THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN ANCIENT ROME: TRANSFORMATION FROM PAGANISM TO CHRISTIANITY

Abstract

The religious milieu of ancient Rome was a complex canvas, deeply interwoven with the lives of its inhabitants, both men and women. This article delves into the intricate web of religious influence on women's lives in ancient Rome, with a particular focus on the divergent impacts of paganism and Christianity. Through a meticulous examination of sources, this exploration seeks to illuminate the lives of Roman women and the roles they played within these religious traditions, the constraints they faced, and the transformative shifts that occurred as Rome transitioned from paganism to Christianity. By dissecting the intersections of faith, gender, and social dynamics, this article offers a nuanced understanding of the evolving religious landscapes and their implications for women in antiquity. In the light of the growing interest in the history of Roman paganism and early Christianity, the relevance of the study is determined by the need to present a more complete socio-cultural and religious picture of that time. The innovation of the study lies in a holistic, comprehensive analysis of the issues raised by highlighting the transformation of the position of women from paganism to Christianity. The analysis is carried out through the prism of feminist issues related to religion, as well as the legal and social nature of the religious life of the ancient Romans. Moreover, such a religious analysis of women's issues in Ancient Rome, in particular in domestic studies, has not yet been sufficiently developed and presented in Ukrainian scientific discourse. This study is based on a synthesis of historical, analytical, and comparative methods. The study is based on the works of Mary Beard, Bonnie McLachlan, Maureen Fant, Mary Lefkowitz, Celia Schultz, Nicole Boelz-Janssen, Ariadne Staples, Richard Bauman, Enzo Bianchi, Anne-Marie Pelletier, and others. Among domestic researchers, we can single out Natalia Chukhym and Olga Gomilko.