Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Evolution -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Brumar89 who wrote (58507)	9/24/2014 10:57:28 AM
From: 2MAR$	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 69300

Silly to pretend an english / european scientist / inventor living 200yrs ago would be anything other than one indoctrinated into Christianity, there were very few Hindus or Muslims living in England at the time....probably very few Jews.

To: Brumar89 who wrote (58507)	9/27/2014 2:55:37 AM
From: Solon	Respond to of 69300

Women were respected as women. And they figured prominently in the Culture--and in Festivals, Rituals, and Celebrations. WOMEN Religious Role Some festivals were restricted to citizen women; in others women had an important role. Women were included in the Panathenaea: in the procession, groups of maidens head the procession but those of noble families came before those of lower status. Citizen women particularly figured in rituals connected with Demeter and Kore. Most prominent ritual linked to Demeter/Kore was Thesmophoria: it was exclusively female, but was only for citizen wives. All of the population celebrated the Diasia, a festival of Zeus Meilichios. Likely that there were other ritual occasions where women could participate e.g. public sacrifices - were spectators. Women had an important role in funerals. Legal position Women couldn't inherit property. Women could give evidence under oath under a special procedure. Women didn't appear in court as jurors or as litigants (i.e. party to a lawsuit). Women didn't have the opportunity to commit most crimes as were not in the public sphere. Family law was handled by a woman's guardian e.g. father, husband. Political Position Women could not achieve political rights, although metics (resident foreigners) and even slaves could. Citizen wives shared citizen status in as much as they could have sons who were citizens and daughters who could marry citizens. On the festival of the Thesmophoria, women, 'took over' the assembly: they would set up an encampment there; the council and law courts were not in session on their day of fasting; they elected their own officials for the festival. Economic Position The social ideal was that a woman did not keep a shop or do market business. Sources show that in wealthier households men or slaves do shopping. Ideally women were absent from the agora - the central public space and core of political/judicial/economic/cultural life. Reality was that wives of poorer people did visit the agora: likely that the majority of Athenians were poor. Many women did work in the agora, but not clear if they were citizen women, metics or slaves. Some women traded foodstuff, perfume or garlands. Some women were tavern-keepers or woolworkers. Women don't appear in occupations where real money could be made. Many known occupations of women overlap with those of female slaves. One area of commerce under female control was prostitution: courtesans were usually metics; prostitutes were mostly slaves working in brothels run by a woman or a man. Role in the community All citizens were registered in a deme (mini polis): citizen women belonged to a deme through a father or husband. Citizen women were active in the demes, particularly in religion. Citizen women also involved in religious life of phratries - social & cultural 'fraternities' of which all citizens were members. Domestic role The social ideal was that (Athenian) women spent most time at home and indoors. The ideal only related to a minority i.e. the wealthy. Poorer women would have worked: in agriculture if from the country; in trade/shops if from town. Amongst the better-off women, part of their time was spent in religious activities including festivals, so not always at home. Sources do reveal that wealthy women met the ideal 'spinning wool, baking bread, keeping house'. Wealthier women would learn to supervise the house slaves; guard the house provisions; budget expenditure and arrange for storing belongings neatly. Women also responsible for the nurture of children. Women appear in the sources to spend time together. Women of wealthier families had their own quarters in the home. Wealthier women had less opportunity to mix socially.