women in Pompeii
The ancient city of Pompeii is best known for being covered by an erupting volcano and being almost forgotten. From the time the city was rediscovered in the 1700s scientists and archeologists have managed to piece together evidence to show not just how people died but how they lived. We now know that before the eruption of Mt Vesuvius on August 24 79 AD Pompeii was a resort town. From the remains of Pompeii scholars have deducted the socioeconomic, religious and political life of Pompeii's last inhabitants. Pompeii was a city where women declared themselves the equal of men. Women could own land, operate businesses, be priestesses and were often educated.Despite these "equalities" Pompeiian women were still mostly "owned" by men and from birth knew their position. New born boys were placed at the father's feet while newborn girls were given straight to the nurse. Most girls were bought up by their mothers at home learning weaving and other domestic skills. Upper-class girls however were taught to read and write either at school or at home by slave tutors. It was believed by some that educated women made better wives and mothers. Literacy amongst the upper class (both women and men) was a symbol of status
· Henessy, Dianne Studies in Ancient Rome (1995)· Etienne, Robert Pompeii the day City Died Thames and Hudson Publishing · Pomeroy, Sarah B. At this time a woman would leave her father's ownership and become the property of her husband. No man was permitted to have sex with an unmarried or widowed free woman unless she was a prostitute. Isis was highly worshipped by prostitutes as it was believed Isis herself lived as a prostitute. The emperor Augustus ruled that adultery was a public offence only for women. Eumachia provided this guild with a building in the forum. ) Foreign prostitutes operated in Pompeii and were highly sought after partly due to the fact they were not subject to Roman social constraints and also because they were considered exotic. As at this time in Roman history there were fewer females than males so women could marry and remarry with ease. (However there is no evidence suggesting that women could join these guilds) Another female priest was named Mamia. Records have also been found mentioning husband and wife medical teams. Prostitution was seen as a normal part of the sex life of Roman men. Some worked independently sewing and mending garments, while others worked as bakery assistants or in the fulling mills. A woman's major role was to be a good wife and mother. Records showing the success of these remedies have not been uncovered.
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