Women in Classical Athens (Classical World Series) [Paperback]

Sue Blundell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Classical World Series | Publication Date: November 1, 1998

While the men of Classical Athens were fighting wars and producing great works of art, what were the women doing? According to some of the male writers of the period, they were at home, making babies and wool; others thought they were likely to be visiting their friends and partying till the small hours. This text investigates the many contrasting images of Athenian women which the Classical Age produced. Taking as its starting point women in the Parthenon sculptures, it examines two levels of feminine experience: the human and the divine. The interplay between women s religious prominence and their domestic obscurity is discussed in relation to the young citizen women who lead the procession; while the great goddesses represented in the frieze are studied in terms of their relationships with human worshippers and, on a symbolic level, with the mythological females, such as the Amazons, who appear in the metopes. Finally, the book turns to a third aspect, looking at the women who do not appear in the Parthenon sculptures -- the prostitutes, slaves and alien women who make a vital economic and ideological contribution to the Athenian achievement. Table of Contents: Acknowledgements List of Illustrations 1. Introduction 2. Unmarried women 3. Married women 4. Goddesses and characters from myth 5. Other women 6. Conclusion Suggestions for Further Study Suggestions for Further Reading Index

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sue Blundell is a lecturer in Classical civilization for Birkbeck College and Open University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Duckworth Publishing (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853995436
• ISBN-13: 978-1853995439
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,990,833 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good basic intro with a focus, April 24, 2002

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TammyJo Eckhart "TammyJo Eckhart" (Bloomington, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Women in Classical Athens (Classical World Series) (Paperback)

Blundell has taken a famous work of art, on the Acropolis, at the heart of Classical Athens, and used it to introduce and discussion women's roles in the city at its height of power. While specialists may disagree with some ideas and therefore profit from considering her take on classical women, her approach is also enticing enough and short enough to keep undergraduates interested. I think this is a great book to use in a women's history course or a course focused on the classical period. Needs better citations overall.