Category: Daily Life in the Past

By Tim Lambert WOMEN IN THE ANCIENT WORLD Women in Sumer Sumer was the world’s first civilization. It arose in what is now Iraq at about 3,500 BC. Sumerian women could own property such as land and slaves. They could also own businesses. Women could be witnesses in court the same as men. Some Sumerian… Continue reading A History of Women

By Tim Lambert Early Women Doctors There were women doctors in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. There were also women doctors in the Roman Empire. One famous woman doctor was Antiochis of Tlos. She lived in what is now Turkey in the First Century. Another famous woman doctor was Metrodora. She wrote a textbook called… Continue reading A History of Women Doctors

By Tim Lambert Women’s Clothes in the Ancient World Not surprisingly given the hot climate Egyptians wore only light clothing. Women wore dresses with shoulder straps. Clothes were made of linen or cotton. Later in Egyptian history clothes became more elaborate and colorful. Egyptians wore jewelry. Those who could afford it wore jewelry of gold,… Continue reading A History of Women’s Clothes

By Tim Lambert Women’s Education in the Ancient World There have always been some educated women. In the past, generally, upper-class women were well-educated. Middle-class women often had some education. But poor girls like poor boys had little or no access to education. Sumer was the world’s oldest civilization. It arose in what is now… Continue reading A History of Women’s Education

By Tim Lambert Women’s Jobs in the Ancient World Women’s Jobs in Ancient Egypt In Ancient Egypt, women had a good deal of freedom. They could come and go as they pleased. They could own property and they could sign contracts. However, most women worked in the home. There was a great deal of work… Continue reading A History of Women’s Jobs

By Tim Lambert Early Women’s Sports Greek women were not allowed to participate in the Olympic Games. However, women had their own games dedicated to the goddess Hera (wife of Zeus). The Heraean games were held once every 4 years. In Rome from about 55 AD, some women fought as gladiators but the practice was… Continue reading A History of Women’s Sports

By Tim Lambert Early Women’s Underwear Ancient Greek women wore a form of bra called an apodesme. Both Roman men and women wore a loincloth or shorts called subligaculum. Women also wore a band of cloth or leather around their chest called a strophium or mamilare. After the fall of Rome, women did not usually… Continue reading A History of Women’s Underwear

By Tim Lambert Work in Pre-Industrial Britain Before the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th century and 19th century, most people worked as farmers. Only a small minority of people worked in industry. Most of the Celts, who lived in Britain from 650 BC onward were farmers although were also many skilled craftsmen. Some Celts… Continue reading A History of Work

By Tim Lambert 2737 BC According to legend tea is discovered by the Chinese emperor Shen Nung 1000 AD According to legend coffee is discovered around this time c 1450 Coffee is drunk in Yemen c 1550 Coffee is drunk in Turkey and Persia 1610 The Dutch introduce tea into Europe 1651 A coffee house opens in Oxford 1652 A coffee house… Continue reading A Timeline of Tea and Coffee

By Tim Lambert In Anglo-Saxon England, women had considerable rights and freedom (unless they were slaves! Both men and women were slaves). Married women could own and inherit property. Some women were landowners. If a man married a woman he had to give her either money or land. After they married it was her property… Continue reading Anglo-Saxon Women