Gender Inequality In Rome

Despite the troublesome nature of balancing equality in ancient times, inequality was not a direct Roman value but was paramount to Roman culture due to the necessary sacrifice of women in giving birth or becoming a vestal virgin, the natural sense of leadership men posed over women, and the long kept tradition of aristocracy favouring bloodlines. When analysing inequality through the gender barrier, it is clear to assert that woman did not live the same, if not completely different lives as men. For either the better, or worse–inequality is present. As mentioned in the TedEd short film A Glimpse of Teenage Life in Rome, created by Ray Lawrence, a British professor of Ancient History; women in Rome were essentially treated as objects, well …show more content…
They were essentially intended to make the lives of men, better. In addition, woman in Rome were not allowed to visit the same places as men, and would most surely, as stated on The Twelve Tables, not be granted a position in the Equestrian or Senatorial Class. Consequently, the most honour and respect a woman in Rome could possibly posses, was held in the Plebeian or “Freeborn” social class, strengthened upon producing an heir, and being a loyal wife. Despite the reasons above, women were simply an impractical choice to be in positions of power. As most power derived from the biological ability to fight–an attribute women were born without. It wouldn't be their decision, but their unfortunate limitation. Roman men however, were not cruel to women, as they recognised them as crucial to Rome in categories other than leadership. For example, vestal virgins–keepers of the eternal flame–were vital to maintaining the hope and "eternalness" of