Lower Class Women's Role In Roman Society

indoor tasks of the household slaves, tending ill slaves, and occasionally performing sacrifices to the family god.[28]
Like slaves, women of the lower class in Roman society had many chores each day.[29] They had to cook, take care of the home, and make clothes for their family.[30] Lower class women also often had to work outside of the home to earn a living;[31] various jobs and careers will be discussed later. As a result of needing to work, lower class women had a more active role in public life than slaves or upper class women.[32] Unlike slaves, lower class women did receive an education as girls; they went to elementary school to learn reading and writing, and sometimes smarter girls would continue studying at home.[33] Among the lower …show more content…
There were a variety of ways for women to make money, some considered more appropriate than others. Some women helped run the family business, shop, or farm,[43] but others had to find work elsewhere. Many women were nurses or herbalists,[44] and the law even recognized the professional status of midwives.[45] Female entertainers were numerous as well, although they were not considered “respectable.”[46] Some ran inns or served drinks, while others were gladiators or acrobats.[47] There were also actresses, dancers, prostitutes, caterers, singers, and musicians.[48] There were a few successful female artists as well, usually with an artist for a father.[49] There were several known female scribes and secretaries,[50] as well as a few writers, such as the poet Sulpicia.[51] Some women worked in private homes as a masseuse, dresser, attendant, or hairdresser, but these jobs were mostly reserved for slaves.[52] Although women were mainly excluded from religious jobs,[53] there were a handful of priestesses who were very well-respected and protected called the Vestal Virgins, who served in the temple of Vesta.[54] A very small number of women became scientists; among these were Elephantis, Aspasia, and