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Goddesses, Whores, Wives and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity
"The first general treatment of women in the ancient world to reflect the critical insights of modern feminism. Though much debated, its position as the basic textbook on women's history in Greece and Rome has hardly been challenged."--Mary Beard, Times Literary Supplement. Illustrations.
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
May 18th 2011
by Schocken Books
(first published 1975)
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Apr 16, 2013
Erik Graff
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
classics fans
Recommended to Erik by:
no one
Shelves:
history
Published during the seventies, this is one of the first--if not the first--books in English to discuss the roles of women in classical antiquity from a scholarly feminist perspective. It is written on an introductory level suitable for undergraduates and studious high schoolers.
Dry in places but still very interesting. It's also a bit fascinating how relevant this continues to be in terms of our understanding the roots of Roman-influenced Western culture - the author observes as much in her preface from 1994 when discussing why she didn't revise the 1975 text, and it's now 2012. She writes that she "would present some of this material slightly differently today" but the crux of it remains the same, which says as much about the strength of her work as it does about our...more
Sarah Pomeroy places students of the New Testament in her debt in this careful study. She provides a view of the ancient cults which sharpens the background detail in Paul's letters to Corinth and Roman Asia. Never again can students of Ephesians and 1 and 2 Timothy announce that we can know little about the ancient religions of the people of Asia. Sarah Pomeroy leads us by the hand on an expedition that finds the facts.
One of my absolute favorite books from college. Note that the list of "types" in the title is also a ranking. In many ways it was better to be a whore in Classical Greece than a wife, especially in the upper classes. Exhaustively researched using primary sources such as laws, legal documents, letters, plays, etc. from the period. Surprisingly engaging and easy to read.
A really great source book - perhaps not one you sit down and read from cover to cover. Sarah Pomeroy has done a great job in researching the sources for the book, and paints a vivid picture of the life of women in classical Greece and Rome. It makes me very glad I'm alive now, and wasn't then!
Pomperoy is one of my favourite academics when it comes to Gender in the ancient world, I enjoyed her contribution to 'Ancient Greece: A Political, Social and Cultural History' and her work in 'Spartan Women'.
This book really brings together a lot of her work really highlights both the difficulty and the importance of examining the lives of women in ancient Greece and Rome. She crosses class boundaries, a rare thing for a classicist and talks about the use of goddesses in patriarchal societies,...more
This book really brings together a lot of her work really highlights both the difficulty and the importance of examining the lives of women in ancient Greece and Rome. She crosses class boundaries, a rare thing for a classicist and talks about the use of goddesses in patriarchal societies,...more
I got this book to use for a paper, and I wasn't expecting it to be super exciting, but it actually was. It's really interesting and informative, and even if one does not need to write a paper on the subject the book is still interesting.
Sep 26, 2008
Marina
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
history buffs
Recommended to Marina by:
art and lit magazine
Shelves:
european-history
This book is another historical masterpiece. I am aware that I just used that phrase to describe another book I read, so if you don't believe me consider this: this book is used by every textbook on Greco-Roman antiquity and Western Civilization. This was written at a time where few books looked in detail what the women of Athens were doing while the men were building the Parthenon and waging war against Sparta. It thoroughly examines the role of women in religion, literature, and war. It looks...more
Really enjoyed the chapters about Athens and Sparta but towards the end of the Roman chapters it kind of ran out of steam which is odd as that's where the evidence becomes more available
This book was part of the syllabus for a college history course. After reading it became one of my all time favorite books. Every women needs to read this book
A lot of detailed discussion of the roles of women in Antiquity. Telling their story through the ones that wrote of them but generally not told by the women
Extremely helpful for my studies and interesting but also very dry which I suppose is to be expected of academic works
A great, detailed, insightful book on a fascinating topic.
Now-classic feminist history of the topic; seems fairly obvious, but that means that it did its job.
Dryer than the Sahara in August with a salt lick.
Actually really fascinating -especially since I just watched the Pompeii episode of "Sex in the Ancient World" on the History Channel.
Interesting & thought provoking, feels a little dated in places.
Very dry, but otherwise insightful and important look at the treatment of women in Classical times.
Pomeroy looks at the roles of women in the classical world of the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. Interesting to see how some attitudes rarely change, even after thousands of years. Well written and researched, worth reading whether you're a feminist or not
1 like · like · see review
Feb 27, 2008
Richelle
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Richelle by:
Margaret Toscano
Shelves:
latin-and-greek
One of the books I remember best from my undergraduate experience. A fascinating look at how women were viewed and treated in antiquity that makes it very clear how those attitudes continue to manifest in western culture hundreds of years later.
"The first general treatment of women in the ancient world to reflect the critical insights of modern feminism. Though much debated, its position as the basic textbook on women's history in Greece and Rome has hardly been challenged."
Jun 09, 2007
Emily
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
scholars of classical antiquity or women's studies
Shelves:
women_antiquity,
feminism
Great study, pretty easy to read - even for those who aren't professional academics. Clear presentation of the roles of women in Roman and Greek (esp. Athenian) society. Still a classic in the field.
Jul 26, 2007
Leslie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who like ancient Rome
Shelves:
history
I read this book in college for my Ancient Rome and Greece class. It's a great read for people who like women's studies. It's still on my bookshelf. I need to reread it again.
Details the lives of women in various classes from Greece, Rome, and Egypt. Spartans and Egyptians seem to have had the most freedom.
I read this book for my Gender/Identity in the Ancient World class in college. Really interesting and fun book.
This was a recommended reading for my college Western Civ. class a few years ago and I loved it.
I have the hard copy of this book. I used it when writing my master's thesis.
A good, in depth text on women in classical Antiquity!
May 19, 2013
Ashaley Lenora
added it
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Oct 29, 2011 07:46am