Mothering in Antiquity

Mothering in Antiquity is a groundbreaking examination that redefines how motherhood and mothering are studied in the ancient world, integrating archaeological, textual, and religious evidence through the lens of contemporary maternal theory.

Bringing together a group of leading international scholars, the volume explores how mothering was experienced, represented, and ritualized across diverse ancient societies―from the Near East through Greece and Rome to Byzantium. Moving beyond text-centred and androcentric perspectives, it combines interdisciplinary approaches from history, archaeology, religious studies, and gender theory. Contributors engage with key concepts from maternal theory to bridge the gap between symbolic representations of motherhood and the lived realities of mothers in antiquity.

Mothering in Antiquity is an extensive, cross-cultural exploration of motherhood in the ancient world, suitable for students and scholars in Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology, Religious Studies, and Gender Studies.

Giulia Pedrucci is a postdoctoral fellow at Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia). Her research explores the religious dimensions of motherhood and mothering Antiquity. She has published, among other works, three monograph, nine edited volumes, and an article in Numen outlining a new subfield between motherhood and religious studies.