When a Roman girl was born she was often not permitted to live. Girls were expensive for a Roman father to keep and it was impossible for any woman to ever amount to anything. If a father did not decide to ‘expose’ his daughter at birth, exposure to the elements being the non-violent method used to dispose of unwanted children, she would exist solely for the selfish reasons of others; more specifically, for the men in her life. A Roman woman did not live for herself. From birth till death she was passed from ownership of father to husband to male guardian and, whilst in their custody was charged with the sole duty of devoting her life to their wellbeing and promotion in roman society. She was expected to bear many children in order to continue the lines of both families and to live a quiet, unassuming and virtuous life behind whichever man held her in his possession.
Those women, who revealed an independent mind or allowed their interest to wander from the confining matters of husband and family, were subject to more than a little criticism. Roman society had been carefully structured by generations of men to ensure that their women held little, if any, influence in all areas of Roman life. The great majority of Roman women accepted where they stood and it was therefore seen as appalling by all when a woman started to think and act for herself.
Sempronia
In 63 B.C., Catiline, a young upper-class Roman, conspired to overthrow the state by way of a revolution. The plan was realized by Cicero, consul for that year and those involved were executed or killed in battle. Sempronia had supported Catiline, scandalizing Rome’s decent folk. Well-educated, highly intelligent and talented, Sempronia shocked the upper-class to which she belonged by acting independently, and publicly, in Rome’s political life to reach her own ends. In The Catilinarian Conspiracy, Sallust, while clearly appalled by her conduct is nonetheless impressed by her abilities.
Sallust mentions that Sempronia had “in the past acted with a masculine daring and boldness” and that there was “nothing she valued less than honour and decency”. Squandering both her money and her reputation, Sempronia had “broken promises, dishonoured credit agreements, been an accessory to murder” and even, due to an excessive extravagance, “plunged headlong into poverty”. Despite these faults, Sallust praises her intelligence and vast knowledge of Greek and Latin literature saying “her abilities were far from contemptible... she was a woman of great wit and great charm”.
Educated Women
As is well known, the male ego is a very delicate thing in constant need of validation. Such was very much the case in Ancient Rome. For a Roman man, it was important to be seen as the most intelligent, witty and talented and it was common for men to be in good-natured competition with other men of his class. If it were to happen, however, that a wife proved to possess greater intellectual abilities than her husband, which occurred frequently, it was her duty to keep such talents hidden. Women worked tirelessly to make the men around them seem and feel more intelligent than they. A woman more learned than he embarrassed a Roman man, causing him to dislike her. As young girls they were educated just enough to be able to appreciate the wit, work and opinions of their future husbands.
Women in Roman Politics
Women almost never got involved in Roman politics and the idea of their involvement terrified the men who had, so considerately, taken such an imposition out of their hands. For a woman to have an opinion about anything, much less voice one, was unheard of. That is until a law was passed to cut their shopping allowances.
After having been seriously defeated by Hannibal at Cannae in 215 B.C., the Oppian Law was passed as a measure to provide more money for the war. This was done by forbidding women from purchasing luxuries such as gold jewelry and expensive clothes. In 195 B.C., after the war had ended, a proposal to repeal the law was discussed at bitter length. So far, the women which the law had affected had done little more than nag their husbands about it. Seeing that this was getting them no-where and that the men involved were taking a while to decide on a repeal, the women of Rome swarmed into the streets and gathered at the Forum, persuading the men there to vote where they could not.
The law was eventually repealed but the demonstration had made an impression on the men of Rome. Marcus Porcius Cato is disgusted by the behaviour of those women and dismayed by the obvious lack of control men have over their wives; “at home our freedom is trampled on by feminine rages, and here in the forum it is crushed and trod underfoot... we were unable to control each woman as an individual, we are now frightened by women in groups”. It is also clear that he and other men thought that this taste of influence and freedom could be the start of something more serious; “they desire freedom, nay rather license in all matters. And if they win is this matter, what will they not attempt?”
For those interested in how to be a good roman wife, click here for articles on Roman Marriage.
Sources
Juvenal, Satires
Livy, A History of Rome
Sallust, The Catilinarian Conspiracy
