Women in the Home

• How is female virtue presented in Athens?

  A quote by thehistorian,Thucydides:´[the] greatest [glory] will be hers who is least talked of among the men´>> importance ofmodesty>> an ideal woman did not involve herself in thepublic spheresof politics, culture or war>> her place was in thehomeand her greatestglorycould be won by simplyavoiding criticism
• What was the most important duty of an Athenian kyria and why?

  producing asonto be theheirto the kyrios´ property
• A: What was the female head of the household called?

  kyria
• A: What was an unmarried girl referred to as?

  parthenos, meaning virgin
• A: What was a married woman who had lost her virginity called?

  nymphe, meaning bride
• A: What was a woman called once she had a baby?

  gyne, meaning wife-considered a fully grown woman
• A: Why was it so important to produce a legitimate heir?

  -toinheritand carry on the family´swealthandlegacy-boys could work >>financial security
• A: Evidence showing that women were greatly valued for their ability to produce children (prescribed source)

  -The number of women´sgrave markersthat reference childbirth-Grave markers would be placed along the side of roadsnear city gates wherepassers-bywouldlearnabout the deceased-As such, they would showvirtues/achievementsof the diseased>> shows the amount ofhonourplaced on women who had children as it was displayed on their grave markers for many to see

  e.g.The grave stele of Ampharete
• A: How does the grave stele of Ampharete show female virtue and how bearing children was an important duty for Athenian women?

  -astelecommemorating the life and death of an Athenian woman-depicts a grandmother holding her grandchild

  -she islooking down at the baby, showing herself being a goodkyria, despite it being her grandchild >> not drawing attention to herself

  -theframearound her and the child, implies that she is in thehousehold>> ideal for a woman

  -the fact a stele was made of her, although she is not the mother of the child, shows how she is beingidolisedand should beadmired by other women

  
• How did many women and children die in Athens?

  in childbirth
• A: Why was infertility an issue?

  Why would a kyria feel pressure because of this? What is some evidence for this?

  -asproducing children was seen to be the wife´s main duty, there was a great deal of anxiety around the issue of infertility

  -a kyria felt pressure to have children to provide alegitimate heirto inherit the wealth and legacy of the kyrios

  -In one of hiscomedies,Aristophanesdepictsthe story of a woman who had been unable to conceive andtricked her husband into believing that she was in labour>> although this is a comedy,jokes are often rooted in the truth. we might easily imagine the scenario considering thepressuremany women may have felt to provide children for their husbands