OCR GCSE Classics - Women in the Home

What is meant by parthenos, nymphe and gyne?

Parthenos - unmarried Athenian girl

Nymphe - married Athenian girl who isn't a virgin

Gyne - Athenian woman after giving birth to 1st child

What is a grave marker and what is it for?

Stele, it commemorated a person's life with what they were best known for

What can we learn from Ampharete's stele? (3)

-She was a grandmother

-She is praised for her maternal qualities

-She is inside and modest

Who was the god of Medicine? What was his shrine?

Asclepius, women would stay overnight as his shrine at Epidauros as it was believed divine snakes would cure them of infertility

What did kyria do in their homes?

-Weave to provide for household

-Manage resources

-Manage slaves

-Take care of household members

-Educate slaves

What was the female and male part of the household?

Gynaikeion and Andron

What happened in the andron?

Male-only drinking party known as Symposium which the women would decorate for but not attend, hetaira would be present

What was freedom of movement like for a kyria?

They could not leave the house without a male escort and was limited by how much she could spend when she did leave the house

What source tells us that Athenian women took good care of their looks?

Hegeso's stele; she wears heavily draped and modest clothing and is attended to by a slave as she sits on a chair inside holding a jewellery box, showing her wealth

What were adultery laws like in Athens?

Women had to remain absolutely faithful, but men could sleep with women outside of their marriage

How easy was it for women to divorce?

Women could divorce by going back to her original home but it could be difficult as her husband could physically stop her and bring her back, she could also send a male relative to plea for divorce to the magistrate

How could one become a slave? (4)

-Captured in war

-Piracy (stolen by pirate)

-Exposed as a baby and survived

-Born into slavery

When could Spartan women be commemorated with a grave marker?

Only if they had children as it was like a service to the state

Why was having sex with multiple partners NOT seen as adultery in Sparta?

Polyandry, It was seen as men and women fulfilling their duty to the state and there was no concern about legitimacy or loyalty to another, only loyalty to Sparta

What were the duties of a Spartan wife and mother?

-NOT to stay inside and weave, slaves do this

-Physical training

-Manage household and kleros

-Bear children until infertile

-Contribute to husband's syssition

-Inherit property

What would Spartan mothers teach their sons? Give a quote

They would instill a love for Sparta and send them to the agoge for training at age 7, 'return either with your shield or on it'

What was a married Roman woman known as?

Matrona, materfamilias if married to the paterfamilias

What were the roles of a matrona?

-Give birth inside home

-Breastfeed her own children

-Cook

-Clean

-Weave

-Look after children

-Could work a job

What would a wealthy matrona's life be like?

She would have a number of slaves to help her, educated, could visit friends, keep up with politics and were NOT restricted from leaving the house and could attend festivals and theatre

What was pietas?

Duty to country, family, and gods

What was Laudatio Turiae?

'In praise of Turia', a funerary inscription placed outside the city made by a Roman man for his wife showing a rare account of a husband's love for his wife

What did Laudatio Turiae praise about Turia?

-Courage and action to avenge parents

-Stayed with mother-in-law while husband away

-Intelligent

-Loyal and loving

-Provides dowries for female relatives

-Provided for husband when he was in exile

-Protected the house physically

-Suffered pain for her husband

-Couldn't give birth, offered to divorce

-Married for 40 years!

How could one become a Roman slave? (5)

-Prisoner of war

-Piracy

-Sold into slavery

-Born into slavery

-Convicted criminal

Who was the most well-respected female slave? What did she do?

The vilica, she managed the household, tended to the hearth and lararium, ground flour, preserved fruit and cooked

What could slave men and women do instead of marriage?

Be in parternerships known as contubernium, co-habiting

What was a freedman?

Libertus, a slave could be freed for their will or loyalty and was considered a 2nd-class citizen as he had restricted rights

When a slave was freed, what was the relationship with their old master?

The slave became a cliens, the master became a patronus, and the slave would adopt one of the former master's names