Women and Agency in the Imperial Greek East

Within the confines of Roman society, women were traditionally accorded private, domestic roles, but an intriguing body of inscriptions and material evidence from the empire's eastern provinces tells a markedly different story. This evidence reveals numerous wealthy and influential women holding priesthoods, performing lavish benefactions, (co)founding public building projects, and even acting as civic officials. On lower levels of society, women are recorded setting up monuments for their deceased loved ones, engaging in business transactions, and manumitting their slaves, with or without the presence of a male guardian. This course examines the interplay of gender, ethnicity, and social standing in the imperial Greek East employing an array of primary sources alongside contemporary scholarship. Through this exploration, students will gain a deeper understanding of the multifaceted roles women played in the Roman world, challenging and expanding our ideas of their societal contributions.