LIVES OF YOUNG WOMEN IN ANCIENT ROME VS. NOW
In the BCE era, the daily lives of young women were shaped by strict cultural expectations and limited freedom. Most were married off in their teenage years, sometimes as young as twelve or thirteen, and women were expected to become wives and mothers rather than pursue personal ambitions. Education for girls was minimal, focused mainly on household tasks such as weaving, cooking, or childrearing. At the same time, opportunities for intellectual pursuits or public life were rare and usually reserved for elite women in exceptional circumstances. Social systems placed women under the authority of fathers, husbands, or male guardians, which meant that they had little legal independence. Wealthier young women might spend their days managing large households and servants, while poorer girls worked alongside their families in fields, markets, or workshops. Life expectancy was also far shorter than today, with the dangers of childbirth, disease, and limited medical knowledge weighing heavily on young women’s futures.
In contrast, the lives of young women today are characterized by far greater independence, opportunities, and choices. Across much of the world, women are encouraged to pursue education, develop careers, and make decisions about marriage and family later in life. Legal rights to vote, own property, work, and access healthcare give young women levels of freedom unimaginable to women in the ancient world. Modern medicine, better nutrition, and advances in technology have significantly increased life expectancy, reduced maternal mortality, and improved overall quality of life. Rather than being defined primarily by domestic responsibilities, young women now often balance education, careers, personal ambitions, and relationships on their own terms. While challenges such as inequality and cultural restrictions still exist, the shift in life opportunities marks one of the most drastic social transformations in human history.
SIMILARITIES OF ROMAN GOVERNMENT TO NOW
The Roman government, first organized as a republic, was a complex system that balanced power between elected officials, the Senate, and the assemblies. The governmental structure implemented in ancient Rome continues to serve as a model for modern democracies. Much like the United States’ use of checks and balances between executive, legislative, and judicial branches, Rome divided authority to prevent abuse of power. The Senate, made up of elites, strongly influenced policy in ways similar to modern parliaments or senates, while elections allowed citizens to choose magistrates. While each citizen was given a vote, factors like wealth, status, and persuasive speech often determined the outcome. Populist leaders such as Julius Caesar appealed directly to the masses to gain support, a strategy still common in modern politics. Roman law, beginning with the Twelve Tables, laid the foundations for property rights, contracts, and citizenship, thus shaping European legal traditions and influencing systems still in use today. At the same time, corruption, bribery, and the eventual concentration of power in emperors mirrored challenges faced by governments now, where democratic ideals can weaken under personal ambition and political manipulation. In this way, Rome’s political system not only resembled patterns still
present in today’s world but also directly influenced the structure and functioning
of many governments present in today’s world and additionally influenced
structured governments which led them to continue to function.