Long before her boat docked at the port of Brundisium in the winter of 19 CE, Agrippina (the Elder—14 BCE- 33 CE) might have known […]
Agrippina the Elder: The Woman Who Would Be Empress Read More »
In the Greek Peloponnese, high atop the summit on Arcadia’s Mount Lykaion (Wolf Mountain) lies an altar at one of the oldest and most revered
The Highest Altar: Human Sacrifice in Ancient Greece Read More »
In the most highly anticipated religious festival of the year, women came from far and wide to gather in their cities to celebrate the Thesmophoria,
Thesmophoria: Feminine Consciousness in Ancient Greece Read More »
In Euripides’ Medea (431 BCE), Medea’s wrath against Jason’s betrayal was so fierce that the phrase “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” might
In Defense of Medea Read More »
Europe’s First Greek Settlement: Pithekoussai Celebrated for its thermal springs and verdant landscapes, the volcanic island of Ischia—located in the Bay of Naples—harkens back to
Pithekoussai: Ancient Greek Colony of Nestor’s Cup Read More »
When the executioners came for her on that otherwise bright and sunny day, Cornelia (50-91 CE) was many things, but penitent was not one
The Last Priestesses Read More »
In the indigo light of the early morning, wearing white robes and carrying torches, the pious women ascended the hill to the Thesmophorion (sanctuary to
Demeter’s Daughters: Women of the Thesmophoria Read More »
When we consider the pious lives of saints, images of self-sacrificing martyrs come to mind, devout adherents passionately immolating themselves for a higher cause. So
Thesmophoria, the feminine fertility festival, dedicated to the Goddess Demeter, was literally for women only. Citizen males of ancient Greece were unconditionally restricted from attending
The Brutality of Citizen Wives Read More »
The Eleusinian Mysteries conjures up mystical images of a dark and dangerous festival, befitting its name. Indeed, it was surrounded by such an aura of
Unraveling the Eleusinian Mysteries Read More »
