In Defense of Medea
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 »
Pithekoussai: Ancient Greek Colony of Nestor’s Cup
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 »
The Last Priestesses
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 »
Demeter’s Daughters: Women of the Thesmophoria
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 »
Saint Theodora
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
The Brutality of Citizen Wives
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 »
Unraveling the Eleusinian Mysteries
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 »
The Rape of a Goddess
Who were Demeter and Persephone and why did their myth resonate so strongly with women of ancient Greece? The story of Demeter, goddess of the
The Rape of a Goddess Read More »
The Triumphant Women of Sparta
It must have come as no surprise to the Greeks that the face, which launched a thousand ships, was of Spartan origin. After all, Spartan
The Triumphant Women of Sparta Read More »
The Return of the Amazons
On the vast steppes of Eurasia, in an area the Greeks referred to as Scythia, lay the remains of a young woman approximately twenty to
The Return of the Amazons Read More »