Patriarchy in the Ancient World: Early Mesopotamia to the Dark Ages
Essay for History of Western Civilization midtermPatriarchy in the Ancient World
For
the most part we live in a patriarchal world. In every society men are authority figures – fathers are
head of the household, only men can become priests, and in most religious
families, women are to be submissive to their husbands. On average men make $.30 more on the
dollar than women do; men are allowed more options in terms of work
(construction, electrician, truck-driving). Most advertisement is geared towards men (for cars,
electronics, even food such as those sexist Carl’s Junior commercials
where scantily clad models eat messy burgers in a highly sexually suggestive
manner). Patriarchy is not
new. The life we know has been
shaped for centuries.
Pre-historic
societies were pretty much egalitarian, and in fact, in some hunter-gatherer
communities, such as those in the Paleolithic era, most revered women because
they brought forth life. It wasn’t
until people became more domesticated with self-ruling city-states that
patriarchy emerged. Once people
worshipped the Mother Earth Goddess or Great Mother Tiamat; however, with early
Mesopotamia came the rise of polytheism.
Venus of Willendorf |
With
the exception of the Hebrews, polytheism grew among the people of Mesopotamia
with the earliest cosmological myth, The
Babylonian Creation. The Babylonian Creation is a Sumerian
poem in which Marduk, the “hero-god” strikes down Great Mother Tiamat and
founds the holy city of Babylon and creates human beings. While there are still goddesses that
have power (such as Ishtar) the polytheistic hierarchy was patriarchal in
design.
Aside
from the creation poem there is ancient literature that implies a patriarchal
society, such as The Epic of Gilgamesh,
in which the king of Uruk is a rapist and until the Gods intervene, women must
submit to his insatiable lust.
Probably the most implicit source of misogyny that came out of ancient
Mesopotamia was the Hammurabi’s Code, which set the law and social order in
Babylon. Among rules that delt with theft and kidnapping, there were ones that ordered harsh and cruel punishments to women who disobeyed. For example,
a man could divorce his wife anytime he wanted, but if a woman wanted to
divorce her husband against his will she would have been made a slave.
Jerk |
Fast
forward to sixth century Greece during the time of the great philosophers. Even though Plato spoke subtly of
women’s rights in terms of work and playing an important role in society, he still
felt women were inferior because they were physically weaker. His student, Aristotle, was not so
kind. His patriarchal thinking was
dangerous and paved the way for a lot of Western thought.
Aristotle
viewed women as subordinate. He
felt that women were simply inferior – that they were merely deformed or
“unfinished” men. He claimed that
women were “receptacles” for men and they shouldn’t be educated or seen as
rational beings - either he was a complete misogynist or just a totally
clueless math geek. Either way his
ideas formed the opinions of men for centuries after his death.
"I just don't understand women." |
Ancient
Greek society in general was incredibly patriarchal. Women weren’t allowed to go anywhere or do anything unless
they were young and unmarried, and even then only when accompanied by their
father. They were forced to stay
at home rearing children and staying out of their husband’s way.
The
men seemed positively narcissistic – so much that statues of men were created
depicting them as youthful and strong, naked and full of pride. They seemed to rather stay in the
company of other men, and young boys, rather than experience romantic
entanglement with their submissive wives.
Did men hate women so much that they became homosexuals or was it that
they were just so turned on by themselves? Women, as Artistotle claimed, were indeed viewed as merely a
receptacle… good only for the bringing forth of life.
You know you want me. |
It
wasn’t until the rise of the Roman Empire and Egypt that we saw women being
treated more fairly. Clearly the
patriarchal hierarchy still existed, but the lines were beginning to blur. Women were allowed to go out and shop,
they were educated and some – like Cleopatra – even ruled.
Even
though original Christian societies saw women as evil – daughters of Eve – I
think that over time women became more respected - that the treatment of women
got better. As we get into the
Middle Ages we see faithful men becoming chivalrous, placing women on
pedestals, and showing them great respect. Of course this was mostly done to women who were the object
of affection, and ultimately it still stunk of male dominance; at least women
were allowed to breath fresh air; they were allowed to speak in public; they were beginning to be seen as more than just baby-makers.
All we needed was a chance to prove it. |
Its interesting to note that in Sparta the most warlike city-state of ancient Greece, the women were treated best of all. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_ancient_Sparta
ReplyDeleteWow, I had no idea! Thanks for sharing! I think I will include that in my paper - thankfully it's not due until tomorrow! Thanks again!
DeleteI love those pictures :). Great article-I'm currently studying early complex societies in my AP World History class, and I find this article very interesting and helpful :)
ReplyDeleteis it true to believe?
ReplyDeleteKind of a short synopsis for a 1,000 year time span. I doubt there is much question the patriarchal society will continue, as women who reproduce, and the men who love them, are inevitably in a submission and dominace relationship.
ReplyDeleteIt is 'their' offspring, their genetic code, and their values that continue on through generations. The legacy of liberated women will be lost, because men will not reproduce with them.
Males look for wives who will make good mothers to their children. This means a woman who will teach her daughters that the true beauty of a female is her chastity, fertility and obedience.
Sad as it is, feminism can't last forever, because it is limited by survival of the fittest (Darwinian law). Feminism has seen great strides between 1970 and 2000, but it has come at great cost to women.
The incidence of rape is 5-10x what it was in 1965. Single mothers are impoverished in record numbers. A hook-up culture has developed in which males simply invite a female for intimate relations on the man's terms, which is 'no strings attached!'
Women are unfulfilled, because they are denied the true desire of the female heart! Women are taught by men that they are barren flesh to sate the man's primal urge! Birth control has reduced women to a summation of the pleasure they can give!
The woman's movement has infintilized males, who are in no way ready for commitment, living with parents until at least age 30! The average male plays video games 4 hours per day!
So, girls have force into fornication without moral restraint, for the closeness they experience, but with a litany of heartbreak, until their consciences are seared, and they no longer know when to blush!
It was a failed experiment. Women are now rebelling against feminism as they once did against the patriarchy.