dianamt54 Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Maybe it is not such a bad idea to go to a camp for a couple of days. Get away from it all and be pampered. The thought I had is when one Patrician woman has her courses in the house,the rest of the women stay with her out of sight from the men. Of course if there were a lot of women in the house, like mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, no one would see the women for days. Didn't patrician houses have one side of the house for women and the other for men? I think the pleb women probably just worked through it. Some of them didn't have slaves, so they worked very hard keeping the household running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 I wouldn't know. This isn't something that I've seen mentioned in a lot of sources. Yes, plebian would more than likely work through it, because they had to. It's interesting to note, though, that there was a lot of superstition regarding menstruating women. They were often considered "cursed" and a danger to everyone. From society's standpoint (especially the men) it would have been beneficial to have the woman cloistered in her home for a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 A man was not supposed to stay at home to much. Just sleep and sometimes eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 ...and don't forget "sleep" as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 ...and don't forget "sleep" as well. ... not necessarely. The city had ample and varied opportunities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yes, but not if the man wanted to produce an eligible heir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Didn't patrician houses have one side of the house for women and the other for men? You may be thinking of the ancient Greeks, in whose houses the women were cordoned off in their own section, called the gynaikonitis. Roman town houses didn't have the same sort of "women's quarters" -- although that's not to say that menstruating Roman women may not have been confined to a room during the time of their menses on account of prevailing superstitions about menstruating women. But, as Lost Warrior stated previously, it's not something that's mentioned in a lot of sources. As for women of ancient times having had any opportunity to "get away from it all and be pampered..." I don't think any probable seclusion might necessarily have included pampering. While it's true that they might not have had their customary workload during their menses due to superstitions regarding their likelihood of withering garden plants and blunting steel with a mere glance (as Pliny tells us), I somehow doubt that they were packed off to the ancient equivalent of the day spa. If anything, it would have been a dismally boring time of inactivity for an otherwise bright and active young woman (despite what we read in novels such as Anita Diamant's The Red Tent). So, no, I don't agree that superstitions that lead to women's enforced seclusion -- and exclusion from society -- are "not a bad idea." -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 Menstruation was less common in those times. A women was married before her fertile age and hade many preganancies during her fertile years. Of course, the rich had a much lower fertility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 Kosmo where are you getting this information? TMI, but I was fertile at age 12. I had thought that 14 or so was the 'normal' age to get married, or I may be mistaken, but I don't think that women were married BEFORE they became fertile. I'd actually thought that a woman's first period was a sign of "Now it's time to get married". I do agree that there were many pregnancies however. I'd like to know where you get the idea that the rich had lower fertility rates? As far as I know, wealth has nothing to do with fertility...is it something to do with lifestyle? Or is there a source that states this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 In our days it's presumed that the age of fertility it's connected with the abundence of food. The age of first menstruation dropped significantly in the last century in the West while in some poorer areas it can be as high as 18. Unfortunatelly I do not remember the source for this as it was not of prime interest for me. I think the early age for marriage had to more with eliminating the girls opposition rather than to maximise use of her fertility years as some say. This is still the case for gypsies and other groups that don't take the bride's (or groom) opinion in regard. The rich feared the division of fortune if they had many children as romans did not have primogeniture rules that give all inheritance to the first born. So, if a senator had the 2 milion to keep his rank, his 3 children will have less then 1 million each and they will not be senators. A brief comment on this it's in Bennet's "Trajan" as one of the reasons for the gradual disapearance of the roman aristocracy. Also if they tried to keep the number of children low they could end childless. What means TMI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 What means TMI? TMI = "Too Much Information". As in: "Dude, I don't need to hear about your physical relationship with your mother's best friend. That's too much information." Generally subjects of a deeply personal and biological nature tend to be TMI. -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Augusta Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 Menstruation was less common in those times. A time machine, a time machine! My kingdom for a time machine! Sorry, Kosmo - I love you to death, but I couldn't resist that. All the gals on this board will understand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 What means TMI? TMI = "Too Much Information". As in: "Dude, I don't need to hear about your physical relationship with your mother's best friend. That's too much information." Generally subjects of a deeply personal and biological nature tend to be TMI. -- Nephele Thank you! I understand now. Well, if it was less menstruation it was less PMS so I guess most guys on this board will want that time machine too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Neil Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 ...or just do as I do, and have my entire house just to myself!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 In our days it's presumed that the age of fertility it's connected with the abundence of food. The age of first menstruation dropped significantly in the last century in the West while in some poorer areas it can be as high as 18. Unfortunatelly I do not remember the source for this as it was not of prime interest for me. Ah, I see. I don't know if I agree or not (not enough information) but it seems plausible at least. Also, doing a lot of physical activity will affect a woman's menstruation. Female athletes, for instance, who train a LOT can stop having periods altogether (or so I've heard.) I think the early age for marriage had to more with eliminating the girls opposition rather than to maximise use of her fertility years as some say. This is still the case for gypsies and other groups that don't take the bride's (or groom) opinion in regard. Also, people just grew up (societally speaking) faster in those days. There was no waiting until you were finished 13 years of compulsory education, in some cases + college, before you were out on your own and taking care of yourself. There was no mooching off mom and dad until you were 25 or 30! Well, if it was less menstruation it was less PMS so I guess most guys on this board will want that time machine too. "My biggest fear is that there is no PMS and this is her REAL personality." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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