In the distant past and in some cases in the present in certain places in the world, women did not enjoy the status they have today. In Greek culture, women were by and large second class citizens. They spent their entire lives under the care of a male guardian. First, under her father and then under the husband that her father chose for her. And if she would spend her entire life unmarried and her father died, he would will her to a guardian. And if he didn't, then a guardian would be chosen.
And in the Greek world, husband and wife didn't go out on the town. No the only time that women were permitted to leave the house was if relatives invited her. Otherwise, the only one going to a party was the husband. And when a party was held at her home, the woman was required to withdraw into a central room known as a gynaeceum where only her nearest relatives were permitted.
Now Rome which built its empire ontop of the Greek Culture allowed some more freedom. Women still were under the control of a male guardian. But if she was lucky enough to have her father die without leaving her under the guardianship of someone, she actually had the right to choose her own guardian. AND if she found that guardian to be less then ideal, she could change her guardian but only if she wasn't willed to someone.
But if she was married, she was really considered the property of her husband. She could enter into no contracts, could not act as witness except in cases of treason or witchcraft, could not adopt or be adopted, or hold public office.
Because she was left uneducated, women had the benefit of being able to plead ignorance of a law broken. Men could not.
Over time, Rome began to move away from the idea of a woman as the property of her father/husband. And later Roman law allowed the family to choose between the old system of everything belonging to the husband or the new system where the husband and wife shared everything except the dowery.
Wealthy women in Rome were to stay in the home while the husband worked during the day. She would plan dinner parties while he was a way and order her slaves around.
Poor women on the other hand, had to do the work around the house that the wealthy woman's slaves did. And when she might join her husband in the fields.
But education remain elusive for women because the men distrusted the idea of what an educated woman might bring to the table. Some of the wealthy women were lucky however and did learn more then dancing (something they were allowed to learn). In fact some even learned Greek Philosophy but it was because they were not forced into a central room when their husbands had company. Instead they could listen and learn what their husbands were talking about.
And wealthy women also because they were not isolated like their Greek counterparts, could actually go to the theater. And there's even evidence that there was a Women's club during the final days of the Roman Republic. And there was even a Women's protest recorded by Livy over a law against luxury.
But despite these gains, women were never permitted to choose their own husbands. And men viewed marriage as a means to political power and not because they were attracted to or even liked the woman. And the state viewed women as simply a way to keep the population coming. There was never an idea that girls should be educated. Their only hope was to pick up what they overheard.
Labels: history
