Ancient Greek And Roman Dress Essay

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Society, Religion, & Politics in Greek & Roman Dress To some, dress may be seen as just the clothing one wears to get through the tasks of daily life. However, to the women in ancient Greek and Roman society, dress was influenced by so much more than just their own personal choices and styles. There were similarities and differences in the roles of women in these societies, but there seem to be common themes of women being forced to dress modestly and men being more dominant in each society. It is important to understand that the way these women dressed was not simply an extension of their personality, but was controlled and shaped by societal factors around them. Social, religious and political influences affected the roles of women in ancient …show more content…
In conclusion, women in ancient Greek and Roman societies had similar roles in terms of their social status. Men were more dominant and controlling in each of these societies. Religion was also dominated by the men of these societies. These influences could be seen in the way women dressed, as they were expected to be modest and covered, which showed their restriction in society. Dress of the time included long pieces of fabric, and veils that covered the heads and faces of women. The effects of social control on women’s dress can still be seen in societies today. It is especially severe in grade schools and high schools across America. These young girls are restricted on what they are allowed to wear because they can’t be “distracting” to boys in their classes. Shorts and dresses must be a long length, and shoulders and collarbones cannot be exposed. Some schools are more strict than others, but irregardless the issue of the dress code still persists. Sometimes girls are sent home when an administrator deems their dress inappropriate, and other times they are forced to walk around in an extra large T-shirt, which is both degrading and humiliating. As the research shows, men in societies have controlled what women wear for centuries, and there are no signs of it ending …show more content…
et al. "The Dress of Roman Women." Arts and Humanities Through the Eras, vol. 2: Ancient Greece and Rome 1200 B.C.E.-476 C.E. Gale, 2005, pp. 106-109. Gale Virtual Reference Library, http://link.galegroup.com.proxy.mul.missouri.edu/apps/doc/CX3427400232/GVRL?u=morenetuomcolum&sid=GVRL&xid=629743df.
Hersch, Karen Klaiber. “Introduction to the Roman Wedding: Two Case Studies.” The Classical Journal, vol. 109, no. 2, 2014, pp. 223–232. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.5184/classicalj.109.2.0223
Llewellyn-Jones, Lloyd. “House and Veil in Ancient Greece.” British School at Athens Studies, vol. 15, 2007, pp. 251–258. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40960594.
Mills, Harrianne. “Greek Clothing Regulations: Sacred and Profane?” Zeitschrift Für Papyrologie Und Epigraphik, vol. 55, 1984, pp. 255–265. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20184040.
Rothe, Ursula. “The ‘Third Way’: Treveran Women’s Dress and the ‘Gallic Ensemble.’” American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 116, no. 2, 2012, pp. 235–252. JSTOR, JSTOR,

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