Antiquity Quote by Sarah B. Pomeroy
““It is no surprise that the only woman in antiquity who could be the subject of a full-length biography is Cleopatra. Yet, unlike Alexander, whom she rivals as the theme of romance and legend, Cleopatra is known to us through overwhelmingly hostile sources. The reward of the ‘good’ woman in Rome was likely to be praise in stereotyped phrases; in Athens she won oblivion.””
About This Quote
Source Book: "A History of Women in the Ancient World", 1995
Cleopatra's biography is rare and hostile, reflecting gender bias in historical records
In simple terms: Ancient women’s stories are often told by hostile sources
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge biases in historical narratives
Themes
gender
history
bias
representation
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
Antiquity:1
Antony-and-cleopatra:1
Cleopatra:1
Rome:1
William-shakespeare:0
Women:1
Cleopatra Known:0
Biography Cleopatra:0
Legend Cleopatra:0
Cleopatra Unlike:0
When to use this quote
- academic research
- teaching history
- media representation
Key Concepts
classical studies
feminist historiography
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we recover lost female perspectives?
- What impact does bias have on our view of history?
A Different Perspective
Historical accounts may be incomplete or skewed
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