Status of the Etruscan women

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Board: Etruria
Topic: Women in Etruria 
Topic Editor: Nesnut Hatshepsut
Topic Description: Etruscan women enjoyed a gr...

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Message: Status of the Etruscan women
Author: maru menervas - Tanaquil Sergius 
Date: Nov 26, 2000 09:15
      I would like to point out, that, at least until the Classic period, 
      Etruscan women had quit a bit influence in daily life. Herodotus states, 
      that they could have property and inherit goods as well as money and do 
      business. They had a special function as priestesses, soothsayers and 
      healers. The children born by an Etruscan woman were all accepted by her 
      husband, whether they were his or not, at least as long as they could 
      afford to raise them and the children were strong and healthy. Livy states 
      that Tanaquil, wife of Tarquinius Priscus, should be seen as extreme 
      influential to her husbands decisions and therefore as interfering in 
      businesses that shouldn't be women's businesses (as the Romans felt). 
      Because of the lifestyle of the Etruscans being so different to that of 
      the Romans and the fact that their rule over Rome (despite of the fact 
      that they made Rome from a little farmer-/shepherd village into a city) 
      became a burden to the Romans, they got a bad odeur in Roman history. The 
      role of Etruscan women in this bad odeur was considerable. The result of a 
      big misunderstanding, i presume... 

      <<maru Menervas>>Thanchvil/Tanaquil Sergius








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