Homeric Greece

During the Homeric period, women's roles and viewpoints were often looked down upon. The role of women was to handle household chores and to reproduce. Women were not given much credit throughout Homeric writings despite their impact on society. 

The Homeric period also did not properly communicate Ancient Greece's LGBTQIA+ prominence. While many consider Ancient Greece a very romantic time for same-sex relations, that is not the case. Many saw LGBTQIA+ relationships as gross and obscene and considered unconventional relations unhealthy and caused by lust. Many of these relationships depicted were of people with considerable age gaps, and this was the reason for many of these allegations. Many poems were written about same-sex relations, and these poems were often looked down upon and not given credit for their use of language.

Review Sources: 

Books : The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, Zeros + Ones by Sadie Plant

Women of Substance in Homeric Epics

The Oppression Of Women In Homer's Odyssey

Penelope, Helen, and the Ancient Greek Spectrum of Femininity: Observations of Womanhood in the Homeric Epics

Women in Ancient Greece

Historical Views of Homosexuality: Ancient Greece

Why we romanticize ancient Greek homosexuality, but snub Rome’s role in popularizing queer love

Greek Homosexuality

Homosexuality according to ancient Greek physicians

Review Questions: 

• What jobs did women typically fulfill in Ancient Greece? 

• What are some examples of women showing opposing characteristics of femininity throughout Ancient Greece? 

• What rights did women have in marriage and in their households?

• How were same sex relations viewed in Ancient Greece? 

• What were the age gaps (if any) between most same sex relationships in Ancient Greece?