Introduction: In this course so far we have covered approximately eight hundred years of Roman history. As you may have noticed, this history has been largely written by and about the men of Roman society: politicians, soldiers and other personalities. This could be due to a number of reasons: women were not active in the aspects of society written about in the sources which have survived to this day, or those who wrote those sources chose not to include the actions of women in any meaningful or sustained way. Whatever the reason, however, our sources for women are indeed limited.
Assignment: Read Chapter XIII, "Women in Roman Society," from your Shelton sourcebook (pp. 288-306, source #s 325-347). Consider the attitudes toward women in these sources and the types of sources which record information about women. What virtues are extolled and what vices are criticized? What types of occupations might a woman pursue? From these sources you should be able to construct a rudimentary notion of women in Roman society which should help you consider the following questions. (Note that the web resource, "Diotima: Materials for the Study of Women and Gender in the Ancient World" might be of interest to you as you complete this assignment).
Guidelines: Write a three page response paper dealing with one of the questions below. Approach the primary sources with the skills you have gained from class discussion of such sources throughout the semester. Use what you know about the author, the type of text and the historical situation to evaluate the sources used to answer the question you select. Although each question requires close examination of only a few of the sources assigned, all the sources in Shelton, Ch. 13 are important in answering each question. In answering the questions, do not merely recount what the sources say. The three pages of your paper should focus on ANALYSIS, not reiteration.
Questions: (Choose One):
1. Evaluate the praise offered of the wives in the eulogies of Murdia and Turia (#s 329 and 330). In your evaluation, you might consider how this praise reflects what was societally expected of a woman, how the praise reflects on the one praising, and how it compares/contrasts with the other praiseworthy women encountered in other sources this semester.
2. Analyze the treatment of women's physical make-up as discussed in #s 339 and 340. Consider, for example, how such medical opinions affect basic assumptions about women and the way women are treated in the other primary sources in Shelton, Ch. 13. What aspects of women's character, behavior and societal value are stressed in these two sources? The preoccupation with the womb and women's child-bearing and appropriate behavior (as evidenced in other assigned sources) are important in approaching this question.
3. Consider the different presentations of women's public behavior and activity as seen in source #s 335, 336, 338, 341-344. What conclusions can be drawn about proper public behavior, appropriate public spheres of activity for women, or the public activities of women of differing social classes?
Discussion and Questions Copyright 2000/2001, Elizabeth Pollard.