women Flashcards
(4 cards)
autonomy of imperial women?
persepolis fortification tablets attest to the fact that women travelled, had their own work forces and authorised transactions/issued orders
perhaps having people ‘assigned’ to them does not automatically suggest they held authority over those people - in her name but not following her instructions?
evidence suggests high quantities of rations being dispensed and accounting being completed
IRDABAMA’s SEAL appears on several documents f orders, sometimes only hers (seal carries enough authority to authorise)
princesses also issued rations - suggesting organising their own events - mostly attested for women very close to the king
were persian courtly women secluded?
Plutarch in life of themistokles - suggests as much
cannot identify within the palace archeology a space which clearly functioned as a haram or just for women - does not mean there was no physical/social separation
women were allowed to attend drinking and dining events as guests - unlike the greek symposium which is distinctly male
contrasting occurrence of persian women in art with elamite tradition
not prominent in persian royal inscription art - this is not just a standard of the time situation
elamite feature their royal women pretty frequently in their inscriptions - persians seem to lean mesopotamian in the lack of women in art
evidence for achaemenid imperial women
Persepolis foundation archives (Darius’ reign)
Atossa (mother of xerxes, descendent of cyrus, eventual wife of Darius and also the persian queen in Aeschylus Persae) records of her receiving immense wine rations, almost equal to that of Darius -> would suggest she was responsible for incredibly large household / number of dependents, the same is shown for two of his other wives. Atossa is not often featured in the tablets but that seems too be a luck of the draw
Rations afforded because she, and two other wives are owners of vast private estates which provided them the income for such large rations
women operating as their own economic agents and participating in commerce - how much soft power does this entail?
