Fall 2018 CSUF History 110A: Gender Roles in the Ancient World

This assignment delves into the contrasting gender roles in ancient Athens and Sparta, exploring how women were depicted and treated in these societies. The student analyzes primary sources, including works by Apollodorus and Xenophon, to compare the lifestyles, education, legal standings, and societal contributions of women in each city-state. The assignment highlights the differences in women's rights, emphasizing the more egalitarian nature of Spartan society compared to the more restrictive Athenian society. It examines the impact of societal expectations and the influence of gender on various aspects of women's lives, including marriage, property rights, and participation in public life. The student also considers the historical context, including the influence of agriculture and societal development on gender equality, and discusses the role of women in administration, agriculture, and trade in Sparta. The assignment concludes by suggesting that the texts paint a true picture of the events of the past.

Gender roles in the ancient world
GENDER ROLES IN THE ANCIENT WORLD
How do the women of Athens seem to be depicted compared to the women of Sparta?
Compare the similarities and differences between the women and their lifestyles, at least
as imagined/prescribed by Lycurgus of Sparta and Apollodorus of Athens.
The status of women has always been a point of discussion since historical times.
Each society has treated its women differently. Lycurgus of Sparta and Apollodorus of
Athens, in their works, have depicted the women in their societies respectively. In Athens,
women were treated many rungs lower than men, denied education, and were domesticated
since birth. The Athenian women were married off relatively young, and were primarily
forced to produce many children, even though their health and well being was ignored. They
were treated like properties, were not entitled to any of their family property, and were
subjugated by men, in a patriarchal society (Apollodorus, 4 BCE).
The Spartan society, however was more egalitarian, and provided women with equal
rights as men. Women were provided the choice of institutionalized voluntary education,
though much evidence says that most women preferred home-based education. Women were
married late, and even though there was an emphasis on childbearing, the focus was more on
fitness and health in order to produce an rear a healthy future. They were treated like equals,
were legally entitled to their family property, and most often took up the role of the matriarch
of the family (Xenophon, 4 BCE).
1

Gender roles in the ancient world
How was the role of women different in Athens compared to the role of women in
Sparta? What do you think the women’s roles were exactly and do you think they were
okay with their roles as women?
Athenian women had no possible role in the society, as they were primarily raised to
do all domestic work, bear children, and live up to the whims and fancies of their spouses.
Even the women who were elite and had basic education has a very little significance, mainly
as a prostitute. However, Spartan women could effectively run families with minimal support
from their men, who were most of the times away at war. Spartan women are said to not only
appreciate bravery, but also to publically condemn and punish cowardice. The Spartan
women played very important roles in administration, agriculture and trade..
The Athenian women had no choice about their lifestyle, for they were subjugated by
men, and were deprived of all legal standings which could work in their favour. They were
trained from childhood to be subservient, thus their submission was more of an ingrained
trait. The Spartan women too had limited choice about their lifestyle; they were ingrained to
take charge of the family and state administration until the men returned from war, in order to
sustain the prosperity of the state. However, the key factor here is education – the Spartan
women were educated and could run a government independently, while the domesticated
Athenian women were homebound slaves to their men.
2

Gender roles in the ancient world
Who wrote these documents? Do you think the depiction of women in them reflected
how women actually lived? Why or why not?
The depiction of the Athenian women was made by Appolodorus in his prosecution
speech “Against Neaera”, where he argued against Neaera, a freed slave who was accused of
unlawfully marrying an Athenian man. In his speech, the author has clearly depicted the
status of women in Athens in the 4th Century BCE, their legal standings, and their rights in
the society. The depiction of the Spartan women was made by Xenophon, in the Constitution
of the Lacedaemonians, also in the 4th Century BCE. Here, the logic of the greek subjugation
of women is questioned, and the rationale for the focus on the empowerment of women in the
Spartan society is provided. The various legal standings of women, such as their role in the
society, their marriage and divorce rights, etc are discussed. This text too is considered as a
showcase of the ancient Spartan society, as the society was indeed matriarchal.
Both the societies depicted in the texts show contrasting societies with respect to the
treatment of their women. As the treatment of women varies in every society even today, it is
highly likely that these texts painted a true picture of the events of the past.
REFERENCES
Apollodorus. (4 BCE). Against Neaera, The past activities of a courtesan. Athens:
Prosecution.
Xenophon. (4 BCE). The education of Spartan mothers 1.2-10. Sparta: Constitution of the
Lacedaemonians.
3