The rolw of women in A. Greec

When compared to the women of Sparta, the standing of Athenian women in Greek society was minimal. When compared to the present day, Athenian women were regarded as being no more than a step above slaves by the 5th century BC. Girls in Athenian Greece were not permitted to learn how to read or write, nor were they required to obtain an education. Menander wrote, regarding reading and writing, "Teaching a woman to read and write? What a terrible thing to do! Like feeding a vile snake on more poison." There are many examples of other authors and philosophers with similar witticisms about women.

Much of the evidence with regards to Athenian women comes from the 7th century BC onward, when education in Athens started to emerge. Prior to this da

It would appear that people in Ancient Greece had varied views of women. Many saw them as important mothers of citizens and for the passing on of legitimacy, women were protected and sheltered, even in their own houses, from the peeping eyes of other men. They had limited access to society and the activities that took place there. Despite this, the writer Simonides depicted women as different types of animals- women represented the forces of chaos. Women were viewed as highly sexual beings who could not control their sexual urges and therefore had to be restricted for their own benefit. Compare this, however, to his paradox in which he explains to the ancient Greeks, 'woman is the consumer of men, their sex, their strength, their food, and their wealth, and the instigator of all evils in the world; yet without her, society cannot continue'. Euripides from his book ' Meda' writes; 'If only children could be got some other way without the female sex! If women didn't exist, human life would be rid of all its miseries'. These two authors depict the most constant view of women in ancient times. Most men felt that women were only necessary to produce children.

Even though the women of ancient Greece were not important, the goddesses were, especially Athena- goddess of wisdom, war, arts and crafts and the city of Athens. The people of Athens constructed a substantial temple for her and it is entitled the Parthenon. The populace of Athens put a picture of her on their coins and as Athens became more imperialistic, Athena started to look different, more war like.

Some topics in this essay:
Zeus Greek, Ancient Greece, Athenian Greece, Jean-Pierre Vernant, Lysistrata Aristophanes, Athens Greece, Classical Greek, Euripides Melanippe, Athens Dorian, Jean Vernant, athenian women, ancient greece, women ancient, friends women, reading writing, century bc, women ancient greece, women athens, lysistrata aristophanes, greece goddesses, class slave, 7th century bc,