Women in Ancient Greece What was life REALLY like?

This stone figure shows Ancient Greek women at work This stone figure shows Ancient Greek women at work. But what are they doing? In pairs come up with your best idea!

Washing clothes in a big sink Washing clothes in a big sink. The person on the left is blowing a whistle to start. Making bread while listening to a flute being played. Making models out of clay. The figure on the left is making a pipe. Folding clothes.

Historians now argue over just how much women had to stay at home Historians now argue over just how much women had to stay at home. It does seem that richer women, at least, were seldom seen in public. They were expected to supervise the running of their households. An Ancient Greek writer compared the woman of the house to a Queen Bee: ‘she always stays in the hive’ and works at textile crafts and entertains friends - all under her own roof. There were parts of the house where they cooked, did their weaving and spinning, looked after children and sometimes slept – away from their husbands. Hayden Middleton from People in the Past: Ancient Greek Homes, Heinemann 2002

Some women did go out of their houses. So who were they Some women did go out of their houses. So who were they? Why did they go? Let’s have a look at a vase which gives us a clue.

2 Empty vase 1 3 Full vase 4 Water spout Vase being filled How do we know this vase shows women going to the fountain?

The potters were men and they were not interested in women. Why do we have so little information about the lives of women from the pots? Is it……? Reason 1 Women were shy and didn’t like to be painted. Some of you might not like having your photograph taken Reason 2 The potters were men and they were not interested in women. Reason 3 Most women did not take part in battles or have careers, which tended to be the main subjects of pictures. Reason 4 Craftsmen found it easier to create images of men, rather than women.

What about written sources?

Source 1 'You won't allow us to leave the house, or even peep out of the door; And if ever you find that your wife is out, you bellow (shout) ; you rage and you roar... She may have been paying a neighbourly call, on a woman who's just had a son.' A female character from a play The Poet and the Women.

Source 2 'She stays always in the hive, taking care that all the bees ...are duly employed in their occupations; and those whose business lies outside the home, she sends out to do their duties. These bees, when they bring home their burdens, she receives, and instructs them to store their harvest till the time comes to use it. Then she shares it out fairly among those of her colony. She employs the bees who stay at home ...and likewise takes care of the young bees, seeing that they are well nourished and educated until they are able to go out and work for their living.' (The ‘young bees’ would refer to children and possibly other relatives.) Written by a wealthy Greek, describing his wife’s role.

Source 3: Ancient Greek man talking to his wife “Your duties will be to stay indoors and give the slaves work to do. You must look after the money and spend some of it, but also save some. You must make the money last for the whole year and not spend it in a month. When the wool is brought to you, you must see that the clothes are made for those who need them. You must also see that the corn is dry and the bread can be made from it.”

What do the library books say?

Book A Women from poor families might work, perhaps in the market selling vegetables, but normally it was only if the family couldn’t afford slaves that women left the house to fetch water, or do the shopping.

Book B Although peasant women might be found selling food at some stalls, and women of the poorer classes might be found doing the shopping, in many families, men or slaves usually bought the food. The women stayed at home.

Book C In poor Greek families, women had a chance to get out a little in the course of their busy lives, because there was no one else to do the shopping. In wealthy families, however, women hardly left the house, except for religious festivals or family celebrations. At best they managed to visit friends and hold all-women dinner parties.

ways of expressing uncertainty the relative lack of evidence Remember to consider these things when you evaluate the written accounts the class of women being discussed ways of expressing uncertainty the relative lack of evidence

How good is this description? Women in Ancient Greece did not really lead a public life at all. They were expected, instead, to control the running of the house. They cooked, spun, wove, brought up the children and managed the family budget and female slaves. They were trained for these duties from childhood. They could not take part in dinner parties given by their husbands. They had their own special quarters in the house, and were not allowed to do the shopping or go out alone unless they were attending one of the women’s festivals. However, there is much evidence in vase paintings and on tombstones to tell us that they were respected by their husbands and society.

Balancing the argument; referring to the evidence Clear statement All women rich and poor? Women in Ancient Greece did not really lead a public life at all. They were expected, instead, to control the running of the house. They cooked, spun, wove, brought up the children and managed the family budget and female slaves. They were trained for these duties from childhood. They could not take part in dinner parties given by their husbands. They had their own special quarters in the house, and were not allowed to do the shopping or go out alone unless they were attending one of the women’s festivals. However, there is much evidence in vase paintings and on tombstones to tell us that they were respected by their husbands and society. Use of commas to list Boring use of they all the time? Evidence? Balancing the argument; referring to the evidence

Can you do better than these?