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History Extra podcast
Women who shaped the Roman empire
Sep 7, 2023
Emma Southon, author of A History of the Roman Empire Through the Eyes of Its Women, joins Elinor Evans to explore the role of women in the Roman empire. They discuss the challenges of uncovering women's stories, the integral role of women in Roman society, the founding story of Rome involving the abduction of Sabine women, the challenges in studying early Roman history, the complex portrayal of Claudia in Roman politics, and Julia Felix's luxury leisure complex in Pompeii.
42:24
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Quick takeaways
- Emma Southon's book, 'A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women,' aims to rectify the neglect of women's stories in Roman history, offering a more nuanced understanding of Roman society through diverse representations of women from different time periods, regions, and social classes.
- The stories of the Vestal Virgins and Julia Felix showcase the multifaceted roles that Roman women could assume beyond traditional domestic spheres, challenging traditional gender roles and highlighting their significant contributions to religious and business spheres of Roman society.
Deep dives
Revealing the Forgotten Stories of Women in the Roman Empire
Emma Southern explores the challenge of uncovering the stories of Roman women in a predominantly male-centric historical narrative. She discusses how historians in the 1970s began to question the omission of women's stories in traditional accounts of Roman history, leading to a gradual shift in the field. Despite this progress, Roman women still remain relatively overlooked in popular conceptions of the time period, often reduced to brief chapters in textbooks.
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Discover
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