Encyclopedia of Women in the Ancient World

An extensive and fascinating collection of stories featuring both famous and everyday women giving a well-rounded view of the lives of women in the ancient world.When did women first become rulers athletes soldiers heroines and villains? They always were observes historian Judith Salisbury. From Mesopotamian priestesses and poets to Egyptian queens and consorts there was never a time when women did not participate in all aspects of society.Salisbury tells the stories of 150 women from the ancient world ranging from the very famous such as Cleopatra VII immortalized by Hollywood to the barely remembered such as the Roman poet Nossis. Writing for a general audience Salisbury begins by painting each woman into her historical context then recounts each woman''s story describing the choices she made as she looked for happiness wealth power or well-being for herself and her familystories much like our own. In entries on general themesclothing cosmetics work sexuality prostitution gynecologySalisbury analyzes the commonalties in the lives of these women of antiquity from a cross-cultural perspective.