Sex and the City

1
Sex and the City

• Roman Women, Motherhood and Marriage

2
Roman Mothers

• Seneca the Younger writes about his mother
• Roman writers describe a general and idealized
  image of a Roman mother
• Rare to hear about mothers affection for a child
• Children accustomed to a broad network of people
  raising them

3
Seneca on Motherhood

• Dont you see how fathers treat their children
  one way and mothers another way? Fathers. .
  .demand sweat and tears from their children.
  Mothers want to hold their children on their laps
  and keep them in the cool shade they want them
  never to be made upset, never to cry and never to
  be in distress.

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Summary

• Motherhood is more generic than
  personal/individual portraits of women
• Women were expected to be virtuous,
  self-sacrificing, strong, and devoted to the
  education and political advancement of the family

5
The Rape of Lucretia

• Titans painting
• Famous turning point in Roman history
• Story is written as if it were a tragedy, even
  though it is a history of the early founding of
  the city

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Summary of the Story of Lucretia

• Lucretia is a Roman matrona
• Virtuous woman without fault
• She is raped
• Believes that if she continues to live, she will
  no longer contribute to society
• Can only change things through her death (i.e.,
  further violence)
• Passive victim or active agent?

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Romans, Sex and History

• History political achievements
• Sex (Distraction or Procreation of more Roman
  males?)
• Cleopatra part of Roman world, but outside of
  the paradigm
• Eventually becomes an historical figure, but why?
  How does she die?

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Rape of the Sabine Women

• Possins painting
• Single women
• Kidnapped for marriage
• Risk their lives (offer to die) to create a new
  society
• End of hostilities
• Everyone lives in peace

9
Vestal Virgins

• House of the Vestals in the Roman Forum
• Cult of Vesta religious order of virginal
  purity that protected the Roman state

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The Roman Goddess Vesta

• Honor to be a Vestal
• Between ages of 6-10
• 30 years of chastity
• Duties included not letting the sacred fire go
  out and keeping state documents
• Buried alive if caught violating vows

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Summary

• Three categories of Roman women
• Dutiful mothers tend to be in the background
• Women who take a stand to save their society,
  i.e., Lucretia, Sabine women, become part of
  history
• Vestal Virgins are part of history as they
  protect the state-sanctioned patriarchy with
  their vows of chastity

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