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Amazing Women in Ancient Greece and Rome: From Daily Life to Legends

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Amelia

10/02/2023

Classical Civilisation

Young women, improper women and women of legend

Amazing Women in Ancient Greece and Rome: From Daily Life to Legends

Ancient Greece and Rome were societies where women's roles in Ancient Greece and Rome were often restricted, but some women managed to gain influence and notoriety. This summary explores the various categories of women in these classical civilizations, including improper women, young women and marriage customs, and legendary women who left their mark on history and mythology.

...

10/02/2023

99

4. Classical civ
Improper women:
key words
Greece:
-Porne-low class improper
- Hetarai- High class improper
Rome:
-st meretrix-Roman imprope

View

Marriage and Wedding Customs in Ancient Rome

Roman marriage customs varied based on social class and legal status. The main types of marriages were:

  1. Confarreatio: A patrician class wedding ceremony involving a salt cake offered to Jupiter. The Flamen Dialis and Pontifex Maximus had to be present.
  2. Usus: The most common form of marriage with no formal ceremony. If the wife spent three nights away each year, it prevented the marriage from becoming "cum manu" underthehusbandslegalcontrolunder the husband's legal control.
  3. Coemptio: A symbolic sale of the bride, using scales to represent the dowry. One coin symbolized the entire dowry.

Vocabulary: Cum manu - "with hand," meaning the wife was under her husband's legal control. Vocabulary: Sine manu - "without hand," meaning the wife retained some legal independence.

These customs highlight the complexity of Roman wedding customs and traditions, reflecting the society's views on gender roles and legal status.

Highlight: The distinction between cum manu and sine manu marriages was crucial in determining a woman's legal status and rights within the marriage.

4. Classical civ
Improper women:
key words
Greece:
-Porne-low class improper
- Hetarai- High class improper
Rome:
-st meretrix-Roman imprope

View

Women of Legend in Greece and Rome

Both Greek and Roman mythology and history feature prominent female figures who played significant roles in shaping cultural narratives.

In Greece:

  • Helen: Featured in works by Homer and Euripides, with different versions of her story e.g.,Euripides"cloudHelen"inEgyptvs.HomerstraditionalaccountwithParisandtheapplee.g., Euripides' "cloud Helen" in Egypt vs. Homer's traditional account with Paris and the apple
  • Pandora: Described in Hesiod's "Works and Days" as the first woman, created by Zeus as a punishment for mankind

In Rome:

  • The Sabine Women: According to Livy, they were the first women of Rome, kidnapped to provide wives for the early Romans
  • Tarpeia: Crushed by Sabine men, her story raises questions about whether she was a traitor
  • Lucretia: Known for her virtue pudicitiapudicitia, she killed herself in shame after being raped

Highlight: These legendary women exemplify the complex roles of women in Greek mythology and Roman legends, often serving as moral exemplars or cautionary tales.

These stories of women of legend in Greece and Rome continue to fascinate and influence our understanding of classical civilizations and their values.

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Classical Civilisation

99

6 Jul 2025

3 pages

Amazing Women in Ancient Greece and Rome: From Daily Life to Legends

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Amelia

@amelia_o

Ancient Greece and Rome were societies where women's roles in Ancient Greeceand Rome were often restricted, but some women managed to gain influence and notoriety. This summary explores the various categories of women in these classical civilizations, including improper... Show more

4. Classical civ
Improper women:
key words
Greece:
-Porne-low class improper
- Hetarai- High class improper
Rome:
-st meretrix-Roman imprope

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Marriage and Wedding Customs in Ancient Rome

Roman marriage customs varied based on social class and legal status. The main types of marriages were:

  1. Confarreatio: A patrician class wedding ceremony involving a salt cake offered to Jupiter. The Flamen Dialis and Pontifex Maximus had to be present.
  2. Usus: The most common form of marriage with no formal ceremony. If the wife spent three nights away each year, it prevented the marriage from becoming "cum manu" underthehusbandslegalcontrolunder the husband's legal control.
  3. Coemptio: A symbolic sale of the bride, using scales to represent the dowry. One coin symbolized the entire dowry.

Vocabulary: Cum manu - "with hand," meaning the wife was under her husband's legal control. Vocabulary: Sine manu - "without hand," meaning the wife retained some legal independence.

These customs highlight the complexity of Roman wedding customs and traditions, reflecting the society's views on gender roles and legal status.

Highlight: The distinction between cum manu and sine manu marriages was crucial in determining a woman's legal status and rights within the marriage.

4. Classical civ
Improper women:
key words
Greece:
-Porne-low class improper
- Hetarai- High class improper
Rome:
-st meretrix-Roman imprope

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Improve your grades

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Women of Legend in Greece and Rome

Both Greek and Roman mythology and history feature prominent female figures who played significant roles in shaping cultural narratives.

In Greece:

  • Helen: Featured in works by Homer and Euripides, with different versions of her story e.g.,Euripides"cloudHelen"inEgyptvs.HomerstraditionalaccountwithParisandtheapplee.g., Euripides' "cloud Helen" in Egypt vs. Homer's traditional account with Paris and the apple
  • Pandora: Described in Hesiod's "Works and Days" as the first woman, created by Zeus as a punishment for mankind

In Rome:

  • The Sabine Women: According to Livy, they were the first women of Rome, kidnapped to provide wives for the early Romans
  • Tarpeia: Crushed by Sabine men, her story raises questions about whether she was a traitor
  • Lucretia: Known for her virtue pudicitiapudicitia, she killed herself in shame after being raped

Highlight: These legendary women exemplify the complex roles of women in Greek mythology and Roman legends, often serving as moral exemplars or cautionary tales.

These stories of women of legend in Greece and Rome continue to fascinate and influence our understanding of classical civilizations and their values.

4. Classical civ
Improper women:
key words
Greece:
-Porne-low class improper
- Hetarai- High class improper
Rome:
-st meretrix-Roman imprope

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Improper Women in Ancient Greece and Rome

In classical civilizations, there were distinct categories for women considered "improper" by societal standards.

In Ancient Greece:

  • Porne: Low-class improper women
  • Hetarai: High-class improper women

In Ancient Rome:

  • Meretrix: Roman equivalent of improper women
  • Lena: Female brothel keeper

Notable figures in this category include:

Example: In Greece, Aspasia was known for her affair with Pericles, while Neaira was involved in a famous court case after running away.

Example: In Rome, Clodia alsoknownasLesbiaalso known as Lesbia was the subject of Catullus' love poems, and Cytheris alsocalledLycorisalso called Lycoris had an affair with Mark Antony.

These women often wielded significant influence despite their "improper" status, challenging the conventional roles of men and women in Ancient Greece and Rome.

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Samantha Klich

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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

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Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

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