Women had different roles to play in the traditional society. Very often, kitchen was the only place of work for a woman. The roles of men and women varied in different societies. The main objective of this paper is to examine the way women were treated in the Ancient Greece, Rome as well as in the Middle East and analyze the role of women in each of these societies.

In the Middle East, women worked at home. They bore and raised children, managed the household and ensured that all the chores were done. Women took care of the household and knew what was necessary for survival.. They also cooked for their men and children and managed the work of the servants, whose job included sowing and planting of seeds for a harvest so as to provide food for the family.

Women of the Middle East also received income from the economic activities. They distributed some part of their provision according to the needs in the household. The remaining amount was put in the stores. It was the role of women to supervise how the provision was stored. Therefore, it ensured that food put in the stores was safe and that it would not get spoilt easily. It was important for the society to be provided with a plenty food in order to avoid a drought or a famine.

In the Middle East, women were the accountants in the household. They managed funds in such a way that the family would not misuse the amount coming in from a year’s labor in a month. Such a measure ensured that it would be enough food and other necessities for the whole year.

It was the role of women to make the cloaks whenever the wool servants brought the material to the household. Thanks to women, children and men of the household always dressed appropriately. Sometimes, little girls helped their mothers in making clothes. It was a so-called learning by an apprenticeship.

Women of the Middle East also made sure that there was a proper storage of food. Corn was a subsistence crop at the time. Before preparing food, women checked if the corn was in a good condition. Women had to be sure about the safety of food consumed in the household.

Women also looked after the servants. It was their primary role to ensure that each ill servant was properly treated. Thus, the servants were motivated to work better to ensure that the production of foods was quite quality.

In the Middle East society, only men could get a job, and their servants assisted them. Men usually came back home in the evening. At home they had a conversation with their women regarding all the household activities.

Talking about ancient Greece and Rome, the roles of women there were much similar to women of the Middle East, although they differed to some extent. In ancient Greece and Rome, women bore children and raised them up well. During pregnancy, men looked after their women and fed them on the plain diet and small luxury goods. Women would not drink wine during pregnancy. They were allowed to take wine only if it was diluted with water. Slave girls worked with wool to produce clothing. The average women concentrated more on the house chores.

The society organized sports for both men and women. There was an assumption that physically fit parents would produce robust and strong offspring. Men were absent from home most of the time. They went on the military expeditions to fight against the enemies. Therefore, the household chores were left for women to run. They would manage all the income and chores of the household. Thus, it was necessary for women to be strong and wise.

Education was crucial in this society. The most basic education for women regarded pregnancy and child bearing. However, they also engaged in sports such as javelin, wrestling and discus so as to make sure that the developing embryo in their wombs would grow strong.

The Spartan society treated women better, and they were more respected there. Firstly, they were given an ability to get education. For instance, the society taught the women how to bring up their children excellently. The society regarded pregnancy with a big respect. In this society, a dowry had to be delivered before the marriage.

The roles of women in ancient Greece and Rome seemed to be similar to the roles of the Middle East women. They took care of home chores, brought up children, and took care of them.

Both societies treated women well, and they were a crucial part of each society. Marriage was highly regarded, especially amongst the Spartans. Payment of the dowry was an important consideration. The high respect for women is seen in the roles they played in the society. In the Spartan society, the women took care of everything when their men were busy at war. In addition, women went for sporting activities in order to keep fit. Moreover, the society took care of women during pregnancy. For instance, they were not allowed to take wine during pregnancy unless it was diluted with water.

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