Women of ancient greece and egypt

             Equality in the ancient world was not the same as it is today. In ancient Greece women were not looked upon as equals. They were considered to be secondary in relation to men. On the other hand the women of ancient Egypt enjoyed many of the same freedoms as the men did. They, unlike women in most cultures of the time, were considered more or less equals. Ideally this social equality would have been the same for all ancient women.
             Ancient Greece was the cradle of western civilization. It was a land comprised of small city states. Often in history books, the men of this time are only mentioned and the women are too easily forgotten, but we must not forget the women that lived in this time, for they played just as significant a role in creating and in making this culture inspiring to this day.
             Women in archaic Greece were prepared for marriage and motherhood through dancing and singing and participating in other religious events. Athenian girls knew how to dance, but music was not something that was considered to be very respectable. In Sparta, and generally among Dorian city-states, women enjoyed more freedom and thus participated in music, dancing and telling stories without being looked down upon. An example of this was the maiden songs which were sung by young women on the brink of adulthood, as rites of passage into adulthood. Women writers, most often, wrote lyric poetry. They tended to focus on emotions, lovers, friendships, and other events in their lives. Their honesty and simplicity conveyed sincerity, thus making these poems very popular. Most poems and songs were accompanied by the playing of a lyre. The lyre's sound was considered dignified and soothing, and was often associated with upper class women. Flute music however, was considered to be more exciting and thus was the resort of professional musicians, slaves, and prostitutes. Hetairai used flutes to provide background music at symposiums. Women wrote...

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