Of all the civilizations in the ancient world, Egypt was perhaps the most prone to the miraculous. “There is no country that possesses so many wonders,” wrote Greek historian Herodotus,“nor any that has such a number of works that defy description.” They invented many wonders: the 365-day calendar, breath mints, paper, the ramp and lever. Let’s start with the civilization I’ve been obsessed with since elementary school, full of incense, gold leaf, and kohl eyeliner. It also means being imaginative: taking what we think we know and filling in the gaps with our own conjecture. To go so far back means relying on primary sources that weren’t always concerned about accuracy. Just remember, as we go on this journey into the faraway past, to take everything with a grain or two of salt. And because I love a challenge, I want to try and hear their voices through the smoke. But they’re there, if you only look hard enough.
We have so few direct quotes from these women. That glass was mostly made by men: they wrote down the stories of ancient women, defining them through their own lenses and prejudice, turning them into what suited their narrative: saints, seductresses, jokes, cautionary tales. It’s a researcher’s nightmare: dates are never certain, names, places, times, all up for debate.Īnd trying to understand a woman’s life in the ancient world? It’s a little like squinting through very smoky glass. But when I get handed a book about ancient history, I can’t help but want to hand it back. I work as an editor – that’s my day job – shaping books about adventure, travel, science, and, of course, history. WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE FOR WOMEN OF THE ANCIENT WORLD?
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