Article

Violence in Print: A Brief Look into Violence Against Women as a Plot Device in Livy’s History

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Abstract

Ancient Rome was a vast empire with a rich culture that has fascinated people for generations. Much of what is known of the early days of Rome is thanks to the work of Titus Livius, a historian living in Rome during the first century CE. Livy, as he is more commonly known, wrote a comprehensive history of Rome, starting with its early mytho-history, detailing Roman legends about its founding and journey to empire. In this early history, Livy discusses many now famous women, however, he treats these women more as plot devices than as actual characters. Using Livy’s translated work, as well as scholarly interpretations, in my article, I aim to examine how Livy uses and even misrepresents the reality of life in Ancient Rome for women in order to further his narrative.

Keywords: History

How to Cite:

Foster, C., (2023) “Violence in Print: A Brief Look into Violence Against Women as a Plot Device in Livy’s History”, University of Massachusetts Undergraduate History Journal 6(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.7275/8802-p961