Following are some interesting tidbits that I gleaned while conducting research for my next novel set in ancient Greece and to be released in early 2023.
The ideal age of marriage for women was “in their twelfth year or older.” Twelve years old!
The ideal age of marriage for a man was around 30 years, which meant girls married men twice their age!
Arranged marriages were the norm, with the goal being maintaining family wealth. A young woman had no choice in whom she would marry.
The primary role of a wife was to produce children, preferably sons. The wife maintained the household, and wives rarely left their homes and did not venture out alone in public.
Men and women slept and ate in separate rooms in the house. Men entertained other men in their homes with drinking parties where they discussed politics. Women did not entertain.
As modern birth control was absent and the primary purpose of marriage was to produce heirs, there was little respite between pregnancies.
Miscarriage and maternal death during labor were common, partly due to inadequate hygiene but also due to the pubescent age of the women. Infant mortality rates were high.
So, the next time you think about ancient Greece—the birthplace of democracy, philosophy, modern medicine, the Olympics, theater, and its architectural achievements, remember that life for a woman at the time was not necessarily so glorious.
