Young Women- Chapter 2 (Athens) Flashcards
1
Q
What is a Wet Nurse (4)
A
- Women who look after and breastfeed another women’s baby.
- Common in Athens
- Usually Slaves, foreigners or poorer citizens who were charged for their services.
- 5th century hydria( water jar)
2
Q
What is a Kyrios(4)
A
- Male head of a Greek household, w responsibility and authority over his wife, children & any unmarried female relative.
- Exposure is the ancient practice of leaving an unwanted baby outside to die
- May also be exposed if baby has defect
- Seen as normal not illegal because baby was left in the ‘hands of the Gods’
3
Q
Dowry (4)
A
- An amount of money paid to a prospective groom by the brides family.
- Sources sac average dowry is between 5-20% of kyrios total wealth
- Poorer people do exposure as it’s cheaper
- Bigger the dowry, the more rich you were.
4
Q
Education(4)
A
- Athens had no state education
- Family had to arrange education for kids, normally a range of specialist teachers that teach literacy, numeracy etc
- normally for male
- women to be good kyria
5
Q
What is a kyria (4)
A
- Wife of Kyrios, under direct control of Husband
- young girls educated at home by mother
- expected to learn a few skills to be a good kyria later in life
- subjects like spinning, weaving & cooking.
6
Q
Red figure Hydria
A
- Shows difference in status & differences in rules of women
7
Q
Play
A
Meander: ‘A man that teaches a women how to write should recognise that he’s giving poison to an asp’ asp= snake
male attitudes to women: women are dangerous, giving women knowledge is dangerous and can cause problems. See women as destructive
8
Q
Athens marriage customs
A
- marriage for a girl would have been arranged by 14 by Kyrios
- handled like a business deal, not love
- girls Kyrios would select appropriate groom & agree on dowry
- swear oath in front of witnesses
- relationship should be beneficial for both families
- kids to inherit wealth, keep business going.
9
Q
Meander, perikeriromene.
A
‘this girl for the ploughing of children’
-from moment of engagement, couple were married
- children made for inheritance, child isn’t legitimate, can’t inherit.
‘Ploughing’ reproductive vessels
10
Q
Significance of a dowry
A
- important part of negotiating a marriage
- Kyrios who had a struggle to get money wouldnt be able to arrange a marriage
- dowry compensates the grooms family for price of providing a bride
dowry can help bride if a husband wanted to divorce, husband had to give back dowry - dowry was large and husband spent, he can no longer divorce
11
Q
Wedding ceremony
A
- lasted 3 days
- first day= bride w female relatives and had feast
- bride could make sacrifices to Artemis
- Offer lock of hair
- Offer a toy
- offerings to Hera and Aphrodite.
12
Q
Second day
A
- Ritual bath began
- after she would dress in finest clothing
- most symbolically important part was veil, symbolised modesty
- bride ready, Kyrios had a feast in home for both families, lots of entertainment
- A citizen would be excluded from drinking parties & wedding feasts would be an social occasion acceptation.
13
Q
Part 2
A
- torch light procession
- symbolic, groom drags bride from mum, putting into cart
- represents bride joining new family & being grooms Kyrios
- bride 14 would be scared
14
Q
Procession
A
- torches ward of evil spirits
- men sing wedding songs
- women throw fruit and flower at couple, symbol of fertility
- at end bride would be taken to hearth of grooms house,
- at end axie of cart is burnt, can’t return home.
Shows women as not important
15
Q
Central part of wedding ritual
A
- couple go to bedroom and spend night together
- friends would guard, sing songs, banging doors
- prevent evil spirits cursing marriage
- or moral support of bride
