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Women's Role in Ancient Greece (Athens)
Women's lives in ancient Greece were very restricted. They didn't do much without consent from their husbands, fathers, or other male figures. They had barely any freedom to do anything. They were not seen as equal in men's eyes. Some men STIll feel the same way about women today.
In Athenian marriage, love and affection was not inmportant. They did not have to be in love to marry. Rich married the rich and poor married the poor. The woman's duty was to manage the house hold and the children. They were expected to remain in the home unless they went to a funeral or a festivals of the cults women were in. If they were seen outside their home they were assumed to be a prostitute or a slave.
Athenians divided all women into two different groups. Wives, and potential wives were in the first, and all the others were in the second. In men's eyes women were only around to take care of children and the household. They were supposed to be completley out of sight if a man invited any of his friends over to his house.
The women in Ancient Greece did not inherit anything from their husbands, or fathers. The females only inherited things from their brothers. Today when a women's husband dies she will get everything he left behind unless it is in the will that he wants an item to go to someone else.
Girls in Ancient Greece did not go to school. They stayed at home and their mothers taught them how to spin, weave, and look after the house. If the woman was she would be taught how to read on a later date, after she learn how to take care of everthing.
In Athens all women had a kyrios (guardian). This person had to be the closest male birth-relative or her husband. Even though a woman could own her clothing, jewelry, personal slave and purchase inexpensive items, she was otherwise not aloud to buy anything,or own property. Her kyrios controlled everything about her life.
