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Women's Role In Athenian Democracy

518 Words3 Pages

Although Athens is credited for creating the first democracy, it was not like the modern day democracy due to the limits and restrictions of the government. It was believe by Socrates that the citizens had the right and the obligation to participate in the activities of the state and to serve the states but the state did not have to serve him. For women the right of participation was absent. They did not have the right to be involved in politics or vote. Women that were born of two Athenian parents were regarded as citizens, enjoyed some legal protecting, and had responsibilities for performing certain religious rituals of great importance for the state. However, like slaves they were excluded from attending the meetings of the assembly, holding annual public offices, serving as jurors, initiating legal cases on their own, or owning property in their own names. …show more content…

Women were segregated from public life due to the longstanding beliefs that there is a public sphere and a private sphere, and women should stay in private. This idea was even portrayed in Pericles funeral oration. In Athens, pale skin was in style for women because it conveyed that they were wealthy enough to stay inside and to remain private. Since there was a lack of women’s involvement in the Athenian society, it is surprising that there are female characters in Greek religion and mythology. Plato also recognized the prejudices against woman. In his work Republic, he suggested that women should be treated equally with men in their access to the highest professional and civic responsibilities, and in the education needed to achieve

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