Society of Esteem

21 March 2009

Society of Esteem: Etruscan gender equality

Posted by Cecilia under: Art; Attitude; Society .

In the last post we wrote about the fresco of an Etruscan banquet.  We focused on the fact that it shows both men and women sitting at the same table.

Greek or Latin commentaries of this unusual behavior speak very negatively about the Etruscans.  According to those ancient texts the Etruscan culture was decadent and rotten.  Why?  Because all the Etruscan women seem to be prostitutes - they sit at the same table with men. 

In both Roman and Greek cultures only prostitutes sat at the same table with men.  For women it was forbidden to eat together with their husbands, fathers, brothers and friends if they didn’t want to lose their reputation.

The Etruscans didn’t have the same gender rules.  In Etruscan culture women and men received the same esteem.  It was normal for women and men to eat together.

There are other archaeological findings which demonstrate this culture of gender equality.  Another strong proof for such an esteemful living of women and men is a well-known sculpture of an Etruscan couple.   

This terra cotta sarcophagus lid shows what appears to be a man and his wife reclining on a dining couch eating a meal or having a quiet moment after supper. Both figures are propped up on their left elbow with the man close behind the woman. Both faces share a secret, tender smile.  Such an artful expression of closeness and tenderness between man and woman was unknown in ancient Roman and Greek culture. 

 
According to the idea of the Society of Esteem we can state that the Etruscan culture seemingly had a unique social intercourse at their time.  The Etruscans treated each other equally - independent of the gender.  Everyone, woman or man, received the same esteem.

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