Imperial Women of Rome

By Mary T. Boatwright,

Book cover of Imperial Women of Rome: Power, Gender, Context

Book description

The Imperial Women of Rome explores the constraints and activities of the women who were part of Rome's imperial families from 35 BCE to 235 CE, the Roman principate. Boatwright uses coins, inscriptions, papyri, material culture, and archaeology, as well as the more familiar but biased ancient authors, to depict…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Imperial Women of Rome as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

It is a learned but lucid work that shows us why we don't know the names of many of the emperors' wives and female kin. Boatwright looks at a range of activities of the imperial women across Roman institutions (the imperial gov't and its laws, the military machine, and the family and the court). Important now to understand how power takes hold in conservative, entrenched societies, and how leading women are exploited in these regimes. 

Want books like Imperial Women of Rome?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 74 books like Imperial Women of Rome.

Browse books like Imperial Women of Rome

Book cover of The Brothel of Pompeii: Sex, Class, and Gender at the Margins of Roman Society
Book cover of Augustus
Book cover of Image and Status: Roman Working Women in Ostia

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,187

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the upper class, Rome, and ancient Rome?

The Upper Class 95 books
Rome 339 books
Ancient Rome 304 books