FREE ESSAY ON COMPARE CONTRST GREEK AND ROMAN WOMEN

COMPARE CONTRST GREEK AND ROMAN WOMEN

21 September 2000
A Comparison Between Greek and Roman Families
Through research I have concluded that there are differences and similarities in Greek
and Roman families. 
I hope to prove this fact in the following essay.
The Greek family was mostly a nuclear family. It usually consisted of a husband, wife,
and their children. The family was considered part of an economic unit. Their primary
function in life was to make new citizens. The male of the household was the only person
to take part in a social life. Most males thought they owned the polis, the town they
lived. They controlled the government and everyone in it. Women were permitted to go to
festivals or join religious cults, but they weren't permitted to join in political events
or be outside the household without an escort. There were exceptions to this if the
family was too poor to have slaves to do the shopping. Women were allowed to own small
personal items, but not 
Harper 2
property. Women's main purpose was to keep up the household and to have children. Women
received no formal education but 
they may have a tutor when they were young. They were taught how to do the work expected
of them when they were young. 
Women were also permitted to attend festivals of some kind or a funeral. They were also
expected to make all the clothes, blankets and other cloth items. Women were usually
married between the ages of 14 and 15. Women's lives were greatly eased if the family had
slaves. Then the women's main duties were to watch the slaves to make sure they did the
housework. The slave's jobs would include making clothes, farming, shopping and any other
task that was needed that day. In Greek life there was a strong presentence of
homosexuality. This relationship was usually between a young male and an older man. The
older male supposedly taught the younger male about the Greek way of life. It is
suggested that a common man did not practice in homosexuality. (Spielvogel, Jackson. 1999
pp.63-64) 
The Roman families had some similarities and some differences from the Greeks. The
dominant male of the family was the paterfamilias he headed the Roman family and kept
legal control of his wife and daughter. Unlike the Greeks this household included the
paterfamilias, his wife, his sons, his son's wife's, and their children and slaves. The
paterfamilias made sure that the religious ceremonies were followed correctly 
Harper 3
and he ruled over the family. If the paterfamilias died then the oldest male of the
family took over. Then he was the legal 
guardian of the females. As in the Greek world men thought women were weak and should
stay in the household, although some 
women were starting to become successful poets and artists. All fathers arranged their
daughters' weddings. When married a women's legal control went from her father to her
husband. Women had to have legal control by a male until the first century. Then they
were married with their fathers' legal control. When most women were married the fathers
were dead so the women obtained her personal legal control. They could decide what to do
and they may own property to make this possible. This allowed for divorces to take place,
but they weren't introduced until the third century. Women were legally allowed to be
married at age 12, but doctors documented that they advised against this act. Just like
the Greek world most women were married between the ages of 14 and 15. Most upper class
families provided formal education for their daughters rather than as seen in the Greek
life. Some of the upper class families bought tutors for their daughters. Women in upper
class families had much more freedom and control than others. They were usually not
allowed to enter a post school career. 
(Spielvogel. Jackson 1999 pp. 96-98) 
Harper 4
In review, there are a few similarities between the Greek and Roman culture some are
obvious and some deserve closer examination. 
21 September 2000
A Comparison Between Greek and Roman Families
Through research I have concluded that there are differences and similarities in Greek
and Roman families. 
I hope to prove this fact in the following essay.
The Greek family was mostly a nuclear family. It usually consisted of a husband, wife,
and their children. The family was considered part of an economic unit. Their primary
function in life was to make new citizens. The male of the household was the only person
to take part in a social life. Most males thought they owned the polis, the town they
lived. They controlled the government and everyone in it. Women were permitted to go to
festivals or join religious cults, but they weren't permitted to join in political events
or be outside the household without an escort. There were exceptions to this if the
family was too poor to have slaves to do the shopping. Women were allowed to own small
personal items, but not 
Harper 2
property. Women's main purpose was to keep up the household and to have children. Women
received no formal education but 
they may have a tutor when they were young. They were taught how to do the work expected
of them when they were young. 
Women were also permitted to attend festivals of some kind or a funeral. They were also
expected to make all the clothes, blankets and other cloth items. Women were usually
married between the ages of 14 and 15. Women's lives were greatly eased if the family had
slaves. Then the women's main duties were to watch the slaves to make sure they did the
housework. The slave's jobs would include making clothes, farming, shopping and any other
task that was needed that day. In Greek life there was a strong presentence of
homosexuality. This relationship was usually between a young male and an older man. The
older male supposedly taught the younger male about the Greek way of life. It is
suggested that a common man did not practice in homosexuality. (Spielvogel, Jackson. 1999
pp.63-64) 
The Roman families had some similarities and some differences from the Greeks. The
dominant male of the family was the paterfamilias he headed the Roman family and kept
legal control of his wife and daughter. Unlike the Greeks this household included the
paterfamilias, his wife, his sons, his son's wife's, and their children and slaves. The
paterfamilias made sure that the religious ceremonies were followed correctly 
Harper 3
and he ruled over the family. If the paterfamilias died then the oldest male of the
family took over. Then he was the legal 
guardian of the females. As in the Greek world men thought women were weak and should
stay in the household, although some 
women were starting to become successful poets and artists. All fathers arranged their
daughters' weddings. When married a women's legal control went from her father to her
husband. Women had to have legal control by a male until the first century. Then they
were married with their fathers' legal control. When most women were married the fathers
were dead so the women obtained her personal legal control. They could decide what to do
and they may own property to make this possible. This allowed for divorces to take place,
but they weren't introduced until the third century. Women were legally allowed to be
married at age 12, but doctors documented that they advised against this act. Just like
the Greek world most women were married between the ages of 14 and 15. Most upper class
families provided formal education for their daughters rather than as seen in the Greek
life. Some of the upper class families bought tutors for their daughters. Women in upper
class families had much more freedom and control than others. They were usually not
allowed to enter a post school career. 
(Spielvogel. Jackson 1999 pp. 96-98) 
Harper 4
In review, there are a few similarities between the Greek and Roman culture some are
obvious and some deserve closer examination.