Although in Roman society marriage and motherhood were considered the main purpose of a woman, Roman women led – incredibly for that time - a life which allowed them to participate in many of the cities social moments and to carry out activities that we now call "entrepreneurial". Dispelling the myth of female ignorance many women, not just those of the upper classes, received instructions which were not limited only to basic things.
Looking at the frescoes that come from Pompeii and other Vesuvian centers, many women are often depicted while reading or practicing music. That certainly was part of their own cultural learnings coming from their education. They could also freely attend public places and many of them held and managed economic activities, sometimes even taking an interest in politics.
As a rule in the Roman world, women had no right to participate in person in public life. This policy was called by definition "virile officium", but at the time of the election of the judges women participated actively in the electoral campaign. How? On many of the campaign posters found in Pompeii there is the signature of women who were invited to vote for one or another candidate, urging the fellow citizens to take part for one faction or the other.
In Pompeii there existed also women with large heritages used for non-private purposes. Mamia was a public priestess from a wealthy family of Samnite origin, famous for having given to the city a temple dedicated to the "emperor's genius". Eumachia, belonging to a rich Pompeian family who owed their fortune to viticulture, had built in the Forum and at her own expense, one of the most impressive buildings in the square, probably intended to be a market for wool. She devoted her building to her son M. Numistrius Fronto, to the Concordia Augusta and to Pietas, in order to facilitate her son's political career.
These women have had a very high public visibility and their merits were recognized by the whole community. The citizens of Pompeii dedicated to Mamia a tomb built on land donated from the cities, in the pomerium, the buffer zone located outside; the corporation of fulloners (the makers and cleanings of fabrics) dedicated to Eumachia a statue in the building she had built as their mistress and benefactor.
Another important woman in Pompeii was Julia Felix who had near the Amphitheatre some estate properties (praedia) that she rented to visitors. Everything always depended on the possibilities and the social conditions that some women could afford over others, on their attitude and their character. Mamia, Eumachia and Julia Felix surely could considered themselves modern "entrepreneurs", which gave additional luster to their city.
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Staff at Flashback Journey to Pompeii. Our goal is to bring you up-to-date information on events, continuing archeological excavations and more on Pompeii.