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Though women had few career opportunities and<br />
usually looked after and organised their household,<br />
wives of men in important positions, like senators, often<br />
had a lot of influence in private. In the early Republic,<br />
apart from working in the home or shop, rich women<br />
could become priestesses or run their own businesses<br />
but it was usually only the men who could work in the<br />
professions. Women could not become magistrates or<br />
vote in elections and had no legal rights over children.<br />
Though rich women had money to spend on expensive<br />
lotions to hide the ageing process, their life expectancy<br />
was only about 30 years, compared with around 80 years<br />
today. Many Roman women died in childbirth but some<br />
did survive to old age. Poor women, like thousands of<br />
female slaves, had little time or money to spend on their<br />
appearance, but wealthy women were very particular<br />
about theirs. Cosmetics were made from a variety of<br />
natural products. To soften the skin, a cream made from<br />
wheat flour and milk from an ass was used. White skin<br />
was popular and was whitened with a paste of white<br />
lead or powdered chalk.<br />
Activity Box<br />
1. How did clothes worn by rich women<br />
differ from those worn by poor women?<br />
2. Name two rights a woman didn’t have.<br />
4. Solve the puzzle using words<br />
from the notes above.<br />
Clues<br />
Across<br />
2. Not many<br />
5. Frequently Down<br />
Roman Women<br />
6. Olive product 1. Wheat product<br />
7. Brooches 3. Animal hair<br />
10. Wealthy 4. Assist<br />
12. Liquid preparations 7. Type of limestone<br />
13. Smooth cloth 8. Alike<br />
14. Lowly workers 9. Perfumed<br />
15. Donkey 11. Hairpieces<br />
Wigs were worn and slaves would help to curl their<br />
mistress’s hair with heated tongs. Like men, women<br />
dyed their hair blonde or a variety of colours and then<br />
scented it with perfumed oil. Common jewellery items<br />
were made of bronze or glass but many necklaces, robe<br />
clasps, bracelets and earrings worn by rich women were<br />
made from gold or<br />
precious stones. Men Items used by Roman women.<br />
and women wore<br />
Ivory comb<br />
similar clothes.<br />
found in a grave<br />
Women wore tunics<br />
with long robes over<br />
them and the clothes Bronze<br />
were made of wool or mirror<br />
linen, silk if they were<br />
Perfume<br />
rich. They sometimes<br />
jar<br />
wore underclothes of<br />
soft leather and<br />
brightly coloured<br />
sandals made of<br />
tougher leather.<br />
Bone needle<br />
and thimble<br />
3. What do you think of the life of women<br />
in early <strong>Rome</strong>?<br />
Viewing Sample<br />
Tweezers<br />
Prim-Ed Publishing www.prim-ed.com <strong>Ancient</strong> <strong>Rome</strong> – 65 –
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