Antiquity In Ancient Rome

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Antiquity acts as a passageway into the past, and a mirror used to reflect current time. Often, uncovered documents are used to interpret traits about people who are unable to speak for themselves. These artifacts are discovered from ancient times and are written by elite men who had access to these costly materials. I believe the powerful men of ancient Rome neglected to share the aspects of women’s social lives and experiences within their written work. It is our job as preservers of antiquity to uncover the mysteries that lie beneath the literary works of these high-class men. In this paper I will demonstrate how funeral inscriptions give us a taste of how women were treated and the expectations they had to uphold in ancient Rome.
When funeral …show more content…

Men fought the wars; defended their city by putting their lives on the line. Women had the duty of taking care of the home and nurturing the family. Men took care of a majority of the issues because they typically had more power in government and amongst the city. In a particular funeral inscription, a deceased wife is commemorated for her “defense against the common cause by asserting the truth” (Laudatio Turiae p. 94). This quote demonstrates the power of voice the women of ancient Rome obtained. But when push comes to shove, women knew how to take care of business. The same funeral inscription recently described, goes on to brag about how his late wife took matters into her own hands as someone attempted to seize her property. He writes: “You beat them back successfully and were able to defend our home.” (Laudatio Turiae p. 95). Although women are not commonly known for their strength, Roman ladies did not necessarily roll over and handover their possessions. This wife rolled up her sleeves and courageously took care of a troop of men from Milo. All in all, we can interpret that Roman women were commemorated for their grace when handling situations, but also had grit and stood up for what was rightfully

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