Role of Women in Ancient Mesopotamia Essays - 1194 Words

From Suffering to Suffrage As Mary Wollstonecraft once said, â€Å"I do not wish them to have power over men, but over themselves.† In this quote, â€Å"themselves† is referred to as women of course. It is somewhat customary to pick up a paper in today’s light and perhaps see read about Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, or First Lady, Michelle Obama, even media specialist, Oprah Winfrey. The list could go on and on, but the point remains the same. If King Hammurabi of Babylon were living in today’s world and saw how dramatic the power of women has transformed over the years, he would perhaps declare himself Queen of Babylon. Kevin Reilly accurately depicts the struggling role of women from this early period of civilization through Assyrian†¦show more content†¦A prostitute as well must be bare while addressing the public. The Assyrian law had a way of putting the prostitutes, and unmarried women below the status of married women, and then married women also found themse lves on an entire level below men. There were severe consequences to any prostitute who decided to wear a veil. â€Å"They shall not take away her jewelry, but he who has seized her takes her clothing; they shall strike her 50 blows with rods; they shall pour hot pitch over her head.† (Reilly 34). This quote is very powerful in the way that these acts which occurred often back then, would not be anywhere near tolerated today. The physical pain that the female would endure in this process, not to mention the embarrassment of being stripped of all clothing leaving only jewelry, would be more than enough to relegate the role of the female. Perhaps the most disturbing part of the Assyrian code involves the tormenting of a slave that chose to wear a veil in public. The slave would be brought to the palace and stripped naked only to have her ears cut off. This is an extreme punishment that is unheard of in today’s terms. These punishments do serve a purpose however, in showi ng how the role of women in early civilizations was nearly absent. A palace decree was issued by the king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser. This decree mentioned the harsh punishments that would take place to man if he entered the palace without first being castrated. If an official knows a man is notShow MoreRelatedThe Difference Between Men And Women1229 Words   |  5 PagesThe difference roles in society between men and women have been a major conflict throughout time. The idea of who is more superior in a civilization has always typically fallen more towards man than women. Even though the idea of men and women having different society roles in history it is important to have in a society. Through out history in ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Judaism, and ancient Greek genders are important to each civilization; however, women are made to serve men, disobey man, andRead MoreBeginning of a Civilization Essay1198 Words   |  5 PagesModern civilization as we know it began as a group of shabby huts in the ancient region of Mesopotamia. Flowing from mountains in modern Turkey, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers created an environment favorable for settlement. Wandering groups of people happened to come upon this fertile land. The warm temperatures allowed a permanent civilization to begin. Mesopotamia is a region which has a huge variety of geography combined into one expanse of land. There are rivers, valleys, mountains, floodplainsRead MoreSimilarities Between Ancient Egypt And Mesopotamia951 Words   |  4 Pageshistory are Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. However, because of the different geography, exposure to outside invasion, influence, and beliefs, Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia came to not only contrast in political and social structures but also share similarities in them as well. When it came to the development of Ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations politics played a prominent role in structuring the very foundation of each respective civilization. For instance, when it came to Ancient EgyptRead MoreAp History Compare and Contrast Essay: Egypt and Mesopotamia1296 Words   |  6 PagesEgypt and Mesopotamia Egypt and Mesopotamia developed different and similar political and religious civilizations. Mesopotamian civilizations such as the Sumerians, the Akkadian kingdom, the Assyrian empire and the Babylonian city-state, were all too dependent on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Egypt’s natural isolation and material self-sufficiency fostered a unique culture that for long periods had relatively little to do with other civilizations. Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilizationRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Civilizations, Mesopotamia And Ancient China868 Words   |  4 Pagesdevelopment of arts and educations. Two of histories well-known civilizations, Mesopotamia and Ancient China had similar experiences in the beginnings of their histories, they still have a different cultural and political views. These early civilizations experienced similar environmental situations that contributed to the shaping of their societies because both societies were built around two river valleys. Mesopotamia was located between the Tigris and Euphrates river, but their river valley societiesRead MoreTrends in Ancient Civilizations1234 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Trends in Ancient Civilizations Over the course of human history, humans and our ancestors have made tremendous strides. From Homo habilis making the first stone tools to the Egyptians building The Pyramids of Giza, human history is nothing short of intriguing. If it wouldn’t have been for each stride made by our ancestors we probably wouldn’t live in the world that we live in today. When the Neolithic Era began in 9600 BCE, human civilizations gradually started to spring up all over the worldRead MoreMesopotamia vs. Indus River Valley Essay707 Words   |  3 PagesMesopotamia vs. Indus River Valley 9/26/12 Ancient Mesopotamia and the Indus River Valley civilization were two incredibly productive and successful empires. While Mesopotamian politics were slightly less focused on religion and more on other aspects, the two societies shared many social characteristics. They both had defined social hierarchies, as well as similar views on gender roles. These traits are helpful in explaining the similarities and differences betweenRead MoreWomen s Status Of Inferiority1405 Words   |  6 PagesIn pre-Islamic societies, women were held in high regards as matriarchal communities widely existed. Their biology, with its ability to reproduce, enabled women to be worshipped for they were the principle of creating life; this fact opposed androcentric theories that state how the â€Å"nature† of women dictated a status of inferiority (Ahmed 11). However, as many scholars and theorists have noted, â€Å"the decline† of women’s status in pre-Islamic societies was likely from urban ization. As warfare increasedRead MoreEgypt And Mesopotamia Similarities984 Words   |  4 PagesPaper 1 In what ways were the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt alike? In what ways were they different? What accounts for these similarities and differences? Mesopotamia and Egypt were the first known civilizations in history. While maintaining separate identities, they still managed to have a vast number of similarities. Differences that go beyond general location were also very prevalent between the two civilizations. One of the biggest similarities between the two civilizations isRead MoreFirst Civilizations: the Peoples of Western Asia and Egypt1057 Words   |  5 Pagesbe chaos. In this essay I will analyze the key civilizations that arose in Mesopotamia and Egypt. From there I will discuss how these societies meet the requirements of being considered civilization and then finally explain other sources that could be used to support these claims. I will begin by discussing the civilization that arose in Ancient Mesopotamia from 1792-1750 BCE. It was during this time where Mesopotamia is introduced to its first true law giver Hammurabi. While also being none as