Eunice

Ancient Greek Women Essay

  Ancient Greek women had limited freedom and they didn’t have responsibilities in their public life. The women didn't get to have as much education as men. However, they were taught spinning, and other domestic duties. Lots of philosophers thought that the women were not as smart as men. Also, the philosophers thought that the women should not get any education because they only did domestic work. Ancient Greek women didn't run the household themselves. Most of them had slaves and servants and they worked with Greek women. Finally, Greek women had only a few rights and they weren't respected as much as men. However, even though lots of people thought they were cowardly, but they were in fact, brave and courageous.   Ancient Spartan women were different from the other Greek city-states women. As well as Spartan men were strong and brave, Spartan women were courageous and fearless.  In Spartan women’s public life, they could offer their opinions in public matters. In other Greek city-states women weren’t allowed to offer their opinions. This tells us that Spartan women were respected in public life. Also, they had more responsibilities in their public life. Spartan women were educated equally as men they were taught writing, reading, and physical education. Also, they learnt spinning and other domestic duties about household. Spartan women’s education and their public life weren’t much different than the modern women. However, Spartan women marriage was totally different than modern time marriage like right now. They need to get marry when they were 18 years old. During this time, lots of people usually get marry at late 20 to early 30. There was less age difference between husband and them compare to other Greek city-states. Usually right now when a couple gets marry and they live together. However, Spartan women didn’t live with their husband until the 10 years of marriage. When they were nursing or pregnant they get to have same amount of food as their husband. After they get marry, they exercise to stay fit which is same thing as diet. Lots of women right now are dieting after they get marry and bare children. One amazing thing about Spartan women is that they owned more than 1/3 of the land. They had a right to inherit land and own, control their own property. Also, they are known as wealthy because they own lots of properties. In conclusion, even though Spartan women were treated, taught like the women in modern time right now. However, they were still different than the modern women. 

Unlike Spartan women Athenian women were treated by their general classes. There were three general classes, first was Hetaerae, second was Athenian citizen women and the last was a slave.  The only first class Hetaerae was educated writing, reading and music. This tells us that if women weren’t wealthy they didn’t get to have a good education. Even though there were three general classes, the respectable women didn’t get to see in public. The women in general were taught spinning and other domestic duties. Also, they were taught some simple facts about mythology, religion, and learnt some musical instruments. However, Athenian women had very forced marriage, the marriage was arranged by their father. It was very important that the women were virgin. The poor women married to poor men but the rich women married to rich men. The marriage was early arranged if the daughter or women was wealthy. They were allowed to marry other citizen men. Athenian women need to get marry right after their puberty with an old man. They were getting married when they were young like girls. When they bear their children it always took place in their house. Probably in Ancient Athens there weren’t any hospitals. Even though the women were wealthy they can’t do anything with land and money if their fathers and brothers die. If their father and brothers die they became virtual slaves. Even if their husbands die, they don’t get to inherit the house or land. They needed to vacate the house and live with their fathers or brothers. However, Athenian women didn’t get to buy any properties and inherit land. They could have some properties if they were wealthy but, there was a limit for it. Athenian women didn’t have any right. They don’t even get to watch Olympic Games but they could only win Chariot Racing. Often, they get to play in the festivals. The society that women can go out and do things was very small and minimal. In conclusion, even though Athenian women and Spartan women were the same. They were treated and educated different in their public life.

Spartan women and Athenian women are the same Greek women. However, they also had lots of different things such as their marriage, women’s rights, public life and many other things. For example, most of Athenian women had their own guardians but Spartan women were expected to protect themselves. <span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"> It’s totally opposite which means even though they lived in a same country, they were doing all different things. Spartan women had lots of freedoms and responsibilities in their public lives. However, Athenian women didn’t have much freedom as Spartan women. Most of their time, they stay in their houses and they were spinning, and did other domestic duties. Spartan women’s had a few rights but Athenian women had no citizen right. Spartan women get to own or inherit properties, Athenian women get to own properties. However, there were limit for Athenian women to own properties. Also, they weren’t allowed to buy land or properties. In Athens, Athenian men had most of the land however in Sparta, Spartan women had 1/3 of the land. Sparta treated women and man equally so they had same education. Athens women treated like dirt but they treated like women only when they were pregnant. They didn’t get education equally as men. They were only taught spinning and other domestic duties. <span style="COLOR: rgb(153,204,0)">In Athens there were three general classes of women and they were treated by their classes. However, Spartan women were all treated equally except slaves and servants. Spartan women lived more likely modern women like right now however Athenian women lived more like Ancient women and slaves. <span style="COLOR: rgb(153,204,0); FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt; COLOR: rgb(153,204,0); FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt; COLOR: rgb(255,153,0); FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'">Athenian women and Spartan women had lots of same things such as their marriage, some cultures and many other things. <span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"> In both city-states, respectable women can not be seen in public. They were respected by many people and they don’t really want to show up easily. However, most of their marriages were arranged by their fathers. They don’t even know who their husbands is because if their fathers chose husbands. They couldn’t change it also even though they don’t like their husbands, women needed to marry them. Both city-states women got married when they were young like teenager. Some of them got married right after the puberty with old men. Some of women didn’t get married until their 18 years old. I think they got married after the puberty because if they marry before the puberty, they can’t pregnant. However, even though Spartan women learnt more on writing and reading. Spartan and Athenian women learnt same thing on spinning and other domestic duties. They both needed to household. I think Athenian women could be better in spinning and other domestic duties. The reason is because while Spartan women were learning writing and reading. Athenian women could learn more on spinning and domestic duties. Both city-states women were expected produce healthy and strong children. In Ancient Greek, one of the jobs for women was to produce healthy and strong children. They both had limited freedom, they couldn’t go out like men. Sometimes they just needed to stay home and do spinning for a whole day. <span style="COLOR: rgb(153,204,0)">In conclusion, Spartan and Athenian women had lots of same things. However, they had always same thought in their mind which was they way how they think and cares about their family were always same. Lots of Greek women lived very hard and harsh lives. However, some Greek women got to be respected and enjoyed their lives. As well as in lots of Greek city-states respectable women weren’t able to be seen in public. Most of the Greek women stay in the houses for whole day. They just needed to do spinning and other house works. Some of Greek women were educated, and they could read and write just like men. Marriage for Greek women were very poor. They don’t get to choose husbands. Also, they don’t get to choose to marry rich men or poor men. If they were poor they married poor men but if they were rich they married rich men. Fortunately this has changed, and now Greek women and men are treated equally, and they get to live just like men.



By Eunice Park <span style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt; COLOR: rgb(255,153,0); FONT-FAMILY: 'Goudy Old Style'"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(153,204,0)">