It is always a reminder to me when I travel to Europe about the role that women played in ancient worlds. When visiting Italy several years ago we made a trip to Pompeii. There is evidence in the city’s history that women engaged in business, owning shops or working as artisans in Ancient Pompeii.
There were two very prominent women in Pompeii. One was Julia Felix who had real estate that she rented out and managed her own wealth. And then there was Livia Drusilla (wife of Emperor Augustus) who played a political role and influenced the decisions of her husband and the Romans.
In ancient Greece, women played a key role in the Mycenaean world. They specialized in areas such as the textile industry and corn grinding. The goddesses of the time played an important role in religious activities and used their social status to influence others.
When we think about these ancient women and the impact they made on their civilizations, don’t we think that many of many of the similarities between women then and women now? Let’s think about some of those similarities:
Women were expected to navigate societal expectations regarding marriage and motherhood…same as today. In some ancient cultures, women held significant economic power similar to modern female entrepreneurs and leaders. Women contributed to ancient cultures through literature, philosophy and science and women today continue to influence and make strides in these areas. In ancient societies, women also participated in social and political movements to advocate for rights and reforms, the same as women do today. And finally, women have always had concerns as it relates to health and family welfare and that continues to be an important topic in women’s lives today.
It is encouraging to me when I think about the challenges we have had and thinking back to ancient times how we have clearly grown in our contributions to society!
