Ancient Athens

When you study about the ancient Athenian democracy, you are bound to have doubts as well as admiration… What kind of democracy excludes women from freedom of speech?

And yet the democracy of ancient Athens, as oxymoronic as it may seem, was magnificent given the social conditions. At a time when descent was the only criterion, and the hereditary one at that, Cleisthenes legislation came to set up justice. Citizens no longer needed to be of descent to express their opinions. Instead, the opinion of all citizens was equal. Rich and poor, educated and non-educated, all equal in the arena of the “Ekklesia” (the assembly of the community), to meet each other with the power of speech and not with hereditary authority or power of force.

If that is not groundbreaking, what is? Unfortunately, however, women were not included at the decision-making tables.

It is really important to take a look at the position of the great philosophers who influenced the Western world on the difference between the two sexes.

Socrates:

In the dialogue between Socrates and Glaucon, which was handed down to us by Plato, Socrates argues that natural abilities are not inherent in either men or women, but are scattered across both sexes. It is therefore in the nature of things that the woman is just as involved in all works as the man. He continues his argument by saying that despite the fact that woman is weaker than man, one woman may be naturally suited to the medical profession, while another woman may be artistically inclined etc.

He therefore concludes that one woman may be qualified for the position of the guard and another not, just as one man may be qualified for the same position and another not, as this depends on the physical aptitude of the person in question and not on their gender.

Plato

Through Socrates, Plato expresses his own ideas about the position of women.

Although he knows that women, especially in ancient Athens, had no political rights and led a restricted life at home, he is interested in creating “the ideal state” in which citizens have equal rights and opportunities. These revolutionary ideas are geared towards the interests of the city.

Plato is the first to criticize the social system of Athens, as he believes that the potential of women is wasted instead of being used for the development of the society. He used to say that a city that does not use women as well as men is half a city, like a man who does not use both hands.

Of course, he has also made negative comments about women from time to time in other instances of dialogues. In reality, he is not concerned with equality between the two sexes, but with all resources being used for the good of the ideal state.

Aristotle:

Finally, it is worth mentioning Aristotle’s convictions regarding the distribution of roles. Aristotle himself questioned Plato’s views on the education of women and argued that women were inferior to men by nature.

Ancient Sparta

Women in ancient Greece were devalued because they were only meant for childbearing and the household. Of course, women in Sparta were an exception. Lycurgus, the legislator of ancient Sparta, ordered that free women should not limit themselves to weaving and a sedentary life as in ancient Athens, but should concentrate on their main task more energetically, childbearing. Therefore, they should do sports to give birth to healthy children and compete with men in sports so that the children would have two strong parents as role models. Also, virgin women even had the right to participate naked in competitions and ceremonies without this being considered risqué, as it was sporting nudity. Spartan women also had the right to own property and the right to exert influence over their husbands. In addition to sport, they received public education and expressed their opinions forcefully.

But do not let this information mislead you, both women in Athens and women in Sparta did not  have the freedom of choice. Women of Sparta were “forced” by social demands to participate in education and gymnastics, to keep their bodies and minds strong, in order to provide society with strong children who would become strong warriors for their city.

Would they had enjoyed the same respect, if they decided not to get married or have children?

Giovanna☀️