2011/02/01 by Kristina Milnor · 2 citations
Social Sciences · #American Constitutional Law and Politics #Politics #Power (physics) #Position (finance) #Roman history #History #Ancient Rome #Social position #Gender studies #Classics #Sociology #Political science #Social science #Law #Social relation
paper · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195188004.013.0029
openalex publication_date 2011/02/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2025/11/06
This article takes a look at women in Roman society. It first examines Galen's On Prognosis, which provides a view of the wide range of social roles and relationships that women could have in second century Rome. It then notes that history was basically a story of (male) society, politics, and culture. Although women played a role in that story, they were usually treated as a disruption of the normal course of events. The discussion shows that women were considered as part of the “marginalized” groups of Roman society. This article shows the hidden power wielded by the women, especially those belonging to the Roman aristocratic families. The article also looks at some Roman women who held a “public” position in Roman society, such as Otacilia Laterensis and Aemilia Hilaria.