ipl-logo

What Role Did Women Play In Ancient Greece

497 Words2 Pages

Women in ancient Greece played a crucial role in religious worship. They participated in the Panathenaia festival, which was held in Athens every four years in honour of the goddess Athena. Women were responsible for making the peplos, a garment worn by the statue of Athena during the procession. The women responsible for making the peplos were called ergastinae. The importance of women's participation in the creation and offering of the peplos demonstrates their significant and highly valued role they had in religious worship in Ancient Greece. They were also priestesses of Athena Polias and participated in the procession, although not in the games themselves. Women also played a significant role in the Thesmophoria festival, which aimed to ensure fertility for the harvest. Moreover, women in Ancient Greece also …show more content…

The most important female religious figure in Rome was the Vestal Virgin, a priestess who was responsible for maintaining the sacred fire of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth. The Vestal Virgins were an essential part of Roman religious life, and their role was highly respected. However, they were the only female priestly college in Rome, and women could not hold any other official positions in the state religion. However, there were not many priesthoods held by women in Rome, unlike Greece. The Sibylline Books of prophecy, which contained the oracles of the Sibyl, were also significant in religious life. However, the Sibyl was not a woman but a supernatural entity. Women in Rome could also participate in various religious cults, such as the pudiitia cults, which were dedicated to various goddesses. The cults were exclusive to women, and their rituals were performed in private. The cult of Bona Dea, the goddess of fertility, was one of the most significant cults for women in Rome. The cult was led by a female priestess, and its rituals were performed by women

Show More
Related

  • What Role Did Tacitus Play In Russia

    924 Words  | 4 Pages

    However, it does seem that the women were not involved with the council, or deliberation process. Tacitus writes, “When the multitude think proper… if they are satisfied they brandish their spears”7, meaning they were the generals and warriors which would not have been women. Priests also have a high status in both cultures; in the tribe they administer religious punishment to inspire the warriors and acted as mediators8, in the Empire they acted more like administrative officials. In battle, they gained courage from their family and clan members who were fighting with them, and they were polytheistic. They also had an initiation process for

    Read More

  • Roles Of Women In The Odyssey, And Clytemnestra

    1260 Words  | 6 Pages

    In Greek epics, tragedies, and mythology women are portrayed in various ways. Women are mainly considered to be weak and less important than men, but there are some women who are shown to be strong and heroic, despite the reputation that was placed onto them in Ancient Greek civilizations. There were two particular women that were strong and took the roles of their husbands while the men left to fight in the Trojan War. These two women were Penelope, wife of Odysseus, and Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon. These two women were different in how they chose to rule while their husbands were at war and how they acted once they got back.

    Read More

  • Women's Roles In The Odyssey Essay

    448 Words  | 2 Pages

    They are not allowed to speak up and if they did their opinion was not as important as men’s. Women could not do much more than raise children and be home cleaning and doing chores. They were seen like this because women were portrayed as a flower, delicate and that they were not able to hurt anything or anyone. The goddesses play an important role and affect Odysseus’ plan. Circe gave him advice.

    Read More

  • Double Standards For Men And Women In Homer's Odyssey

    949 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ancient Greece was not a high point for gender equality in history. The duties and obligations of men and women were entirely different, and the rules were often much more complicated and stringent for women. For example, a female companion or the man who “owned” them had to accompany them, and if they wished to visit the theatre, the law forced them to sit in the back rows. The laws also banned them from watching any genre besides tragedy. However, even in an era of such gender discrimination, Homer includes many examples of strong, independent women, including both goddesses and mortal women.

    Read More

  • Roles Of Women In The Odyssey

    966 Words  | 4 Pages

    From the strong-willed Penelope to the cunning Athena, The Odyssey showcases the diverse roles and complexities of women. Athena helps Odysseus with his battle against the suitors in the hall. Athena guides all of Odysseus's arrows so then he can kill the suitors however he wants and without

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In Homer's The Odyssey

    1791 Words  | 8 Pages

    While reading the epic, the roles of women seen are the adulteress, who lures characters away from good; the wife, who keeps things in order and represents proper behavior; and the goddess, who supports the plotline and characters. Though the roles of women are not significantly noted by the author within the epic tale, it is important to identify the roles of females in such ancient times. As they were not valued as individuals, but rather as prizes, women lacked recognition. This is a continuity into the modern era, which can begin to be rectified by the identification of female power in places one would not normally look, such as a tale where the protagonist is male. Perhaps women are dishonored in literature, but that doesn’t mean the female race must be dishonored in the

    Read More

  • Essay On Isis Welcoming Io

    1505 Words  | 7 Pages

    Many Pompeian women in particular flocked to the Temple of Isis, as she was the ‘ideal image of a wife and mother’, and because of her role as the goddess of fertility. The temple was seen as a sanctuary for women, particularly female slaves. Also, she was a revolutionary influence on the women in Pompeii and even their views on Roman culture and the traditions that they had been raised with. As a part of the initiation into the cult of Isis, there was a cleansing ritual that freed members of their past sins and grievances (this was not a common practice in Roman religion). It also allowed women to rise to the level of men in a religious context, as they were able to become priestesses in the public domain - something that was not achievable in mainstream Roman religion.

    Read More

  • Women's Role In The Odyssey

    426 Words  | 2 Pages

    Women in the The Odyssey played a intricate role in helping define what the Greeks thought women should be like. During The Odyssey the way Homer Presents the females charters, such as Penelope, Anticlia, and Naussica gives a glimpse into the stereotypes. “In the Homeric epics women seem to have little independence; they are always under the guardian-ship of a man… [but] because women can speak… Homer’s women still manage to exert a significant moral force” (Lefkowitz). The first was Penelope, who was the benevolent and steadfast wife of Odysseus, let Homer convey what the Greeks believed was wife material.

    Read More

  • The City Of Ladies Analysis

    1646 Words  | 7 Pages

    For instance Lady Reason states, “Believe me, despite what you’ve read in books,you’ve never seen such a thing, because it’s all pack of outrageous lies” (785). Lady Justice is presented with a container of gold given for rewards to those who have remained loyal, and righteous. Not to mention, Lady Rectitude who holds the rule that separates right from wrong, in other words good from evil. Each tool is used to represent what was expected of women as well as to help build the kingdom of women. In the same manner, The goddess are the personification of wisdom, morality, and good behavior.

    Read More

  • Homeric Hymns: Ancient Stereotypes Of Women

    1499 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Homeric Hymns portray Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis and Hestia as strong females who uphold their own beliefs; challenging the “typical” gender stereotypes of the time period. Women in antiquity were expected to follow and uphold certain societal rules, most of these rules emphasized the gender stereotypes that women were perceived as being. The use of the goddesses powers challenge these societal rules and ideas about women. Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis, and Hestia are portrayed in the Homeric Hymns in contrast to ancient stereotypical roles of women being confined to the household; as a result this contrast emphasizes that women can showcase strength, intelligence, and power within society. A women’s life in antiquity was constricted by

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Whores, Wives, And Slaves By Sarah B. Pomeroy

    1899 Words  | 8 Pages

    This paper will discuss the well-published work of, Pomeroy, Sarah B. Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity. New York: Schocken, 1975. Print. Sarah B. Pomeroy uses this book to educate others about the role women have played throughout ancient history. Pomeroy uses a timeline to go through each role, starting with mythological women, who were called Goddesses.

    Read More

  • Women In Ancient Greece Essay

    1413 Words  | 6 Pages

    Sadly, most of how women lived away from their husbands’ world and how they interacted with other female companionship remains a mystery. Even the Olympic Games were under a males only policy, with the exception of a small event women held in honor of Hera in Olympia . Contrary to most ancient cities and popular belief, some women in ancient Greece were actually able to hold more than just the title of housewife. Although they were still secondary to men, in some Greek city-states, such as Sparta, women held much more freedom and a larger role in society .

    Read More

  • Roles Of Women In Ancient Empires Essay

    2096 Words  | 9 Pages

    It is shown in ancient Rome that women have less ability than men to hold business application, political and warfare position. In the epic history of Rome, written by Titus Livius, known as Livy, he refers that women “cannot partake of magistracies, priesthoods, triumphs, badges of office, gifts, or spoils of war; elegance, finery and beautiful clothes are women’s badges, in these they find joy and take pride, this our forebears called the women’s world.” . This shows that the importance of women in Rome 's society was based on beauty and giving luxuries life, and public positions are not women 's badges. By doing that, they changed their focus to be only based on what they get from their husbands or males in their families. However, men were regarded as noble and superior so that they are esteemed for higher places in politics and

    Read More

  • Essay On Role Of Women In Ancient Society

    981 Words  | 4 Pages

    Over generations, the role of women in society has shifted and changed immensely, improving upon many aspects of rights and values that women have. The changes occurred gave women opportunities to provide ideas, to have the same rights as men, giving women freedom, leading to many contributions of many significant and valuable events. But from current roles of women being equal to those of men, how women stood in ancient society significantly differs and contrast with ours today. Throughout history, the role and significance of women were always outweighed by the dominance and influence of men. The role of women in ancient times varied throughout, depending on the place and area in the world, in which women had different roles and impacts on their own society.

    Read More

  • Role Of Women In Ancient Egypt

    1016 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the Ancient world, much like today, each society exercised, according to their custom, different treatment towards women. Today, unlike in the Ancient world, women enjoy more freedom, rights, and equality. In this essay, the status of women in ancient Egypt will be compared to the status of women in ancient Rome. Academic sources will be relied on to provide the necessary actualities when one investigates ancient lives and cultures. The legal status of women in society, the different roles that each unique nation’s women played, and the possible education permitted and occupations available to these women will be discussed, as well as, their domestic atmospheres will be critically compared in this short essay to demonstrate the different treatment (if there were a difference) of women in both these imposing periods of ancient history.

    Read More

More about What Role Did Women Play In Ancient Greece

Open Document