So, I had to talk about #Sparta! A warrior society focused on war, women had more rights than their #Athenian counterparts -- and were encouraged to be physically fit and prepared to fight to defend their homeland.
Sparta
Unlike their Greek counterparts, the women of Sparta had a lot more freedom and status. They were educated, since they would be in charge of keeping the homeland running smoothly while the men were at war – but they were also strong and able to defend themselves and their homeland.
Spartan men and women lived in separate quarters – even while married. Married couples would leave their respective quarters to procreate, and Spartan wives were required to have short hair and sometimes wore men’s clothing.
Amongst married couples, the Spartans were relatively #polyamorous, and women were not punished for infidelity.
An ancient priesthood of #Hera at Olympia involved “sixteen elderly women” (Connelly, 45), based on a “board of #FemaleElders once chosen from sixteen cities” (Connelly, 45) who negotiated “#peace between two cities’ (Connelly, 45) who had been at war.
“Priestesses seem to have initiated and negotiated #laws, #amendments, and penalties for transgressions” (Connelly, 214). Some priestesses wielded enormous influence: the Pythia of Delphi “could move scores of people to action” (Connelly, 219), and a #Pythia “is credited with having provided #Lykourgos with the #Spartan system of government”.