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Chapter 8: History and Tragedy in the fifth Century (B: Women in Classical…
Chapter 8: History and Tragedy in the fifth Century
A: Herodotus (b. Halicarnassus; lived ca. 480 - ca. 420)
Famous for being father of history, wrote extensive history of Persian wars, imitating Homer, but was not a poet. Histories of Herodotus: Investigations (historia)
Use of double causation: used human beings to explain things, but gods could also be behind things, divine intervened to prevent hubris
Change is caused by non-divine principles
Factors for Persian loss:
1) Persians encountered more productive terrains, allowing them to fall into the life of luxury , effeminate, and they lost fighting power
2) Fighting force was not unified (languages and cultures)
3) Greek climate perfectly moderate, makes people very strong
Xerxes angered the gods by demonstrating hubris on certain occasions
Connection to Anaximander and Anaximenes
Anaximander: rarefaction and condensation
Anaximenes: emergence of opposites emerge through injustice(hubris), but will collapse back into justice (Xerxes demonstrated injustice when he built bridges across the river/sacred boundary)
B: Women in Classical Athens
Minoan: elaborate, rich young princesses, snake goddess
Cycladic: figurines nude, proportions, emphasis on femininity, religious women had authority before greeks arrived
Greeks: male dominated (Zeus vs. Hera)
Mycenaean --> Dark Periods: Heroon, female sacrifice
End of Dark Age: Olympic festivals, women couldn't participate , not included as Greek people
Homer
Odyssey: Penelope was weak character, no power , has sexual standards even though Odysseus doesn't
Archaic Age: Statues, Kourai (holds small animal, wears clothes, jewelry, smaller, shameful bodies)
Lyric Poetry: Attacks on women, by Semonides
Melic Poetry: Alcman and Sappho designed to transition girls to embrace sexuality
Symposiums: women as 'Entertainment'
Black figure vases: Paler because they stayed inside
Drama: women played by men, probably didn't even attend plays
Roles of girls and women
Always under control of men. Father to husband
Expected to marry after puberty, life expectancy is short, many deaths due to childbirth
Responsibilities: bear a son, continue family line
Watched for extramarital affairs,virgins until marriage, lots of paternity concerns
Trusted with household responsibilities: spinning, weaving, oversee slaves, resources