athens

• who is under control

  from birth to death, athenian women are under direct control of their kyrios
• who could a kyrios be


  father, husband, son
• how can athenian women be considered as a result of a kyrios

  perpetual minors
• how does birth work in greece

  from birth it's the Kyrios' responsibility to decide whether the baby is welcomed into the household or is subjected to exposure
• how is exposure viewed

  neither illegal or immoral as they believed if the gods wanted to save the baby they could however those who were expose were offspring of slave girls or prostitutes
• kryios


  male head of a greek household. responsible for women, children or anyone under his household. responsible for the continuity + prosperity of the oikos
• exposure


  ancient practice of leaving an unwanted baby out of the city to die
• oikos


  greek word for household. refers to anyone living under the roof or under the household itself. both an economic + domestic unit
• why were girls at a greater risk of exposure than boys

  they were seen as a disadvantage.

  • fathers wanted a legitimate heir. kyrios responsibility for continuity + prosperity of oikos and only boys could inherit
  • men contribute to oikos financially = grow up to be men job, money
  • only men could be Athenian citizens = vote
  • women are financial loss = can't work, can't bring in money, costs to raise her and marry her off
• athenian education system


  there was no staTe education system. families would hire subject specialist tutors to teach but only for boys.

  girls would be educated by their mothers or wet nurse about practical skills that would help them be a good kyria later in life
• girl "subjects"

  • weaving, spinning, clothes, cooks
  • managing slaves, children, attending to kyrios' needs, rationing food and money
• vase paintings depiction of education of girls

  some vase paintings show some girls receiving some education and reading. they did this by taking advntage of their brothers tutors though this wasn't normal
• menander


  An Athenian comic playwright

  "a man who teaches a woman to write should recognise he is providing poison to an asp"

  • suggest literate women weren't the norm + educated women were dangerous
  • was a comic = joke + not a reprenstation of general athenian views
• plato


  athenian philospher

  • propose that girls and boys should receive the same education
  • women are inferior to men but some women had some qualities that belonged to governer class beyond education eg math music philospohy BUT was never put into play
• plato quote


  "natural abilites are distributed among both sexes alike. a woman can share in all functions according to her natural abilites, just as men can, though in all of them a woman is inferior"
• how does class affect education

  • rich = access to education but reputation was more important to those of higher class so didn't want their daughter to be looked down for being too educated. won't have to learn lots as slaves did most things
  • poor = had to do everything themselves means learning more to fufill duties, take more action in family business
• klismos


  seat for women of the house
• wet nurse


  a woman who looks after and breast feeds another womans baby. very normal and was usually a slave, foreigner or poor citizen who charges for their services
• kyria


  the wife of the kyrios, under the direct control of her husband, responsible for children, slaves, caring for husband and teaching daughter
• girls had nothing to hope for

  • taught to marry, have best husband = take pride and gain pleasure by doing duty well
  • duty benefitted family = best husband contributing to the forming of the continuity of the oikos
  • learn from mother skills = purpose
  • restricted and lack of freedom as no other choice
• betrothal in athens


  • made my father (kyrios) where he finds best suitor for the daughter
  • happens as young as 5 but normally 15
• why are betrothals made so young

  • pure = legitimate children
  • puberty just started = have kids as soon as possible
  • men were old = had to establish themselves as a man = solider/ husband = get best suitor
• father's criteria for men

  • good social status, financially secure, good political connections
  • if the relationship was beneficial for both sides of the family
  • meant girls were exchanged between friends, business partners, families
• groom's concern for wife

  • was a good house keeper + produce legitimate children + good dowry
• dowry


  5- 20 percent of kyrios' wealth. property of money valued in cash which represented daughters share of her father's estate. used to support her thru her marriage and in case of divorce had to be paid back = security in marriage
• betrothal ceremony


  • made before witnesses
  • stated dowry, virginity attested , sworn a solemn oath
  • "i give you this girl for the ploughing of legitimate children"
  • couple is now legally married even if its years before marriage ceremony
• Demosthenes


  "we have wives to produce true-born children and to be trustworthy guardians of the household"
• how did dowry work in athenian marriage

  • used to support wife as she's now financial responsiblity of the husband = compensation
  • in divorce is returned to family but women never owned or disposed of it = security
  • obliged by law to maintain the woman
• day 1 of marriage

  • bride + female friends have feast togehter
  • make sacrifices to artemis
• sacrifices to artemis


  • lock of hair + childhood toys = thank her for protecting her thru childhood and to ask her to continue protecting her as she enters womanhood
• day 2 events

  • bathed in holy water which comes from a jar
  • dressed
  • kryios holds festival
  • torchlight procession
  • crowned, meet mum
  • taken to hearth of house
  • sleep
  • gifts
• bathing of bride day 2

  • bride is bathed by an older woman who gives her advice + water is from a holy spring at the foot of acropolis (the Kallihroe) in jar called loutrophoros
  • if she dies before getting married loutrophoros is placed on her grave
  • bathing is to purify her + enhance her fertility
• dressing of bride day 2

  • dressed in her special dress, veil, headband, jewellery
  • veil = representing her modesty as it hides her face
• kryios' festival


  • kyrios holds festival for both sides of the family + close friends
  • find food, wine, music, entertainment
  • few events women could attend
• torch procession day 2

  • kyrios pulling bride away from her mother, putting her in a cart and driving them to his house
  • symbolises she is no longer a member of her childhood home but a member of his house and he is her new kyrios
• rest of procession


  • bride is crowned -> carries a pomegranate + torches light up the way to ward off evil spirits

  -men sing and women through fruits, flowers and nuts for fertility

  • they are welcomed by mother at the house by a lit torch
  • the house is decorated by olives and laurel boughs = officially married
• rest of day 2

  • bride is taken to the heart aka fireplace of the house = symbolic centre of the house where she is offered quince or dates = fertility
  • atp the wooden axle of the processional cart is burnt to represent how she cant go back home
  • couple retire to the bedroom and spend first night together and friends stand outside and sings epithalmions (hymns) and bang outside the door to prevent evil spirits cursing the marriage/ provide moral support for bride as she's about to lose her virginity
• day 3 wedding


  • female attendants still outside the door with men and would sing wedding songs + give her gifts that would help her in her new life

  eg jewllery, cosmetics and perfumes.
• from what point are they officialy married

  when they are greeted by the mum with the beautifully decorated house
• Why were eye witness important in an Athenian wedding?

  • governments didnt keep track of wedings, eye witnesses were used to recognise that wedding happened and if someone says it didn't happen they were used as evidence it did happen