Summary Of Women In Republican Rome By Livy

The name of the document that I will analyzes is called A Women's Uprising in Republican Rome. The document is told by a historian who goes by the name of Livy. It was written in 195 B.C.E. It occurred two decades after the Second Punic War. The author Livy talks about the events of women during that time trying extensively to repeal the Oppian Law. The majority of the document is a quote from Marcus Porcius Cato, a traditionalist. In Cato translated quote, he tries to convince his people that they should not repeal the Oppian Law. Even though the repeal went through anyway. I believe Livy's purpose was to show the power of women when they united for a common goal. That no men, even in a time when women were not their equals that they had the power to persuade men. The women during those times were complaining about what the effects of the Oppian Law was doing to them. They complained about how little money they could hold. An example from the document is when Livy said, “that no women should posses more than half an ounce of gold” (par.1). …show more content…
When you push and push a women into submission. When you take away the things they like and push them even further. They will take a stand. It is only a matter of time till they say no and push back. Unlike men, they will not use violence, but their words. What make them dangerous is not one woman's opinion, but group of women who shared that opinion. The men viewed the women not as equal, but as second class like category in food pyramid. The men never experience such a sight from these women. It was a new experience for them so they gave in and repeal the Oppian Law. Even after Cato made his speech. It made the women's fight even harder. An example from the quote is when Livy said, “The next day an even greater crowd of women appeared in public” (par.5). Cato argument against the women made them even fight even