young women

• What is a kyrios?

  the male head of the Greek household, with responsibility for and authority over his wife, children and any unmarried female relatives.
• What is exposure?


  The ancient practice of leaving an unwanted baby outside the city to die.
• What is a dowry?


  The money that the wife brings to her husband when they get married.
• Who had control over if the baby was exposed or not?


  The kyrios/the paterfamilias
• What type of education system did Athens have?

  no state education system
• What would most girls learn?

  from their mothers, learn a range of PRACTICAL skills that would lead them to be a good kyria in future life.
• How was teaching women viewed?

  as though it was dangerous
• Did class affect girls' education?

  Certainly, lower-class girls would've taken a more active role in the running of the household in comparison to a richer girl.
• What age were marriages arranged in Athens?


  Whenever she hit puberty - around the age of 14
• Who would arrange the Athenian marriage?

  The kyrios - viewed as a buisness deal
• In Athens, what would they do when the marriage was arranged?


  swear an oath
• When were the couple considered legally married in Athens?

  from the betrothal(engagement)
• How would the dowry protect the bride?

  meant that if the husband was to divorce, he would have to return the dowry. Encourages men not to mistreat their wives.
• How long did an Athenian wedding last?


  three days
• What would happen on the first day of an Athenian wedding?

  joined by her female relatives and friends to have a feast. She would make sacrifices to Artemis.
• What was Artemis the goddess of?

  childhood and virginity
• What sacrifice would an Athenian bride make to Artemis?

  cut a lock of her hair off, and give her childhood toys away. Was used to thank the goddess for her protection during childhood, and ask for that continued favour as an adult.
• Who else might have an Athenian bride made sacrifices to?

  hera and Aphrodite
• what happened on the second day of an Athenian marriage?

  started with a Ritual Bath for the bride. After, she would be dresses in the finest clothes and jewlerry available. She would also be dressed in a veil.
• What was the most important item of clothing a woman wore on her wedding day?

  the veil - which symbolised her modesty
• What would happen on the third day of an Athenian wedding after the bride was veiled?

  her and her Kyrios would have a wedding feast in their home. After the feast was over, they would have a torch lit procession where the bride would get dragged away by her husband from her mother, and put into cart. Then, she would be taken to her new home in the cart and the cart's axel would be burned to symbolise 'no going back' after the procession finished.
• Why were there lanterns at an Athenian wedding?

  to ward off evil spirits
• What would happen on the last day?

  the brides attendants would be outside her bedroom, and when the couple woke up and left, she was given lots of gifts.
• Why were eye witness important in an Athenian wedding?

  Eyewitnesses would legitimise the wedding, they would be called to give evidence if there was even conflict.
• How were Spartan women treated?

  they had considerable freedom, especially in running the family estates when their husband were on active military service. They were given great honour for giving birth to children.
• Who would accept a baby into the family in Sparta?

  the Spartan Elders
• Was there any preference for raising boys over girls in Sparta?

  No
• What was Spartan girls education like?

  they engaged in physical training, but also average level of reading, writing and arithmetic.
• who was the famous Spartan woman that was a victor at the Olympics?

  cynisca
• How did matchmaking work in Sparta?


  it all depended on if you would produce healthy, warrior children. Mainly, benefit to the Spartan state was the contributing factor of the choice.
• Did a Spartan wedding have a dowry?

  no
• What age would a girl marry in Sparta?

  in her late teens or early twenties
• What did a Spartan wedding ceremony consist of?


  the woman would dress as a man (shave her hair), meet alone with her husband on the floor of her bedroom after waiting till he arrived. When he did, they would make love and he would return to the barracks straight afterwards.
• How often did the Spartan marriage arrangement happen?

  continue indefinitely, with the couple meeting in secret.
• Why was a Spartan marriage done this way?


  -To ensure that the state came first before relationships

  -They would have vigorous sex if they did it rarely, and therefore, produce healthier offspring
• What is paterfamilias?


  the male head of a family or household. -rome
• What is a patricia potestas?


  the power held by the paterfamilias over his family.
• How was a Roman child accepted into the family?

  the baby would be left at the paterfamilias' feet, and if he lifted it into the air it was accepted, and if he turned away from it it would be exposed by the midwife.
• How would a Roman girl be accepted into the family?


  she would be put on a couch for Juno, which meant that she invited the gods into the house and she would be watched over for her first few days
• What is Juno the goddess of?

  marriage and childbirth