WOMEN IN ANCIENT GREECE
Most of our written evidence from the ancient world was produced by educated, well-to-do men. They have undoubtedly left us a reasonably accurate picture of their own life, but how much trust can we put in the comments they made on the lives of everyone else. Nowhere is this situation more troubling than in Ancient Greece where women were largely regarded as inferior creatures scarcely more intelligent than children. Most of the written record comes from Athens; the little bit we know about the other Greek states was more often than not written by an Athenian
The picture that emerges is that seen by the men of the age. There is no reason to doubt its accuracy as far as the law and public appearance is concerned and we certainly know what men thought of women. What women's life was like out of public sight or in the company of other women must remain largely a mystery to us.
Keep that caveat in mind as you proceed to the pages on specific aspects of Ancient Greece.
CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING FOR INFORMATION ON THE LIVES OF WOMEN IN SPECIFIC AREAS OF ANCIENT ROME: