to higher class families as servants by their fathers. Women in Rome were also not given much say in