WOMEN IN ANCIENT ROME BETWEEN LITERARY MODELS AND REALITY

The course is one of the three courses of Minor: Women. History and culture.
It has the purpose to guarantee to the students the knowledge of Roman women's history, particularly about the different roles in the family and in the society; the knowledge of peculiarities of women's memory in ancient literary reports. The course will allow students to acquire abilities and skills in critical reinterpretation and correct communication of these contents, through scientific methodology for the analysis of the sources, the critical approach to the bibliography, the scientific lexicon of the topic.
The reachment of these objectives guarantees to the student the knowledge for personalize his academic education, verify his interests and the acquire cultural, disciplinary, methodological skills for fitting Master courses and to insert in the world of work in social, didactical and cultural, divulgation and communication-linked field.

Attending the course and practicing individual study allow students to acquire cultural, disciplinary, methodological knowledge, abilities and skills. The course will guarantee the knowledge of Roman women's history as part of a long history to be read in 'feminine key' (gender studies) and as part of Roman history, where the roots of western civilization arise. The course has the purpose to guarantee to the students the knowledge of the lexicon of the subject. The students will able to apply the correct methodology in interpretation of feminine history, becoming conscious of the role of influence exercised by the historical context in which the specific events develop and of the stereotypes and models in the literary and epigraphic sources; the students will acquire this practical ability: be able to communicate scientific contents. The students will acquire these skills: know how to interpret problems about gender relationships and about different roles of women in the society; know how to interpret correctly the origin of customs of Roman age that survived in contemporary age.

There is no disciplinary requirement. A good knowledge of italian language is necessary.

The course explains the main aspects of women's life in ancient Rome: marriage, maternity, role in ritual, actions in political life. Particular attention will be dedicated to the image of Roman women in literature, between description and representation, and in particular to those stereotypes through which females were described but also judged, as celebration or detraction, by their contemporaries and posterity.

Programme for students attending the course
Required texts:
- class notes;
- course booklet (the tutor will provide students with a series of texts on the tutor’s page (e-learning Moodle platform) in the University website that will help them studying for the exam);
- F. Cenerini, La donna romana. Modelli e realtà, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2009 (rist. 2013)
- F. Rohr Vio, Le custodi del potere. Donne e politica alla fine della repubblica romana, Roma, Salerno Editore, 2019



Students who cannot attend classes must contact the course tutor beforehand.

Each student is evaluated according to an oral exam on the topics developed during the course and in the textbook. The aim of the exam is verify the knowledge of Roman women's history, the practical ability to apply the basic methodology in the analysis of ancient sources and the skills to face problems about the women's role.
The exam will be oral also for the students who cannot attend classes.

The course consists in classroom lessons.
Class attendance is highly recommended.
The teacher will provide students with a series of texts on the tutor’s page (e-learning Moodle Platform in the University website) that will help them studying for the exam.

Students who attend this course will be entitled to take part to the seminar activities, stages and training courses organised by the Classics faculty during the two terms (the calendar of activities will be provided in class and on the Ca' Foscari website).

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This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development