women and power

• Athenian Government


  A democracy based on the idea that it was the civic duty of all male citizens to be involved in politics, with an equal vote in matters of the state.
• Assembly


  The central institution of the Athenian democracy. Male citizens were eligible to attend and vote.
• Boule


  Council of 500 citizens that decide what issues would be discussed in the Assembly.
• People that spoke mostly in the Assembly

  Rich educated citizens who had good rhetoric.
• Who was eligible for membership in the Athenian Assembly?

  Athenian citizens who were over 18, served in the military for at least two years, have never been a slave, payed all taxes and was male.
• Percentage of population of Athens who could participate in the Assembly

  20%
• Assemblywomen Author


  Aristophanes
• Significance of Assemblywomen


  A farcical play depicting women being involved in politics by one of Athens' preeminent comedians.
• Central character of Assemblywomen

  Kyria named Praxagora and women she recruited to her cause.
• Main plot of Assemblywomen

  Praxagora is trying to infiltrate the Assembly to do a better job at governing then men.
• Beginning of Assemblywomen


  At night the women are getting ready to go to the Assembly, Aristophanes jokes about their femininity.
• Characteristics of Praxagora


  Bossy and commanding, set against more gossip oriented peers.
• Ways in which the women try to disguise themselves as men

  Brought beards and male clothing, let their body hair grow out and stayed in the sun.
• Characteristics of women in Assemblywomen

  Gossips, uneducated, hard to control.
• Positive portrayal of women in Assemblywomen

  Praxagora was a good speaker and women were complimented on their traditional households.
• Agnodice


  First recorded woman to be a doctor and midwife. Trained in Egypt but returned to Athens to practice.
• Story of Agnodice


  Trusted more by women causing suspicion in men who brought her to court thinking she was seducing her wives. Her body was revealed and she was sentenced to death but the women stood up for her.
• Importance of the story of Agnodice


  Women where shown to make their voices heard through the influence of their male relatives, changing the law.
• Why is the participation of Greek women in the defence of Agnodice so impressive?


  In was in the public sphere of court
• Senate


  Rome's central governing body, formed of mainly older men.
• Magistrate


  An elected official in Rome
• Cursus honorum


  Ladder of political offices in Rome
• Quaestor


  Managed Rome's finances (20 per year)
• Aedile


  Oversaw public services (4 per year)
• Praetor


  Ran law courts (8 per year)
• Consul


  Co-heads of state in charge of the military, political relations and law passing (2 per year)
• Purpose of two consuls

  Safeguard against one man having too much power.
• Flaw in two consuls

  In times of national emergency, a dictator could be appointed.
• Influence of women in politics in Rome

  Couldn't stand for senate or vote so could only influence/manipulate men close to her, there is evidence for this.
• Praecia


  Refered to by Plutarch as highly influential as Cethegus, who at the time all acts needed to be passed through, would only do things with her approval.
• Fabia


  Indirectly changed the law to allow plebian men to apply for consulship by making her father know of her jelousy of her sisters patrician husband who was consul.
• The Oppian Law


  Rome engaged in a costly war (215 BCE) so the consuls passed a law for the women to give in all the gold and silver from their jewellery, stopping them from publicly displaying wealth.
• The repeal of the Oppian Law


  Livy tells in The History of Rome of the women protesting to repeal the law after the financial crisis had passed.
• Methods used to repeal the Oppian Law

  Blocking the streets when the debates where on and influencing husbands.
• Sempronia


  As told in The Conspiracy of Catiline by Sallust, the wife of a prominant senator, ideal matrona, very accomplished and co-conspiritor in the Catilinarian Conspiracy.
• Sempronia's role in Catilinarian Conspiracy

  Recruted to win the support of husbands and murder them if they don't.
• Portrayal of Sempronia


  Complimented on ability but also accused of breaking oaths, and being privy to murder and adultery.
• What happened during Agnodice's trial?


  she revealed herself as a women, but that just caused more prosecution. Then, the Athenian women stormed the case and appealed and said that Agnodice was important for women's health. The court decided to let women practice medicine after that.
• What is the story of Agnodice an example of?


  not only women having male roles, but also women in Athen's involvement in politics once it really effected them personally
• What could be an issue surrounding Agnodice's story?


  we don't know whether its historical or legend.