Question

“[T]he position of the Roman matron was quite different from that of the Greek matron in the time of Pericles. The Roman matron was mistress in her own household. As the husband took charge of all external transactions, so the wife was supreme in household arrangements.”

—James Donaldson, Woman; Her Position and Influence in Ancient Greece and Rome

Based on your knowledge of the role of women in the Roman republic, provide evidence to prove the author’s claim that the position of Roman women was different from that of Greek women.

Answer 1

One piece of evidence that supports the claim is that Roman women had more control over household affairs than their Greek counterparts. Since the husband was in charge of external transactions, the wife was able to exert more authority over the everyday operations of the household. Additionally, Roman women were allowed to inherit property and had more legal rights than Greek women. Finally, Roman women were sometimes involved in public life, such as the Vestal Virgins who had religious and ceremonial duties that gave them high status in society. All of these factors suggest that the role and status of Roman women was distinct from that of their Greek counterparts.