Women In Ancient Rome

Women in ancient Rome, much like other places during this time, were not treated equal to men and had to work even harder than men to get noticed. However, a few Roman women did go down in history as great influencers. A women was saw as the housekeeper and the caretaker of the children. Although women were not considered important to the Roman empire, they were crucial for Roman life and made an impact on the ancient world. During this time, men were considered superior to women. The men had full dominance over the family and their wives. Women were treated as accessories to their husbands. Even their naming practice would show the dominance of the males in the family. The men would get three names, while the women were only called by the

The first Roman settlers came over and stole women from neighboring tribes. They married and raped these women. The men wanted to make alliances through blood. The tribes started a war to rescue the captured women stolen from them. The abducted women, however, tried to stop the war and prevent bloodshed. These women were led by Hersilia, the wife of Romulus. This story shows how women link the families of ancient Rome. During this time period, women were given absolutely no political freedom or power. They could not attend, vote, or speak in any political meetings, nor could they hold any sort of office. However, some women did have some influence in political affairs due to having husbands involved in politics (Cartwright). Some women were allowed more freedom than others, but it was still very limited. Women received little to no education. If they did receive an education, it was a very basic one. Some upper class women could have an education in literature and philosophy. Not much is known about how women felt because women typically could not read or write, therefore, they could not write stories about themselves

Zeus is the god of all gods and the sky. He is considered to be the most important god. There are many goddess’ that are also important in Roman religion. Hera, the wife of Zeus, is the queen and mother of all gods. She is also the goddess of women, marriage, and maternity. Zeus had a daughter names Athena. She is not the daughter of Hera, however, because she is said to have sprung from the head of Zeus. Here is the goddess of war, wisdom, weaving, and the protector of Athens. Another very important goddess is Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Artemis is the goddess of lunar light, hunting, and childbirth. Demeter is the goddess of agriculture and grain, and persephone is the goddess of the underworld (Witcombe). There are a few women who were huge influences on the Roman empire. Aurelia Cotta was the mother of Julius Caesar. She is famous for intervening when Sulla, a dictator, ordered for Caesar to be executed. Octavia, the great niece of Julius Caesar, was married to Mark Antony. Antony left Octavia to be with Cleopatra. After the death of both Antony and Cleopatra, Octavia cared for the couple 's’ children, despite Antony leaving her. Helena was the mother of Constantine, the first Christian emperor. She is known for being devout, moralistic, and a saint. Helena explored her faith and is believed to have found religious relics in Jerusalem, like the “True Cross” (History