Thank you so much to those of you who were able to join us for our special lecture on the Women of Early Rome!
We were absolutely honoured to be hosted by the Chau Chak Wing Museum and the Australasian Women in Ancient World Studies for having us on as part of their digital program. Sydney and much of Australia has been in lock-down for a good portion of this year and so for the safety of all, the event was held online. This was pretty exciting as it meant that people from all over the world could tune in.
Now there were some technical challenges on the night, but we were so impressed that the vast majority of attendees stayed on to listen in even if our faces ended up a tad frozen in time. Was Dr Rad unimpressed with the Romans? It’s fair to say yes!
We have treat for you – even if you were at the special event, we actually recorded a longer version of the same lecture together. It includes even more women!
The Women of Early Rome – Who Were They?
An excellent question.
Rhea Silvia
We begin by looking at the Vestal who gave birth to Romulus and Remus! This is a tough story to bare witness to and things only get more tricky as the sons grow up.
The She-Wolf
Is it weird that maybe the most famous lady in this early period is possibly not a human? The answer is yes.
Acca Laurentia
Foster mother extraordinaire and possibly connected with the She-wolf…
Hersilia
A woman who stands up for what she believes in, even if it means coming between two armies.
Tarpeia
Driven by love to let the enemy inside the walls or duped into a betrayal? Tarpeia’s story has all the intrigue!
Tatia
What does a good wife do when he husband becomes king? She moves cities to join him for the ride.
Egeria
Advisor, philosopher, goddess. Egeria has many titles and gets an awful lot of credit for helping to civilise the Romans.
Horatia
What would you do if your brother murdered your fiancé on the battlefield? Horatia’s story is a tragedy of epic proportions.
Tanaquil
A powerhouse of a lady. Tanaquil can read the signs of the gods and she’s a political mover and shaker.
Tullia
How ambitious is too ambitious when you’re a woman in ancient Rome? Tullia’s is ready to find out.
Lucretia
The most famous women of Rome’s early period. Her story is one of incredible tragedy and cements the patriarchal values that will shape Roman society for generations to come.
Feel free to jump in and listen to the story of a couple or all of these amazing ancient women:
Why Yes I Did Murder the King – The Women of Early Rome
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