Kriegerinnen im Altertum

Overview & Synopsis

Violence is a current and widely studied research topic, yet it is received in very different ways with regard to the biological and social gender of those involved. Men are almost invariably regarded as perpetrators, while women are seen primarily as their victims. From the perspective of ancient studies, this edited volume counters this simplified perception with a more nuanced picture. Greek and Roman historiography, for example, knows numerous female military leaders who also fought on the battlefield. Legal texts report on violent women in everyday situations. In archaeological findings, weapons are predominantly associated with men, yet burials contain a significant minority of individuals identified as female who were interred with martial equipment. Based on a workshop held at the University of Hamburg in May 2023, the volume brings together contributions from Ancient History, Classical Philology, and Prehistoric and Early Historic Archaeology. Using both material and written sources, these contributions take a critical look at the social spheres of interaction available to women in antiquity.