Roman Women Flashcards
Who were the Vestel Virgins? what was the flame?
The Vestal Virgins were 6 women chosen from the noblest families to tend to the sacred flame of vesta, the Roman goddess of the hearth. This flame was the living symbol of the life in Rome.
how were they treated? what was a perk?
They were treated with great respect as this was the highest honour for both a girl and her family. The Vestil Virgins were the only women allowed to drive through Rome in a carriage with a victor going before them and special seats were reserved for them at public spectacles.
what were their rights legally?
Legally, they were the most empowered women in Rome since they could not be bound by oath, had the right to make wills and to dispose of their own property which shows that women could indeed have an active, important and respected role within society through religion.
what were some of the restrictions and punishment for breaking this?
However, there were many limitations to their role within Rome. The virgins took on an oath of chastity and the penalty for breaking this was being buried alive. They could also be buried alive if they were accused and convicted of ‘not remaining pure’.
what does this show?
Although this was the highest honour a woman could gain, she was still subject to very strict rules that if broken would result in her death showing that even though this was an important role, she was still under the rule of someone else who told her how to act and could dole out a punishment where they saw fit.
how long were they appointed for?
A virgin was appointed for 30 years, 10 to learn their duties, 10 to carry them out and 10 to instruct others. Once retired, they could marry and live once again in public, but few chose to do so, finding it very difficult to readjust to normal life, perhaps due to the fact that they lived in a special house in the Roman Forum that was secluded from the public and only left are the times of important public ceremonies.
why did some women turn to foreign religion?
Since state religion was formal and generally dull, many Romans looked to the religions of other countries within the Empire for something different. It was here that many Roman women were able to express themselves.
give an example
The Egyptian goddess Isis seemed to represent power and the identity of women. It allowed them to become priestesses and gave them a status they normally wouldn’t otherwise have in normal life.
give another example; what does this show?
Women also managed to reach positions of some importance in the early Christian church. This showed that women could actually become something more than their typical role within society. They could be active and important within society rather than meek and submissive which is what they were painted to be.
how did men respond to this?
However, men were resentful and suspicious of such activities. Many of their positions were not recognised by the Romans and thus lost their value to society, especially any role within the Christian faith as it was not tolerated by the Romans and actively persecuted.
what did augustus do to ensure all women were married?
Augustus wanted to return to the traditional values of the Roman Republic and he used the role of women in Rome to aid this mission. He placed a system of rewards and penalties to ensure that all women between 20 and 50 were married, childless widows were expected to remarry within 12 months and divorcees within 6 months, although this was modified in 9AD.
what could be the punishment for adulterers? what does this show?
A father could kill his daughter and her lover if he caught them adultering, a husband also had the right to do this if they were caught in their own home. This displays to us that women were still under the tight grip of the authority of their male ‘superiors’ and thus retained an inactive role within roman society that did not stray very far from their homes.
how did Augustus’ rule benefit women?
However, Augustus’ rule did prove fruitful in slackening those restrictive grips. Ius trium liberorum (the right of 3 children) gave mothers of 3 or more children, 4 or more if she was a freed woman, legal independence and could administer their own affairs without a tutor, she would wear a special garment and be freed from the authority of her husband.
what legal rights did women now have?
It also increased the amount of property they could inherit, while it restricted the husband’s power to dispose of property that had come to him as a dowry. Women now also had the right to register the births of legitimate children, this had previously been the sole right of men.
were women happy?
There is very little evidence that has come directly from a woman. However, Rome was a society that allowed women a respected position within, they valued their contribution to the home and to the state as producers of the next generation. However, it was clear from written evidence that some women of the upper classes in Roman society were not satisfied with the roles of wife, mother and housekeeper
