I Claudia II: Women in Roman Art and Society

Rating:
Summary: Insights in to the lives of Roman woman through art
Review: A companion book to I CLAUDIA, which is out of print and which I haven't read. The first book, and I gather, this book are seen as catalogues to an exhibit. This book is thin in pages (171) but packed with interesting information about the lives of Roman women from the famous and wealthy to the average woman, which has been gleaned from examining Roman art. It has 10 chapters plus an introduction, all by different authors and all with copious endnotes. The pictures are in black and white and there is some line drawings.
The chapter titles are in order: Introduction: "Her Parents Gave Her the Name Claudia", Chapter 1 Livia to Helena: Women in Power, Women in the Provinces, Chapter 2 Livia: Portrait and Propoganda, Chapter 3 Family Ties: Mothers and Sons in Elite and Non-Elite Roman Art, Chapter 4 Just Window Dressing? Imperial Women as Architectural Sculpture, Chapter 5 Mortals, Empresses, and Earth Goddesses: Demeter and Persephone in Public and Private Apotheosis, Chapter 6 Nudity and Adornment in Female Portrait Sculpture of the Second Century AD, Chapter 7 Jewelry for the Unmarried, Chapter 8 The Elder Claudia: Older Women in Roman Art, Chapter 9 Marriage Egyptian Style, and Chapter 10 Widows to Young in Their Widowhood. There is a selected bibliography and index.
My favorite chapters were 3, 5, 8 and 9, but all had good information.
If you are acquainted with Roman history and have an interest in either Roman history or women's studies, this book will be of interest to you. It probably is not a good book with which to begin either the study of women's history or the study of ancient Rome.

Rating:
Summary: very interesting book
Review: It's a very readable and well researched book on "the Roman women" with nice pictures. Therefore, I recommend the book for everyone who is interested in the ancient Roma and gynaikologia...