Sources - Women

Question 1

Name 4 ways which we get evidence on what life for women was like

Answer 1

Literature
Inscriptions
Art
Archaeology

Question 2

Why do we have to be careful particularly when reading Latin literature for evidence about women’s daily life in Roman times?

Answer 2

Pretty much all written by men

Not always reliable -> trying to make a point

Question 3

Women could not _______ or hold _________ office

Answer 3

Vote

Political office

Question 4

Because of their limited ________ role, women are named less frequently than men by Roman historians

Answer 4

Public

Question 5

Some exceptional women left an undeniable mark on history such as _________ who was held up as an example of the perfect wife. Why?

Answer 5

Lucretia

By showing loyalty to her husband

Question 6

Women such as _________ had great wealth and managed their land and money themselves. ___________ used her assets to finance a public building in Rome

Answer 6

Eumachia

Eumachie

Question 7

The Oppian law prevented women from _____________ and owning ________

Answer 7

Inheriting and owning land

Question 8

A daughter was subject to a patria potestas, the supreme power her __________ wielded as head of household

Answer 8

Father

Question 9

The pater familias had the right and duty to find a ___________ for his daughter, and first marriages were normally arranged.

Answer 9

Husband

Question 10

A daughter kept her family name for life, not assuming that of her husband. Children usually took the ___________ name.

Answer 10

Father’s

Question 11

Wealthy women received ________ education. This would depend on their family but there is evidence that women from elite families could _______ and ________ and studied literature and poetry

Answer 11

Some
Read
Write

Question 12

In early childhood girls would be educated in similar subjects to boys. Both would be taught to read and write in Latin and Greek as well as basic arithmetic. This education would usually take place at ________.
When boys grew older they would go on to study law and rhetoric. Women would learn how to run a household, play musical instruments and study literature and poetry

Answer 12

Home

Question 13

The most important role of a woman in Ancient Roma was that of wife and mother. Roman wives were expected to have ___________

Answer 13

Children

Question 14

Roman women were not only valued for the number of _________ that they produced, but also for their part in raising children to become __________ Roman citizens.

Answer 14

Valuable

Question 15

Women from __________ families were expected to bestow values and education upon their _______ to turn them into citizens that would run Rome with __________. Thus, to be able to rear her children to succeed in life, an exemplary Roman mother should be well __________ herself

Answer 15

Wealthy
Sons
Integrity
Educated

Question 16

Not only were Roman wives expected to raise their children to high moral standards, they were also expected to run the __________ for their husbands

Answer 16

Household

Question 17

The typical wealthy Roman matron would have _________ to manage as well as normal household duties

Answer 17

Slaves

Question 18

One of the most important tasks for a woman to fulfil in the household was what?

Answer 18

The spinning of wool to make clothes

Question 19

The tradition of wives spinning wool was so important to Ancient Romans that _______ was often used as a symbol of wifely duties and ___________ wheels would adorn funerary epitaphs of honourable dead wives

Answer 19

Wool

Spinning

Question 20

What does Lucretia do which makes her a model of vitue

Answer 20

She kills herself because she was raped and felt unpure

Question 21

What could have been Livy’s motives in writing the Lucretia story

Answer 21

Money
Interest
Status

Question 22

The _________ law was passed following the disastrous defeat of the Romans in a war with North African leader Hannibal. Because of the wars many Roman men had died. Their wives and daughters had inherited their lands and money allowing women to become quite rich. The state, in order to help pay for the cost of _______, decided to tap into women’s wealth by passing the ________ law.

Answer 22

Oppian
War
Oppian

Question 23

What did the Oppian law mean

Answer 23

It limited the amount of gold women could possess and required that all the funds of wards, single women, and widows be deposited with the state. Women were also forbdden to wear dresses with purple trim.

Question 24

In 195 B.C some __________ proposed eliminating the oppian law. Women in agreement poured into the streets in protest. As a result of the women’s protest, the _________ withdrew their veto and approved he appeal

Answer 24

Tribunes

Question 25

What did women wear

Answer 25

Tunics:
The peplos
The chiton
The stola

Question 26

When was the stola warn

Answer 26

At the time of her marriage

Question 27

How did women display their wealth

Answer 27

Through hairstyles and jewellery

Slaves would spend hours on their hair

Question 28

If a woman wears lots of fabric then she would probably have been _________

Answer 28

Wealthy

Question 29

Occupations for poorer women:

Answer 29

Wet nurse
Actress
Dancer
Prostitute
Midwife
Food vendor

Question 30

Even after the oppian law was lifter, what were women unable to do

Answer 30

Gain official political power

Enter business