The Legal/social Status Of Women In Early Roman Society

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Legal Status of Women during the Kings and Res Publica

 

The Roman Familia: Women during the first century had no political rights and it was even deemed natural. The only way women were able to exercise civil rights had to be done through the consent of a

Edited January 15, 2006 by FLavius Valerius Constantinus

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Social Status of Women during the Kings and Res Publica

 

System of Nomenclature: As many all know, the Roman citizen had three names; the praenomen, nomen, and cognomen. However, women had only gentile names and the family name, but no individual names or identity. Names such as Cornelia, Caecilia, Tullia and as such were not personal names. When a family had more than one woman, then the words Maior (older) and Minor (younger) would be added to clear confusion. If there were more than two, words such as Prima, Seconda, and Tertia were added.

 

Female praenomina did use to exist, but vanished right before the historical era. Regarding female names, this subject is very complex and argued oftenly. In studying this subject, there are three types of female names. The first type was a single name which was the feminine form of the father’s name or of the gens such as Anicia, Roscia, and Aulia. The second type is gentilicium plus the father’s praenomen followed by filia. The third type was the very rare, it included the praenomen which undoubtedly says that females had first names and such names were Rutilia, Caesella, Rodacilla, Murrula, and Burra were common female praenomen which were derived from in terms of color, probably the from the color of hair or skin the women was described in such a way. From male-derived names, they were Gaia, Lucia, Publia, Numeria and others. Others as recorded by Festus and Varro: Caecilia, Taracia, and Titia. The practice of giving females first names is not true in Roman society for the Romans can blame the Etruscans who regularly called women by their first name and this Etruscan practice was eventually mixed with Roman culture.

 

Female Discontent and Bacchic Cults: During a poisoning trail held in 331 B.C. many important people died and thus 160 women had been condemned for the act. This certainly signals a problem with Roman society which now looked up females with malicious misconceptions. Later on around the second century, a whole series of sumptuary laws had been established which placed rigorous limitations on female luxury and so the status of women deteriorated, plebeians and patricians alike. Now in 215 B.C., the law lex Oppia forbid women to wear excessive jewelry or colored clothing and twenty years later it was repealed. However, the lex Voconia made that those women could not inherit more than 200,000 asses which certainly brought the anger of female patricians. Thanks to the discontent, the Bacchic cults grew. Female members in this cult committed many strange rites which somewhat expressed their independence in terms of sex, emotions, and vulgar acts. Later in history, Bacchanalia brought greater scandals which became intolerable.

 

Contraception: During the very late Republic, the female population was widely affected by the growing use of contraception. Although many methods were ineffective as contracepts, yet many would to good use. To the underclass female population, and so contraception to some was an economic privilege in the way that they might avoid maternal duty. Less not to say every female wanted to avoid motherhood.

 

Funeral Inscriptions: In reading funeral descriptions, one can see what an honorable woman in Roman society would have done and lived in such a mannered way. Two such prime examples belong to Claudia and the laudatio Turiae. In the eulogy of Claudia, what she wanted everyone who read this inscription about her was her conjugal devotion, motherhood, and pleasant demeanor. It all really mattered about those attributes which should draw admiration. As for Turia, she says her marriage was rare being that it lasted forty-one years. During her life, she sold all her jewels in order to save her husband from political persecution. Yet also in her life, she was not able to bear any children. Being the good wife she was, she offered divorce to her husband so he can marry another and have

children with that women and Turia herself would consider those children her own. He refused her offer because he feared he was trading a good wife for something of an unknown quantity. And all her life, she remained with her husband. Yet not every women was like Claudia and Turia, and these different women were considered degenerate and a corruption to society.

 

Conclusion: Whatever so, Roman women had unprecedented freedom instead of having to be considered biological tools with the sole purpose of procreating. Roman women were not tied to the household forever, they could go out and dine with others and do many other things. These women were a fundamental instrument in the transmission of a culture which was perpetually entrusted to them in every era. Women did their duty in bring up their children and being faithful to their husbands. In some way, women had substantial influence in the lives of their men and with brought great honor to them.

 

Main Source: Pandora's Daughters by Eva Cantarella

Minor Sources: The Roman Family by Suzanne Dixon

Social History of Rome by Geza Afoldi

Edited January 16, 2006 by FLavius Valerius Constantinus

[M. Porcius Cato]

The Population Crisis: During the Republica, population substantially declined and in the centuries to follow. One hypothesis was mass lead poisoning which might be to blame due to the aqueducts that brought water to Rome was made of lead. However, lead poisoning cannot account for all the circumstances that should contribute to making a birth decline a serious social problem. A good reason might be contraception which was widely used. Although many methods were ineffective as contracepts, yet many would to good use. One may blame contraception, but women were a large part in this problem. To the underclass female population, contraception was an economic privilege and this female population regarded themselves as attaining a new type of independence without maternal duty.

 

When during the Republican period was there a population decline? It certainly wasn't between the Punic War and the age of Cicero. Shortly after the Punic War, there was baby-boom, such as is typically experienced when men come home from war. For an interesting review of a very good book on this, see Rome at War. (Long story short: Brunt was wrong.)

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

I believe that paragraph of mines refers to the very late Republic, but you might be right however. If you can provide me with another specific list of facts that proves that the population grew substantially in the late Republic, then I'll take your advice and change that paragraph. But don't you think contraception might have declined the population.

Edited January 15, 2006 by FLavius Valerius Constantinus

[M. Porcius Cato]

I believe that paragraph of mines refers to the very late Republic, but you might be right however. If you can provide me with another specific list of facts that proves that the population grew substantially in the late Republic, then I'll take your advice and change that paragraph. But don't you think contraception might have declined the population.

 

Estimated pop growth of 0.9 - 1.5% annually.

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

I suppose I'm gonna change the topic of that paragraph.

[M. Porcius Cato]

Flavius: Why did you choose Pandora's Daughters as your only source material?

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

It wasn't my only material, it was just my main source which I felt that this book was very specifically detailed compared to others. This book was from a series which I read almost of them that was called the Ancient Society and History. I suppose I could also add primary works of the ancient authors too as reference and also books called the Roman family and social history of Rome by Geza Afoldi too which provided some extra stuff. By the way I would like to note that I really just summarized the facts which I read in the book so really, the majority of this article are really her ideas.

Edited January 16, 2006 by FLavius Valerius Constantinus

[Neos Dionysos]

If I were you, I would add in Suzanne Dixon, she is an excellent historian on the Roman family and Roman women.

 

The Roman Family

 

The Roman Mother

 

Also... here are others to look into.

 

"War, Women, and Children in Ancient Rome" by: John K Evans

 

"Fathers and Daughters in Roman Society" by: Judith P. Hallett

 

"Being a Roman Citizen" by: Jane F. Gardner

[M. Porcius Cato]

Contraception: During the very late Republic, the female population was widely affected by the growing use of contraception. Although many methods were ineffective as contracepts, yet many would to good use. One may blame contraception, but women were a large part in this problem. To the underclass female population, contraception was an economic privilege and this female population regarded themselves as attaining a new type of independence without maternal duty.

 

Do you have any idea what the mortality rate of women was? So very many died in childbirth that I think it's a tad cold-hearted to suppose that the only motivation for using contraception was an attempt to avoid "maternal duty."

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Well that paragraph of mines is main for pointing out the use of contraception

and that females did use it to avoid maternal duty, 'but not all of them' did. Just saying the ones who wanted more sexual freedom was more likely to use it. If you think its too controversial, then I take the complete paragraph out.

Edited January 16, 2006 by FLavius Valerius Constantinus

[ruinedfate]

It is social status which creates discrimination among social members..and although during the Kings and Res Publica, status of woman were given with respect, still there were expectations from them. Even now, the expectations have grown bigger. Status of women have only in some parts of the world been topped, otherwise it is still the same evrywhere: the frail nature of woman giving a submissive impression on man.

[Pertinax]

It is social status which creates discrimination among social members..and although during the Kings and Res Publica, status of woman were given with respect, still there were expectations from them. Even now, the expectations have grown bigger. Status of women have only in some parts of the world been topped, otherwise it is still the same evrywhere: the frail nature of woman giving a submissive impression on man.

 

Not quite sure what your point is here RF , please keep the posting in the "Roman World " timeframe. Contemporary social comment is best posted in the Hora Postilla Forum .