Women's Life in Greece and Rome. A Source Book in Translation

By Maureen B Fant and Mary Lefkowitz

Book Overview

This highly acclaimed collection provides a unique look into the public and private lives and legal status of Greek and Roman women of all social classes-from wet nurses, prostitutes, and gladiatrixes to poets, musicians, intellectuals, priestesses, and housewives. The third edition adds new texts to sections throughout the book, vividly describing women's sentiments and circumstances through readings on love, bereavement, and friendship, as well as property rights, breast cancer, female circumcision, and women's roles in ancient religions, including Christianity and pagan cults.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801844754
• ISBN13: 9780801844751
• Release Date: July 1992
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

It's about women but not by women!

This is a magnificent book if you are looking to find out what men wrote about women in the ancient period. It's comprehensive and deals with just about every type of source one can imagine. I've happily used it in women's history course and ancient history courses for many years.

Great resource for undergraduates and graduates

This collection of writings from the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome focus on women's lives. However, do not buy this thinking you are getting women's views, that is rare in the record. Well organized and well cited, it provides an excellent teaching aid to the professor and a quick reference to scholars and laypersons. It is best used in an introductory history class or a women's studies class. Could be difficult to understand without basic background materials.