At the Gates of Hades: Women’s Status and Social Roles in Roman Laconia (Mr Petros Tsagklis Nottingham)

Summary of talk

This talk explores the social standing and roles of women in Roman Laconia during the 2nd–3rd centuries CE, from adolescence to old age, through the analysis of funerary epigrams from the cities of the Free Laconians (Eleutherolakones). These verses provide a lens through which to examine the ideals and expectations that contemporary society placed on young maidens, newlyweds, wives, and mothers, as well as the extent to which women themselves conformed to—or diverged from—these norms.

The study of these epigrams is particularly illuminating: it not only sheds light on aspects of everyday life and the social position of women in a relatively understudied region of Roman Greece, but also focuses on an area that, in earlier periods, exhibited marked particularities in both funerary practices and the status of women. To what extent did Laconia retain these distinctive features under Roman rule? If so, how were they expressed? And if not, what factors account for their transformation?

This talk addresses these questions, highlighting the dynamic interplay between social norms and individual experience.

Speaker biography:

Mr Petros Tsagklis is a graduate of the Department of History and Archaeology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He completed his MA degree in the postgraduate program “Ancient Mediterranean World: History and Archaeology” at the University of Crete. Currently, he is pursuing his PhD at the University of Nottingham having been awarded a scholarship by M4C. His PhD research topic focuses on the functional structures and cultural identity of the League of the Free Laconians (Koinon of the Eleutherolacones). He is also a member of the Centre for Spartan and Peloponnesian Studies (UoN) and of the Society for Laconian Studies at Athens.

This event will be held online through MS Teams. If you would like to attend this talk, please register via this sign-up link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/2d646e90-a331-45cd-a8e5-f2f259cf36f1@67bda7ee-fd80-41ef-ac91-358418290a1e

The talk will also be livestreamed via https://vachosradio.gr/ (no registration required for the livestream)