1. Introduction
In today’s society, we as women often take for granted the rights, freedoms, and equality we share with men that women in the ancient world were not granted. As all civilisations in the ancient world exercised different treatment towards, this essay will illustrate a few comparisons in the status of women during ancient Egypt with women during ancient Rome. Academic sources will be relied on to provide the necessary actualities when one considers ancient civilizations. The legal status of women in society, the domestic atmospheres and roles that each unique region’s women held, and the possible occupations available to these women, will be discussed.
2. Economic and legal standing
Both ancient Rome and Egypt were governed by
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Egyptian women could take part in business activities (Watterson 1991:25), in contrast to Roman women, who had a very limited role in public life, and could not attend, speak in, or vote at political assemblies, nor could they hold any position of political responsibility (Clarke 1981:206-207). Roman women were meant to stay within the confines of the house but were permitted to attend market and visit their …show more content…
Even though they both did not share an equal status with the males in their respective societies, ancient Egyptian women did enjoy more freedom and equal treatment, as opposed to ancient Roman women. Despite the fact that Roman women were not confined to their homes, they were throughout their lives subject to the authority of the men in their lives, unlike Egyptian women who did not require a male guardian to act on her
Women in second wave civilizations from China, Rome, and Greece around 600 BCE to 200 AC were treated very differently from each other and their male counterparts from this time, but they also shared some similarities. In this essay, I'll be exploring the differences from each other, and how women played a role in their civilizations during this time. Women in this time period don't have as many rights as they do today, but they still play a part in their civilizations/empires. So without further ado, let's see the similarities and differences between these civilizations.
Women in Ancient Egypt Script Opening Statement/Introduction Since the beginning of recorded history, different societies have had different values, attitudes and beliefs. However, one of the most distinguishing features of ancient societies is the treatment of women. Unlike modern-day beliefs, most civilisations regarded women as inferior to men; this has been indicated in many documents of literature (Cornell University, 2011) such as Economics by the Greek philosopher Aristotle. Although, the majority of ancient empires enforced this ideal in one way or another, some ancient societies such as Egypt contradicted this perception of women. -Change
Much is known of men in ancient civilizations, from the famous philosophers and mathematicians of Greece to the patriarchs and subsequent kings of the nation of Israel. It would seem, however, that history has forgotten the women of these times. What of the famous female thinkers of Ancient Greece, the distinguished stateswomen of Rome? What power did they hold? What was their position in societies of the distant past? A glimpse into the roles and influence of women in antiquity can be discovered in such ancient masterpieces as the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Hebrew Bible.
Egyptian women were regarded as equal to men as far as the law was concerned. Rome viewed women as a social status, and placed a very high value on marriage. Ancient Greece women were mistreated, degraded, and controlled. Women in ancient Israel were helpmates while the men were the head of the household. In ancient China women were not equal to
Cleopatra VII, the last reigning queen of Egypt, has intrigued us for centuries. Her story is one that has been told many times, and the many different and vastly varied representations of her and her story are solely based on the ways in which men and society have perceived women and their role in society throughout history. By looking at the perceptions of women starting from the Hellenes, the Greeks who greatly influenced Roman ideals, and following those perceptions through to the end of the 19th Century, it
They were revered so not because they were women, but because they held positions of power and ruled over the entirety of Egypt. In contrast, women in the lower classes worked as artisans, weaving, perfume making, and other things. Women in Egypt were expected to work in home, as the responsibilities of a mother came first. However, women were also allowed to own and sell property, serve as witnesses in court cases, and many other things that were otherwise considered scandalous. However, the women’s expectations in society were often unfair, as many lower-class women were not able to access positions of business or government, reflective of their standing on the Ancient Egyptian social pyramid.
Women of Ancient Egypt In most ancient civilizations women were not considered citizens, however in ancient Egypt women were, at least legally, considered citizens. Because of this Egyptian women had many rights that Roman and Greek women in the ancient world did not have. Although when compared to modern times, women still lacked many important rights, it must be said the Egyptian women were in a much better situation than women of other ancient civilizations.(library.cornell.edu)
Ancient literature are remarkably sparse when it comes to women. Women never fared well in ancient history and there was never a work that had been specifically devoted to an alexandrian women, not even a queen. Before the arrival of Alexander the Great, Egyptian law made is plausible for some freedom to be given to women. Unlike their Greek cohorts, in Athens for example, Alexandrian women were able to posses, buy and sell property. Having an inheritance was a way in which families knew that wealth remained within the family. Egyptian girls were taught important skills that would help them become into a well organized wife and mother. Unlike the pater familia system in Greece, women were required to agree to a marriage purpose before
“Ancient history, to a considerable degree, has been basically the study of the ruling classes.” Although women did occupy positions in the ruling class, they were seldom granted the same privileges afforded to the men of this same class. The Roman Republic was an era of major change in the status of upper-class women. Although they did not have the same rights nor social status as men, many gained the right to inherit and control their own property, and a few acquired large fortunes. Additionally, women were highly respected in religion. The Roman Monarchy was founded in 753 B.C., the era in which kings ruled, and lasted until 509 B.C when the kings were thrown out and the Republic was established.
Aside from ancient Greece and China, there has also been much diversity and contradictory evidence for women in the Roman Empire. On one hand, the cultural assumption was that women were inferior to men and they should obey their husbands or fathers. While, on the other hand, there is scattered evidence that women were engaged in commerce, heading of the household, and influencing politics. An approach to this second assumption was suggested that their participation by women in all these affairs was not “real.” It may have appeared that they held religious and public offices, but they were unimportant.
In Ancient times there was only one society that gave women equal right. In the Egyptian civilization, a woman could come before members of the court to express her complaints. The members of the court would listen and come up with a fair solution, not even think twice
While women in ancient Egypt were not free in terms of most of today’s societies, neither were men. Neither man nor woman knew anything of the modern concept of liberty and equality. Their society was hierarchical, and not based on free will. During the Ptolemaic period of Egyptian history, Greek women enjoyed a much higher status living in Egypt, than they would have back in Greece, “It has been suggested that perhaps Greek women observed Egyptian women
2. Women in early civilization were not allowed to do much. Buy they did contribute to things such as the textile trail, preparations, and food gathering. They mainly had to cook, clean, and take care of their family and home. Women in ancient Egypt had similar rights to men. They were treated better compared to other civilizations. Women in ancient Rome were not treated well especially by their husbands.
Modern day women’s values essentially have not changed, yet the opportunities have gotten bigger. The role women play in today’s society has drastically changed with newfound rights, respect, and opportunity than the women in ancient times. Although there are many differences between the women of the ancient world and the woman of today, the similarities become evident in the daily obligations of the average woman. In the Ancient world, women played various roles much like the modern day woman, which includes: responsibilities at home, clothing styles, and obligations in their marriage.
Throughout history until about the last couple century’s women have had not as many rights compared to their male counter parts and this was especially evident in the ancient world. However women had more rights in places for example they had a bigger role in society compared to that of Greek women in ancient Greece. Women were cogs in a patriarchal dominated society woman were very much under their husbands control according to law and the most important role of women was to raise the children and work at the house with the slaves if they could be afforded. Women could not vote in Greek society, they could not own property, and women could not have much communication with males outside their immediate families. In Roman society however