The women in Sparta and Athens are very similar as far as rights they have. Women appeared freely in public and may have enjoyed more rights than women in most other ancient civilizations.
The women in Sparta had a rigorous upbringing. The women were expected to produce healthy sons so they could fight in the army. Which means they were required to exercise and strengthen their bodies. Some of the women were illiterate and received no formal education.The women have to obey their fathers and husbands. They also had to inherit property, which means they had to take the property from their family. Sometimes, if their husbands were at war the women took on responsibilities such as running the family's estate.The women were always the head of the household if their husbands were at war. They weren’t really required to learn domestic duties like, weaving and cleaning. So basically, women were more preoccupied with maintaining physical stature, bearing children, and supervising the helots that worked on the land.
If any woman would ever wish or has to go through a divorce with her husband, she would not have to fear the loss of personal wealth.
All the Greeks in general worshipped the same gods. But the women worshipped different gods like, gods associated with beauty, health, fitness, and childbirth. Spartan women also participated in cults centered on local heroes or myths. There were two main large cults, Helen of Sparta, and The Cult of Cynisca. Cynisca was a famous Spartan chariot racer and princess and was the first woman to win at the Ancient Olympic Games. Many Spartan women practiced chariot racing and participated in horse races because they wanted to follow in Cynisca’s footsteps.
Spartan women’s clothing was very simple. Since women did not weave their own clothes and instead left the creation of goods to the perioikoi, the purchase of cloth and of metal bracelets was a sign of wealth. It is unknown whether women wore these silver and gold bracelets at all times or if only for religious ceremonies and festivals. Women were also not allowed to grow their hair long. Women were also required to marry as soon as they started their menstrual cycle. Sometimes, the women were half the age as their husbands, because the women would be young when they start the cycle so they don’t really have a choice of who they marry. For example, if a girl started her menstrual cycle at the age of twelve, then her husband might be around twenty to twenty five.
Women’s lives in Athens
The women in Athens were controlled them before they were married. Their spouse controlled them once they were married. The women learned to read in school or at home. They learned important household skills like spinning, weaving, sewing, cooking...etc. Athen girls were married in their teenage years , often to a man who was in his thirties. Her father chose her spouse she would be with . After marriage the women and her husband would give offerings to the god’s & share a cake together.
Athenian women could not vote or own property. If you were a respectable woman, you couldn’t even walk around town, except maybe occasionally to a neighbor’s house or religious service. Once an Athenian woman gave birth her father could not take her back.
The women in Sparta had a rigorous upbringing. The women were expected to produce healthy sons so they could fight in the army. Which means they were required to exercise and strengthen their bodies. Some of the women were illiterate and received no formal education.The women have to obey their fathers and husbands. They also had to inherit property, which means they had to take the property from their family. Sometimes, if their husbands were at war the women took on responsibilities such as running the family's estate.The women were always the head of the household if their husbands were at war. They weren’t really required to learn domestic duties like, weaving and cleaning. So basically, women were more preoccupied with maintaining physical stature, bearing children, and supervising the helots that worked on the land.
If any woman would ever wish or has to go through a divorce with her husband, she would not have to fear the loss of personal wealth.
All the Greeks in general worshipped the same gods. But the women worshipped different gods like, gods associated with beauty, health, fitness, and childbirth. Spartan women also participated in cults centered on local heroes or myths. There were two main large cults, Helen of Sparta, and The Cult of Cynisca. Cynisca was a famous Spartan chariot racer and princess and was the first woman to win at the Ancient Olympic Games. Many Spartan women practiced chariot racing and participated in horse races because they wanted to follow in Cynisca’s footsteps.
Spartan women’s clothing was very simple. Since women did not weave their own clothes and instead left the creation of goods to the perioikoi, the purchase of cloth and of metal bracelets was a sign of wealth. It is unknown whether women wore these silver and gold bracelets at all times or if only for religious ceremonies and festivals. Women were also not allowed to grow their hair long. Women were also required to marry as soon as they started their menstrual cycle. Sometimes, the women were half the age as their husbands, because the women would be young when they start the cycle so they don’t really have a choice of who they marry. For example, if a girl started her menstrual cycle at the age of twelve, then her husband might be around twenty to twenty five.
Women’s lives in Athens
The women in Athens were controlled them before they were married. Their spouse controlled them once they were married. The women learned to read in school or at home. They learned important household skills like spinning, weaving, sewing, cooking...etc. Athen girls were married in their teenage years , often to a man who was in his thirties. Her father chose her spouse she would be with . After marriage the women and her husband would give offerings to the god’s & share a cake together.
Athenian women could not vote or own property. If you were a respectable woman, you couldn’t even walk around town, except maybe occasionally to a neighbor’s house or religious service. Once an Athenian woman gave birth her father could not take her back.