English Ten
Women of Ancient Greece
From: Pace.edu
Just as a mother nurses a child, the society of ancient Greece, 400 B.C., nurtured and cultivated
its demeaning role of women. In ancient Greece, women endured many difficulties and hardships
especially in three main areas. The problems women encountered in this era occurred within
marriage, inheritance and social life. All three elements shaped and formed the mold of the submissive
female.
Marriage, a romanticized idea of being united with a person one loves dearly was the furthest
thought from the mind of a woman living in ancient Greece. Marriage was considered one of the
most important decisions and events in a woman’s life, but she had no direct control over it. However,
in ancient Greek society, females were given little voice, if any, in major decisions. They were denied
the freedom to choose whom to marry. When a young woman was to marry, she was “given in
marriage by her male relatives and (her) choice had no legal bearing on the contract” (Sealey, p. 5). A
woman was not allowed to decide whom she wanted to wed, whether she loved her proposed
spouse or not. A woman was not given the opportunity or option to select her husband; therefore
she “did not marry; she was given in marriage” (Sealey, p. 25). Women were not active in making the
initial decision, because it was arranged and planned by a father figure or male relative. A woman,
such as Medea, often dreaded the day of her wedding rather than looking forward to it as one of the
happiest and meaningful affairs in her life.
In ancient cultures, women were seen as objects for they were “given” in marriage by the
father to the bridegroom. Thus, “the word for marriage...betrays its function and character. It was
called ekdosis, loan, and so marriage was a transaction” between two men (Arthur, p. 86). Marriage
was seen as an exchange and another opportunity for men to maintain the superior
position. Marriage was seen as a “practical business arrangement, not a love match” (Demand, p.
11). Additionally, in marriage, the issue of property aroused much conflict, supporting inequality
between male and female.
The distribution and ownership of inheritance was quite unfair and complicated. In ancient
Greece, “a woman’s property always remained separate from her husband’s” if she had any at all
(Lacey, p. 138). The husband possessed total control of the property “while he lived,” and “control
passed to their children (if adult) or their guardians when he died” (Lacey, p. 138-139). As you can
see, once again the male had maximum authority over the situation. If a relative or child were to pass
away, her inheritance would go directly to the husband, instead of being shared between the
husband and wife. A woman could acquire property if she “ceased to be his wife without leaving him
any children” (Lacey, p. 139). A woman could gain an inheritance under this particular circumstance
but she “could not engage in transactions involving property valued at over one bushel” (Arthur, p.
86). This limit prevented women from gaining any influence or authority in “political and economic
operation(s)” (Arthur, p. 86). Ultimately, the limit of trading at a fixed low currency can be seen as a
glass ceiling, which kept woman from attaining a high position in society.
The only circumstance in which a female inherited property was through a male sibling: “wives
did not inherit from husbands, nor daughters from fathers; but sisters could inherit from brothers”
(Pomeroy, p. 20). This example indicates that a female only obtained possession of inheritance if a
brother passed away and the sister could then claim his property. Essentially, property “was managed
by the (husband, father, son)” (Demand, p. 12). Additionally, young girls were restricted from getting
married if they “had no dowry” (Lacey, p. 108). Dowry, a form of property or inheritance, was more or
less seen as a necessity in order to be considered for marriage. As you can see, the circumstances of
gaining inheritance were restricted and limited for women, and the laws were generally more
favorable towards men. The inequality that existed between men and women within the society of
ancient Greece exemplifies a period of great prejudice and discrimination against females. Along with
the problematic issues of property, women came across many boundaries and obstacles relative to
social life, maintaining the inferiority among females.
The social life of women in ancient Greece often mirrored the submissive female
image. Women were restricted from participating in outside events in which men were
involved. Since “working out of doors,” was perceived as a place for women to become “potential
prey of rapists and seducers” (Pomeroy, p. 21), women were confined indoors. The house was
considered a secure place; however, inside the home, women were often raped by their own
husbands. A social life for a female was only achieved in boundaries “within her husband’s house and
the domain of his power” (Lacey, p. 153). This indicated that a woman was permitted to socialize
outside her home if her husband granted her permission and if her husband held a high position or
authority in society. While men were outside the house, trading, hunting and working the fields,
“women remained in their houses” (Lacey, p. 168). The majority of activities girls were involved in
were “basically domestic” (Demand, p. 10).
Females were occupied with nurturing their children and carrying out household
duties. Restricted and secluded within the household, women were compared to “mere adolescents”
(Pomeroy, p. 21). Living and working in the home, various responsibilities were imposed on women:
“the functions of wife and mother that women had always performed were now construed as a
necessity and a duty” (Arthur, p. 85). The two primary functions for women of the 4th century, were
child-bearer and housewife.
Bearing children, one of the main roles of women, was especially demanding and stressful. It
was distressing because women were not given a choice about carrying on their family’s name. If a
mother did not give birth to a male child, her daughter would be compelled to carry on the
responsibility of producing a make heir: “When there is no son, a daughter can prevent the extinction
of the oikos by producing a son” herself (Pomeroy, p. 25). Giving birth to a girl was seen as an
embarrassment and disgrace. After giving birth to a daughter, a mother would “turn her head away”
from her husband “in shame” (Demand, p. 6). A father would not even consider his own daughters
as his children: “men often do not count daughters when asked how many children they have”
(Demand, p. 6). Females were neglected and looked down upon starting the day they were
born. The strain and pressure of carrying on the name of the oikos, a household, lead to the following
several appalling situations.
Early marriages led to shocking and disturbing age gaps. It was seen as the norm for
fourteen-year-old girls to marry men of the age of thirty. Because “the average age of death for men”
was forty-five, many “fertile women without a husband” were left behind. As a result, many “children
would be orphaned early in life” (Pomeroy, p. 27). Furthermore, early marriage and “childbearing”
(Demand, p. 102) led to countless “death(s) of a young mother in childbirth” (Pomeroy, p. 27). To give
an idea of the great number of deaths that occurred due to early childbearing, “the death rate of
women during childbirth” can be “compared to the death rate of men during war” (Carlson). Before
newborn babies could reach the age of one, “nearly fifty percent of all infants died”
(Carlson). Additionally, all children the women gave birth to would “belong” to the husband’s family
more so than to the wife’s side of the family (Thompson). Here, the children can be seen as an issue of
property. Other than playing the role of the child bearer, females served as housewives.
In ancient Greece, wives were expected to stay in the house and fulfill domestic duties, such as
cooking, cleaning, weaving, sewing and looking after the children. The society of ancient Greece
enforced that a “woman’s job…was to supervise the household” (Arthur, p. 88). Moreover, in the
household, the relationship between the wife and husband was “not equal in terms of power”
(Pomeroy, p. 22). Females had a lower social status than males. In ancient Greece, women were
mistreated, degraded and controlled.
Overall, the society of ancient Greece, especially in the period from 800 to 500 B.C. preserved
the issues in marriage, inheritance and social life, fostering the debasing roles of women. The fact that
men were denegation superior figures in this society, contributed entirely to the degrading of
females. The issues and restrictions ancient Greek women tolerated, maintained the weak and
subordinate view of females.
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