Roman Women

DOCUMENT BASED QUESTION

In a well-written paragraph (5-7 sentences in length), answer the following based on the
document and note taking questions below:

How were the lives of early Roman women different than that of women in
modern day America?

The Roman Family

From Rome's beginning, all legal rights and power belonged to the man. Historian Will
Durant comments it was, "as if the family had been organized as a unit of an army, always
at war."

In the early Republic the law recognized only a man's rights. He had total control over the
family:

-- Over his children he had the power of life and death

-- He could, at any time, for what ever reason he wished, sell his child into slavery

-- A daughter remained under the control of her father unless he consented to be being

married, where she is literally given over to the hand (power) of her husband and his

family

-- He held absolute power over the slaves of the household, and all female relatives under

his guardianship.

-- He held all rights over his wife as well. He could punish, banish, denounce, divorce, and

execute her if he so chose.

Everything -- people and property, rights and power -- were held in his hand. It was only
upon his death that his offspring became independent. He did have the power to
emancipate son or slave at will.

We are told by historians and the contemporary writers of those times, that the most
extreme rights were seldom employed, and others seldom misused. Custom, law and
tradition as well as public opinion kept moral check on a man's uses and misuses of such
power.

It is interesting to note that the Roman male held these controls over the family until his
death. Neither insanity nor his own choice could nullify it.

As the early Republic sought to strengthen itself from within to insure its continued growth,
these strong family units became its foundation. The tight unit became the basis for Roman
government, moral code and stoicism.

A woman in this arena, at this early stage of the Republic, had no rights of her own. Due to
what the jurist Gaius (150-180 AD) refers to as propter animi levitatem, literally "on account
of the lightness of mind", the law required that all women, young and old, be under the care
of a "guardian". In Gaius day the practice was in form only. By Constantine's reign (306-377
AD) it had disappeared altogether.

The Roman woman did, however, have considerably more freedoms than her Greek
counterpart. Unlike her Greek sisters, she was not required to take her meals away from
the men. Neither was she required to remain at home in seclusion if the man was away.

Women of Rome could not claim dower rights in her husband's estate, nor could she
appear as a witness in court. She could not hold office, vote or serve as judge or advocate.

Although during the days of the Republic she could inherit no more than 1,000,000
sesterces, she was not restricted from owning property and wealth. When husbands,
looking to escape taxes, bankruptcy and lawsuits transferred property to the wife's name,
her social worth and financial wealth increased.

Roman women, though not entitled to rights under the law, were not without power. The
legendary Messalina, Livia, Octavia, Antonia, Agrippina, and countless others are proof that
position, wealth and power need not be gained legislatively.

By Julius Caesar's time, wives had won many freedoms and led much less restricted lives.
Many elite class women grew powerful due to their riches, and became increasingly
influential through marriage and social connections.

Roman women were priestesses in the state religion, and at home mea domina, honored
madam. Most women did little or no physical labor in the home, other than weaving, which
was considered an acceptable expression of the ideal virtue in a woman. She did oversee
the home and the slaves activities. Many also oversaw the education of their children.

Generally speaking, we can know that though the law granted them little by way of written
rights, the Roman woman, the materfamilia, was loved by her spouse and offspring. We
can say that, overall, the family unit was strong, and did, in fact, become Rome's first
abiding strength.

Lady Livia. "Wives and Mothers: The Roman Family". Romanae Antiquae. http://www.realm-of-
shade.com/RomanaeAntiquae/family.html. 22 July 2004.

NOTE TAKING QUESTIONS

1. What rights did a man have over his family in early Rome?

2. During the early Republic, why were women legally required to have a "guardian"?

3. Although women had few legal rights, how could women become powerful?

4. After reading the article, what conclusions can you make about the types of work or

careers that women had in early Rome?