COURTNEY SCHWARTZ

THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN ANCIENT GREECE

Girls and Young Women • Given a wreath of wool at birth (boys received olive branch wreath)• In Greek society, it was considered an embarrassment to have a daughter•Were not allowed to attend school• Learned important skills from their mothers (i.e. Weaving, cooking, field managing)• In Sparta, girls were trained in dance and athletics• During free time, young girls played with toys and games including knucklebones, tops, dolls, balls, ring tosses, and rocking horses

Marriage• Marriage was monogamous, but men were allowed to have affairs• On average, women married at sixteen to men in their thirties• Accepted for men to marry nieces and half sisters in order to keep wealth

within the family• Weddings: an enguesis marriage was arranged by the male guardian, called

the kurios. Women who didn’t have a kurios were epikleros and married a close relative in an epidikasia marriage.• Women received a dowry, which was managed by their kurios.• Most Athenian weddings occurred in the winter month Gamelion• Weddings lasted for several days and consisted of a feast with childhood

sacrifices to Artemis at the bride’s home, sacred bathing, betrothal between groom and bride’s father, unveiling of bride, ceremony, journey home, and the party at the groom’s home

Expectations of Women• Not permitted to engage in

activity outside of their homes that involved men• Men and women had separate

quarters in the home• Women were only allowed

outside of the house if they were given permission by their husbands or if their husbands held a high position in the government and/or society• The main roles of women were

child-bearing and domestic duties• Death rate of women in

childbirth was comparable with war casualties• Women were not allowed to

attend the Olympics; they threw a similar, small-scale event in honor of Hera

Women’s Rights• Could not become citizens, therefore they were unable to participate in the democracy (in Athens)• Property ownership was limited to Spartan women, for the most part• Women were not allowed to sue• Had a fairly significant role in religion; women were able

to be low priestesses • The job of the oracle was always occupied by a woman• Husbands were able to divorce their wives, but the

reverse did not apply

Women’s Fashion• Himation: a rectangle of wool that was originally worn as a cloak, but became more elaborate with draping and usage• Peplos: a long, woolen garment that was fastened on the shoulders with a brooch, but had large armholes. The peplos was cinched at the waist and braided on the hemline. Popular patterns included checks, flowers, stripes, and wavy lines. • Chiton: introduced during the Persian Wars. The design was based on the peplos but it was much wider and was made of linen. The two types of chitons were the Doric and Ionic chitons. Doric chitons had a longer overfold and lower waistline than Ionic chitons• Sandals, slippers, soft shoes, and leather ankle boots were worn• Hair was styled with waxes and lotions in braids on top of the head or worn long and was held back with cecryphalaes, or headbands

CHITON PEPLOS CHITON

SHOES HAIRSTYLES

Female Slaves• As a means to increase wealth, young girls from poor families were sometimes sold into slavery• Female slaves were often raped and physically abused by their male masters• If the sexual exploitation resulted in pregnancy, after the woman gave birth, she was forced to give up her child because slaves weren’t allowed to bear children• Additionally, slaves weren’t allowed to marry• Elite women usually had a close relationship with their female slaves due to constant interaction. In fact, the women of the house confided in their slaves more so than they did to anyone else

Lifestyles of Affluent and Poor Women

• Did not have jobs• Sometimes owned

a small amount of property• Lived in separate

quarters of their houses• Usually pale

because they rarely went outside• In charge of slaves

and servants• Stayed at home

most of the time

• Sometimes needed to work in order to improve their lifestyle• Could not afford to live

in separate quarters of the home• Noticeable difference

from aristocratic women due to darker coloration of skin• Often worked as

slaves and servants• Went to the market

alone, which was looked down upon in society

Affluent Women Poor Women

Works Cited• http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/women1/p/GreekMarriage.htm• http://www.richeast.org/htwm/greeks/marriage/marriage.html• http://www.richeast.org/htwm/greeks/costume/costume.html• http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/Clothing/• http://s4.hubimg.com/u/825339_f520.jpg• http://webpage.pace.edu/nreagin/F2004WS267/AnnaCho/finalHISTORY.html• http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210200/ancient_greece/daily_life.htm• http://www.historylink102.com/greece3/men-women-roles.htm• http://www.historylink102.com/greece3/index.htm• http://www.crystalinks.com/greekslavery.html • http://www.fjkluth.com/polit.html

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