The Women Who Ran Ancient Rome, Part 1: Cornelia

Season 2, Episode 17. In ancient Rome, a woman was defined in relation to her family. Any fame she won was supposed to be confined to the private, domestic sphere. She wove such fine wool; she kept such a fine house; she was so very chaste and never made her father look bad! They weren’t welcome in the public sphere of governance. They couldn't vote or hold office. Theirs was a distinctly patriarchal world, true fame and public achievement was supposed to be reserved for men. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and in a society that coveted public glory, ambitious women found their way into the history books too. In this episode we dive into that shining beacon of female goodness: Cornelia Africana. What did she do and what did her world look like? Was she really as virtuous as our sources claim?

For a transcript, a list of my research sources, and images, check out the show notes. To become a patron, explore my Patreon. Music comes courtesy of Michael Levy. Special guests Dr. Rad and Dr. G from The Partial Historians.