Women in History - Women of Ancient Rome

Don Nardo

ISBN 10: 1590181697 ISBN 13: 9781590181690

Publisher: Lucent Books, 2002

Synopsis

Thousands of books and articles have detailed the lives and deeds of ancient Roman men; but few have explored the lives of Roman women and the important contributions they made to Rome's success. This volume by a noted historian examines the social status, household duties, childbirth methods, occupations, religious roles and practices, struggles for rights, influences on politics, and other aspects of Roman women's lives.

About this title

Reviews

Grade 6-9-A well-researched and clearly written book for students interested in the period and for report writers. Nardo discusses the statuses of upper- and lower-class women, marriage and divorce, grooming and dress, roles in religion, and the changes women faced with the advent of Christianity. He also covers the legendary women who helped found Rome according to tradition. The text is supported with several quotes from modern scholars and classical writers. Unfortunately, the black-and-white reproductions and illustrations are rather grainy.
Lynda S. Poling, Long Beach Public Library, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Reviewed with Louise Chipley Slavicek's The Women of the American Revolution.

Gr. 6-10. Books in the fascinating, in-depth Women in History series look at the roles of women during different eras. Well-organized and well written, the books are terrific examples of how good series nonfiction can be. Veteran writer Nardo examines the lives of women in Rome--aristocrat and slave, Christian and worshippers of the gods. He discusses their roles as wives, mothers, and women with lives outside the home. The book is also open (but not sensationalistic) about how sexuality affected Roman civilization (e.g., women didn't mind their husbands having sex with female slaves because it allowed them to space their pregnancies). In American Revolution, the expected discussions of women on the battlefield and on the home front are enhanced by an absorbing chapter devoted to camp followers, women too poor to live without their soldier husbands, and how they survived. There are also chapters about Native American and African American women. Although there's a gray sameness about the design, the print is a good size, and there are lovely, well-chosen black-and-white photographs and lithographs. Notes, bibliography, and a list of works consulted are appended. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Lucent Books
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1590181697
• ISBN 13: 9781590181690
• Binding: Library Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 112