CC GCSE Women in Power

Athenian Government

Athenian Government

A democracy based on the idea that it was the civic duty of all male citizens to be involved in politics, with an equal vote in matters of the state.

Assembly

The central institution of the Athenian democracy. Male citizens were eligible to attend and vote.

Boule

Council of 500 citizens that decide what issues would be discussed in the Assembly.

People that spoke mostly in the Assembly

Rich educated citizens who had good rhetoric.

Who was eligible for membership in the Athenian Assembly?

Athenian citizens who were over 18, served in the military for at least two years, have never been a slave, payed all taxes and was male.

Percentage of population of Athens who could participate in the Assembly

20%

Assemblywomen Author

Aristophanes

Significance of Assemblywomen

A farcical play depicting women being involved in politics by one of Athens' preeminent comedians.

Center of Assemblywomen

Kyria named Praxagora and women she recruited to her cause.

Main plot of Assemblywomen

Praxagora is trying to infiltrate the Assembly to do a better job at governing then men.

Beginning of Assemblywomen

At night the women are getting ready to go to the Assembly, Aristophanes jokes about their femininity.

Characteristics of Praxagora

Bossy and commanding, set against more gossip oriented peers.

Ways in which the women try to disguise themselves as men

Brought beards and male clothing, let their body hair grow out and stayed in the sun.

Characteristics of women

Gossips, uneducated, hard to control.

Positive portrayal of women

Praxagora was a good speaker and women were complimented on their traditional households.

Agnodice

First recorded woman to be a doctor and midwife. Trained in Egypt but returned to Athens to practice.

Story of Agnodice

Trusted more by women causing suspicion in men who brought her to court thinking she was seducing her wives. Her body was revealed and she was sentenced to death but the women stood up for her.

Importance of the story of Agnodice

Women where shown to make their voices heard through the influence of their male relatives, changing the law.

Senate

Rome's central governing body, formed of mainly older men.

Magistrate

An elected official in Rome

Cursus honorum

Ladder of political offices in Rome

Quaestor

Managed Rome's finances (20 per year)

Aedile

Oversaw public services (4 per year)

Praetor

Ran law courts (8 per year)

Consul

Co-heads of state in charge of the military, political relations and law passing (2 per year)

Purpose of two consuls

Safeguard against one man having too much power.

Flaw in two consuls

In times of national emergency, a dictator could be appointed.

Infulence of women

Couldn't stand for senate or vote so could only influence/manipulate men close to her, there is evidence for this.

Praecia

Refered to by Plutarch as highly influential as Cethegus, who at the time all acts needed to be passed through, would only do things with her approval.

Fabia

Indirectly changed the law to allow plebian men to apply for consulship by making her father know of her jelousy of her sisters patrician husband who was consul.

The Oppian Law

Rome engaged in a costly war (215 BCE) so the consuls passed a law for the women to give in all the gold and silver from their jewellery, stopping them from publicly displaying wealth.

The repeal of the Oppian Law

Livy tells in The History of Rome of the women protesting to repeal the law after the financial crisis had passed.

Methods used to repeal the Oppian Law

Blocking the streets when the debates where on and influencing husbands.

Sempronia

As told in The Conspiracy of Catiline by Sallust, the wife of a prominant senator, ideal matrona, very accomplished and co-conspiritor in the Catilinarian Conspiracy.

Sempronia's role in Catilinarian Conspiracy

Recruted to win the support of husbands and murder them if they don't.

Portrayal of Sempronia

Complimented on ability but also accused of breaking oaths, and being privy to murder and adultery.