Women in Pericles' Athens (1 Viewer)

[molmont]

Hello

I would really appreciate it if people could tell me where to find some primary sources on women in ancient greece in the time of Pericles.

Thanks

 

[ghostman_on_3rd]

1. archaeological sources - pottery
- i.e black figure vase paintings - few good ones out there- find it yourself =p
--i.e the well known black figure vase painting of women spinning and weaving at home --> the jobs they had

2. According to Thucydides - in pericles famous funeral speech - " The greast glory of a woman is that her name is least talked aout by the men whether they are praising or critizing you."
3. Use Aristophane's play - The poet and the women
- a character makes an insult, "cabbage woman", revealing to us that a woman is socially inferior, if you had to go and work in the public.

4. Xenophon describes a wife's duties in Economicus, "You will stay inside...you must supervise the indoor servants."

5. A speech written by Lysias for a hushand whose wife was in court on a charge of adultery. "She was a clever and economical manager of the house, running everything."
6. vase paintings depicting a woman sitting on a special chair called the clismos, symbolises her being the mistress of the house

7. Parthenon frieze -> depicting the great panathenaic festival - shows women and men mixed only on special occasions

 

[-may-cat-]

Another good point is the political role that women played, while they had no political rights or duties, they played an indirect role, primary examples of this are evident in political graffiti written by women. Keep in mind that while women were seen as inferior to men, within the household they often held quite a bit of authority, you can imagine what life might be like for a man at home if he voted contrary to his wife's strong political opinion...

Obviously this would not always apply, but it is a point that should be taken into consideration when assessing the influence of women in public life.