Women through the ages are often assumed to have been subjugated and placed in roles below men. While this is often the case, as it was for the women of ancient Mesopotamia, when compared to the women of ancient Egypt we see not all civilizations felt women needed to be quiet homemakers. The women of ancient Egypt were seen as equal in nearly all ways to that of men. Legally and in marriage, women were able to have more freedom than that of women of ancient Mesopotamia. They were only thought to have stereotypically feminine duties when it came to becoming pregnant and proving their fertility. Ancient Mesopotamian women, in contrast, were viewed as property of a man for virtually their entirely lives. They were alive to serve their family, or the family of their husbands. The roles of women in each civilization were completely different.
The role of women in ancient Egypt was a privileged and coveted one. Compared to many other civilizations around the world during Egypt’s reign, before, and since, the Egyptians treated females in their society better than most others . For example, the Egyptian people believed that happiness was a primary objective in life and regarded family and their home life as a way to achieve this. Women, though not considered the technical head of household in ancient Egypt, were privy to unprecedented emotional support in a marriage, according to Barbara Watterson’s, “Women in Ancient Egypt .” They were not seen only as homemakers, or as servants to their husbands. They were also not married off in order not to burden their families any longer, as many other societies did prior, during, and after Egyptian society. Egyptian women were able to marry for love. Of equal importance were family life, and the way in which they were able to raise their children. While other societies may have only had children to help with household chores, or to care for adults in old age, Egyptians had children to increase happiness and women were permitted to raise their children as they saw fit, as stated in Charlotte Booth’s, “Lost Voices of the Nile: Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt .
A woman’s role in ancient Egypt was dissimilar to the role of many others due to the equality she was given. An Egyptian woman had unprecedented equality next to her husband, and could even become a Pharaoh under the right circumstances . Other societies subjugated women, while the Egyptians seemed to see no reason to even attempt this. Women were able to own property, for instance. The fact that they were able to own property meant they were also able to, by law, sign contracts in order to own land and housing . Women were also permitted to initiate a divorce if they became dissatisfied with a marriage; they were able to enter into the bonds of marriage, and leave it of their own accord. The amount of equality Egyptian women received is astounding to some. Their testimony was even trusted when crimes were committed .
As stated, family, as well as family life, was important to the ancient Egyptians. Therefore, the role of an Egyptian woman included pregnancy to a greater extent than other societies may have emphasized. An Egyptian woman was considered successful when she became pregnant, as this meant she was fertile. Pregnancy and mothering children was one of the few ways in which women of ancient Egypt were treated very stereotypically. Society would respect them more when it was confirmed they were fertile. Husbands would even garner respect, as it would prove they were not sterile, as well. If a woman was sterile, she was sometimes seen as lesser by her husband, and might be divorced for a fertile woman though much of Egyptian society frowned upon this practice.
The roles of women in ancient Mesopotamia were slightly different. She was not afforded the equality of the Ancient Egyptian. According to, “Women in Ancient Mesopotamia,” her role in society was defined the moment she was born based on who her father was . Essentially, a Mesopotamian woman was her father’s daughter until she was her husband’s wife. She never was just herself, as the Egyptian woman had a chance to be. In no scenario was the Mesopotamian woman afforded the opportunity to rule over the kingdom. Instead, a man was always ruling over her. She was a person in a group context within her family for the majority of her life, and those who did have the rare ability to step out of this role were a member of royal families, or married to men with high status in society.
Childhood for women in Mesopotamia was a training session, wherein they were groomed for the role of mother, wife, and maid. They learned how to cook, clean, and care for the various members of the household in order to look desirable to a mate. Making beer was an especially desirable trait in Mesopotamia, as were spinning cloth. If she became good enough at these tasks, she could sell her goods. While this was lucrative, and in any other society would have made her money, it was only seen as an asset to a future husband in Mesopotamia. Marriage was not seen as something that enriched the home life or happiness of the average Mesopotamian family, as it was in Egyptian society. Instead, it was seen as a rite of passage, and a young Mesopotamian girl was seen as ready for marriage right after puberty. Rather than pick her mate based on love and attraction, parents of the bride and groom arranged marriages based on benefits of the marriage for each family . Typically, families of the bride tried to arrange a marriage with a wealthy groom, as it was customary for the bride’s family to receive gifts after the ceremony.
Marriage was not about creating one’s own family, or being an independent homemaker in Mesopotamia. Instead, the women became a part her husband’s family, often being ordered around by him, and all of her new in-laws. The father-in-law has discernible power throughout the marriage in Mesopotamia, while the woman had no say at all. The father could give her to the groom’s brother, or the marriage could be cancelled entirely if she was found to be unsatisfactory by the father . Equality was not something women of ancient Mesopotamia new either. Men exercised all financial power over marital assets, while women were only able to hold domain over household chores. A woman did not even have personal sovereignty after she was married; her husband or father-in-law made all legal decisions on her behalf. Once more, women from royal or wealthy families were granted a greater degree of freedom, but only by so much. Their personal sovereignty was distinguishable only based on their ability to make certain decisions for themselves. No ancient Mesopotamian woman legally owned land, was allowed to hold a job, had income, or could sign a contract. Their word was not trusted in any court . Women were to have children, raise them, and serve their husbands. The Code of Hammurabi, introduced in the 18th century, allowed women to own property under certain conditions, and allowed them to file for divorce, but primarily women were still viewed as and still legally treated as property.
In sum, women in either society had a completely different life. The women of ancient Egypt were able to exercise more freedom both in love, and in law. They could own land and homes, marry for love, divorce when they felt it necessary, and have children to increase happiness, rather than to have more hands to help with chores. Women could even become rulers. Women of ancient Mesopotamia were treated as property, with the inability to own anything themselves until the 18th century. They were groomed to be homemakers, and their marriages were arranged right after puberty. They were expected to bear as many children as their husbands desired. Unfortunately, for ancient Mesopotamian women, they did not share the same freedoms as Egyptian women.
Works Cited
Booth, Charlotte. Lost Voices of the Nile: Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt. Boston: Amberley Publishing Limited, 2015. Print.
James, Sharon L., Sheila Dillon and Amy R. Gansell. Women in Ancient Mesopotamia. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. Print.
Oppenheim, A. Leo. Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2012. Print.
Watterson, Barbara. Women in Ancient Egypt. Boston: Amberley Publishing Company, 2013. Print.
Wilson, John A. The Culture of Ancient Egypt. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013. Print.
