What Life Was Like For Women in the Roman Empire

Women were painted as muses and moral exemplars in Roman literature and art. Picture a fresco in a villa, where a noblewoman reclines gracefully, surrounded by symbols of virtue, or read a line from Ovid celebrating the beauty of a lover’s smile.

These depictions, though idealized, offered glimpses of women’s lives—at times as caregivers, at others as powerful figures like the mythical Dido. While the art often reinforced societal ideals, it immortalized women’s influence, showcasing their elegance, intellect, and humanity.