Roman_Women

Rome was founded in 753 B.C.E. In the ancient Roman culture, women played prominent roles. Ideally, a woman in Roman society’s right to act independently was restricted by legal norms, but in reality, women found ways to influence home life, marriage, and overall society. Ancient Roman women had many jobs and expectations. Raising children and managing the home were just some of the duties expected of them. Lower class women did all the work themselves. In addition to the lower class women managing their homes, they worked in manufacturing and in the service economy. Upper and middle class women were often times fortunate enough to have help from a slave or servant. Despite the fact they had help in all they did, “many Roman matrons lived a life of enforced idleness and boredom.” (French/Poska, 98) The elite women of Pompeii “adorned their lavish houses with elaborate murals, decorative courtyards, and large gardens.” (French/Poska, 97) These women controlled the property and money. Slaves and servants were hired to do everything else so the husband would not feel tension between him and his new wife. They did not even nurse their own babies! Women had to be accompanied everywhere and constantly had someone watching them whether it be a slave or older family member. “Scholars estimate that approximately sixty-five hundred people lived in Pompeii.” (French/Poska 96) The actual percentage of how many women were slaves, freed, or free women is still undetermined. The non-Elite women did things like midwifery, hairdressing, food selling, clothing retail, and jewelry retail. Some women were even professional mourners at funerals. Women were praised for having jobs in Pompeii. Society glorified a woman as a mother and as a housekeeper. The male head of the household, which was the oldest male that had the most power, was known as the paterfamilias. “The paterfamilias had laws declaring a women’s need for constant legal and moral supervision by men, preferably their fathers or husbands.” (French/Poska 79) The paterfamilias also had control over the entire family. He even had the right to sell his children into slavery! A high priority for all Roman’s was marriage. “Roman society expected all citizen women to marry, and the sole purpose of marriage was to produce legitimate citizen children.” In a roman girls early teen years was when she married her first husband. The paterfamilias arranged marriages. A woman had the right to say whether or not she wanted to go through with the marriage or not, most women granted permission effortlessly. Love and affection grew between a man and his wife throughout their time together. The paterfamilias arranged the marriage based on social and economic desire. (French/Poska, 81) Marriage was also a symbol of a transfer of authority. The paterfamilias often gave a form of a dowry, property, or a type of inheritance. This gift was for the husband. If it was higher, it meant the family valued the women more. If the husband died, the woman got the gift back, and up to 1/3 of the estate if she had a son. This is referred to as “dowers rights.” A very diverse view on marriage, likewise completely contradictory to how almost all Roman men viewed marriage was proposed by philosopher Musonious Rufus. Musonious believed “both husbands and wives were critical to the creation of a perfect marriage.” He believed that a women and a man joined in marriage owned everything together, including each other’s bodies, and that neither woman nor man was depended on more in the household or the city. Musonious also presumed true the thought that Roman societies vital element was marriage. Along with his analysis on marriage, Musonious vindicated that women should be educated, and that women had the same capabilities as men. (French/Poska, 99) For the duration of the Republic, expansion created many opportunities for women. Reputation and social status were highly idolized by society. All actions the Romans took were focused on maintaining their reputation and avoiding shame. Equality was anonymous to the Romans. According to the law codes, everyone was in different standing. Women communicated their political views through their husbands, and it was to be kept secret or it was looked upon as shame. Another shameful thing a women could do to ruin her reputation was to be raped. The legend of “The Rape of Lucretia” exposes the main concern of the early republic. Sextus Tarquinius raped Lucretia. He entered the chamber with a sword threatening her life, and her dignity if she told anyone. When Lucretia’s husband returned he asked what was wrong and she replied, "for how can it be well with a woman who has lost her chastity' Collatinus, the impression of another man is in your bed; yet my person only has been violated, my mind is guiltless as my death will testify." (Livy, History 1:58-59, trans. George Baker) Lucretia ended up killing herself out of shame, and her family paraded her body down the streets in revenge. Royal corruption and the connection between male political action and female honor is a symbol of Lucretia’s fate. Ideally Roman women were to be kept under strict rule from men in society including their husbands, fathers, and paterfamilias. Pragmatically, throughout all of roman time women found ways to influence not only society, but also take control of their own lives.