Women in Classical Antiquity: From Birth to Death

An introduction to women and gender in the classical world that draws on the most recent research in the field

Women in Classical Antiquity focuses on the important objects, events and concepts that combine to form a clear understanding of ancient Greek and Roman women and gender. Drawing on the most recent findings and research on the topic, the book offers an overview of the historical events, values, and institutions that are critical for appreciating and comparing the life situations of women across both cultures.

The author examines the lifecycle of women in ancient Greek and Rome beginning with how young females acquired the gendered characteristics necessary for adulthood. The text explores female adolescence, including concerns about virginity, medical views of the female body, religious roles, and education. Views of marriage, motherhood, sexual activity, adultery, and prostitution are also examined. In addition, the author explores how women exercised authority and the possibilities for their civic engagement. This important resource:

• Explores the formation of classical women’s social identity through the life stages of birth, adolescence, marriage, childbirth, old age, and death
• Contains information on the most recent research in this rapidly evolving field
• Offers a review of the life course as a way to understand the social processes by which Greek and Roman females acquired gender traits
• Includes questions for review, suggestions for further reading, and a glossary of key terms

Written for academics and students of classical antiquity, Women in Classical Antiquity offers a general introduction to women and gender in the classical world.

Keywords:

Guide to Women in Classical Antiquity; Text on Women in Classical Antiquity; Understanding Women in Classical Antiquity; Resource to Women in Classical Antiquity ; Social Identity in the Ancient World; Women in Greece in the Bronze Age; Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations and women; women in the iron age; The Rise of the Polis in the Archaic Period; Athens and the Classical Period and women; The Greek family and household; Greek domestic space; textile production in ancient Greece; Growing up female in the Greek family; The family of ancient Sparta; Female adolescence in Greece; protecting female purity in ancient Greece; A Teenage Girl in a Heroic World