Women 1500 Ce
The Change of Women’s Lives
HIS 103 World Civilizations I (AFF1238A)
Instructor: Steven Brownson
October 15, 2012
Women's lives, roles, and statuses changed over various early world history eras and culture areas in many ways. Ancient Persia, Paleolithic, Athens, Mesopotamian and Roman eras were all different in very unique ways. The Paleolithic era treated women fairly and were treated equally. During the Neolithic era women were not treated fairly. She was the daughter of her father or the wife of her husband. Women rarely acted as individuals outside the context of their families. Those who did so were usually royalty or the wives of men who had power and status.” (oi.uchicago.edu, 2010) Athenian women were not treated fairly either almost as if they were not even a citizen. “Laws forbade women and children from participation in political, judicial, and military affairs.”(Mahdavi, 2012) During the Ancient Persian Empire women brought more to their marriage than the men did. They could also divorce their husbands without reason and explanation. The Ancient Persian Empire is when women’s roles really began to change. Women that lived within the Roman Empire were expected to have a guardian because the Romans believe the women were not responsible enough to do things without. Although, women were still considered property, they had more options and rights as a woman.
During the Paleolithic era women’s roles were to gather food, and provide meals for their families. The Paleolithic women had a decent lifestyle compared to other eras. “In the Paleolithic era women were treated equal to men. Women gathered wild grains, fruits, nuts, and melons. Using digging sticks and carrying bags, they also collected edible roots and tubers, as well as bugs like termites, caterpillars, and locusts. Though meat was especially prized, modern anthropologists have found that in foraging society’s women contribute more calories to the general diet than do men.” (Mahdavi, 2012)
HIS 103 World Civilizations I (AFF1238A)
Instructor: Steven Brownson
October 15, 2012
Women's lives, roles, and statuses changed over various early world history eras and culture areas in many ways. Ancient Persia, Paleolithic, Athens, Mesopotamian and Roman eras were all different in very unique ways. The Paleolithic era treated women fairly and were treated equally. During the Neolithic era women were not treated fairly. She was the daughter of her father or the wife of her husband. Women rarely acted as individuals outside the context of their families. Those who did so were usually royalty or the wives of men who had power and status.” (oi.uchicago.edu, 2010) Athenian women were not treated fairly either almost as if they were not even a citizen. “Laws forbade women and children from participation in political, judicial, and military affairs.”(Mahdavi, 2012) During the Ancient Persian Empire women brought more to their marriage than the men did. They could also divorce their husbands without reason and explanation. The Ancient Persian Empire is when women’s roles really began to change. Women that lived within the Roman Empire were expected to have a guardian because the Romans believe the women were not responsible enough to do things without. Although, women were still considered property, they had more options and rights as a woman.
During the Paleolithic era women’s roles were to gather food, and provide meals for their families. The Paleolithic women had a decent lifestyle compared to other eras. “In the Paleolithic era women were treated equal to men. Women gathered wild grains, fruits, nuts, and melons. Using digging sticks and carrying bags, they also collected edible roots and tubers, as well as bugs like termites, caterpillars, and locusts. Though meat was especially prized, modern anthropologists have found that in foraging society’s women contribute more calories to the general diet than do men.” (Mahdavi, 2012)