The Roman Mother like the Spartan Mother

Abstract

Plutarch uses various topoi and parallels as links between the past and the present; his chief goal is to look for essential similarities of Greek and Roman ways of life. The skilfulness he exhibits while making these comparisons can be demonstrated through his accounts of Spartan mothers and Roman mothers. These women are presented mostly as exemplary ‘good mothers’ in the context of their and their sons’ political and social aretai. Strikingly, some of Plutarch’s descriptions of mothers in Sparta seem to reflect the Roman notion of idealised motherhood. The paper is designed to specify and discuss similarities between Roman and Greek images of mothers to reveal how these models interact. As such, it contributes to ongoing efforts at re-examining the position of Spartan women in their society.

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