How were women regarded in Athens during the Classical Period? What was their place in society? Were they locked away, not educated, and had no control of their own lives? Were they citizens who had personal freedom? Or did they live very restricted lives? These questions have probably lurked in the minds of many for a very long time considering that Athens was dominantly male centered. Thus, a thorough examination of the Athenian women’s role in various aspects of society such as the political arena, their legal capabilities, role in the family and in marriage, their freedom, and the attributes of gender during the Classical Period would be much of an interesting topic. Refocusing our attention of Athenian from men to women, much of the Athenian culture was not a sole contribution of men but also that of the women. Hence, a review of women activity in Classical Athens would further emphasize the biases that centers on men and the suppression of such a society on women.

“There is, in fact, no literature, no art of any country, in which women are more prominent, more carefully studied and with more interest, than in the tragedy, sculpture, and paintin

In addition, women’s freedom is further segregated by subdivisions of women class. “The very young and the very old probably enjoyed a greater degree of freedom than those who, to underline the significant feature, were possessed of their full sexuality.” Men seems to respect their women children and women elder relatives than their wives; this could be explained by men’s notion of property. They consider their wives as someone they own and therefore someone to be manipulated or controlled rather than respected. The other division of women is according to social and economic class. “It is reasonable to assume that there were significant difference between the conduct of women from the upper economic classes and those who belonged to the poor.” It is quite rational to think that the richer one gets the more power one has and although women have limited powers in Greek society these powers can still somehow bend its way up to accommodate wealthier women.

Some topics in this essay:
Marriage Basically, Gender Athenian, Legal Capabilities, Fittingly Classical, Classical Greece, Apollo Zeus, Classical Athenian, Athens” Paradoxically, Freedom Seclusion, Land Athens, athenian women, athenian woman, athenian society, classical athens, role women, women permitted, intellectually inferior, athenian polis, race women, controlled manipulated, citizenship political rights, subject legal provisions, freedom bestowed women, legal consequences derived, provisions legal consequences,