Ancient Roman And Athenian Women

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Roman and Athenian Women

Equality in the ancient republic Rome and Athens, where was most famous city state of Ancient Greece was not the same as it is today. In ancient Rome (1.2) and Athenian women (1.1) were not looked upon as equals. By comparison today woman rights, Athenian and Roman woman only a small step above slaves. They could have very little rights. They were considered to be secondary in relation to men. They were always controlled by man and their duties defined as to bear children and to manage to house hold. There are a lot of similarities between two societies, because Roman society borrowed heavilly from that of the Greeks. Before Rome was founded, there were a number of Greek colonies in Sicily and Southern Italy. As a result of this close contact with the Greeks,the early Romans picked up a great amount of ideas of the Greek language and traditions. Although there are similarities between the Roman and Athenian woman, there are notable and fundamental differences. Their civil and economic rights are different from each other. Unlike the Athenian woman, the Roman woman had more freedom than Athens.

Athenian and Roman woman could have very little rights. They were controlled by men at all stages of their lives. Their father controlled them before they were married. When they married complete control went their husband. If they divorced, control and rights over any property went back to their father or nearest male relative. (Moya, K. Mason, “Ancient Roman Women: A Look at their Lives) They thought that; a woman can not manage her money except one event in Roma. When women’s boys grew up, the mother allowed spent her money and time to advance their political carrier. However, except this event, woman could not spend her money on what ever she wants. According to their thought, the reason of the marriage is that; the management and preservation of property and production of children as future care-givers and h...