Introduction
The general idea of women in ancient cultures was the role of a woman as a mother and wife. However, Egyptian women were full members of their society, while Chinese were not perceived as people. Women in the Ancient Mayan society, Paleolithic community and African tribes were given the rights to participate in public and political life, while in Mesopotamia and Greece they were restricted.
Similarities
Common in the role of women in the ancient world were traditional ideas about the role of women as the keeper of the hearth, mother, and wife. The attitude towards women in many cultures was based on the stereotype of male superiority. Most often, women were forbidden to participate in public and political life. A woman was often considered her husband’s property or the older man in the family.
Differences
The role and rights of women differed in ancient societies; sometimes, the position was practically equated to a man’s. Women of the Paleolithic era were engaged in gathering, taking care of housing, raising children, and making clothes; the woman’s position was relatively free (Strayer 525). The status of a woman in ancient Mesopotamia was radically different; she was practically disenfranchised and was considered the property of her husband. The Egyptians were quite full members of society, could be proprietors, and could have possessions. Noble women in Ancient Egypt were well educated and could read and write. The woman of ancient China was the family’s property and then of her husband. Chinese women had to be submissive, and the husband’s family disposed of them at will, perceiving them as servants.
Although the duties of a mother and spouse were considered sacred, Greek women did not enjoy special rights and freedoms (Fant and Lefkowitz 127). In ancient Rome, women stood almost on a par with men. Roman women could freely appear in society without a man, participate in public life, have property, and request a divorce. In the Mayan culture, women were educated, they could participate in politics and often rule (Joyce 1). The role of women in ancient African communities was ambiguous. On the one hand, matriarchy reigned in some tribes, women could be in power, and power was often transferred through the female line. However, there were and still are many traumatic ritual practices for women.
Women with the Strongest Power, Role, and Rights
Perhaps the most substantial rights and freedoms were given to women in the Mayan culture. The role of a woman was not limited to the mother and the keeper of the hearth. Women freely participated in the choice of power, could rule, and played a crucial role in developing the textile industry. One can also note the relatively free position of women in Ancient Roman society, where Roman women had quite a lot of freedoms.
Women with the Least Rights
Women of ancient China were endowed with the least rights. The closed society of a strict social system disposed to the prosperity of traditional-religiously oriented values. Women could not express their opinions not only on political but also on domestic issues. A woman not only had no rights close to men’s, but they were not perceived as people but rather as animals or inanimate things.
Conclusion
The study revealed that despite the same concept of patriarchal perception of women in society, the attitude differed in the considered civilizations. Chinese women had the least rights, and the Maya and Ancient Rome societies had the greatest number of freedoms for women. African, Mesopotamian, Greek and Paleolithic women were in positions not completely equal to the men; however, they were treated as people, not as inanimate property.
Works Cited
Fant, Maureen B., and Lefkowitz, Mary R. Women’s Life in Greece and Rome: A Source Book in Translation. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016.
Joyce, Rosemary A. “What’s the News in News about Roles of Maya Women?” Ancient Bodies.
Ancient Lives, 2012. What’s the News in News about Roles of Maya Women? | Ancient Bodies, Ancient Lives (wordpress.com)
Strayer, Robert W. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010.