Unmanly Men and Manly Women

What happens when gender lines are crossed in Imperial Rome?

How do we define manly and unmanly?

Before we begin discussing the Romans, here are a few aspects of gender to consider from our own culture . . .

Also a reminder that the book “Egalia’s Daughters” is available for purchase at Wild Iris books (located on University, near Ayers Medical Plaza)

Are the Wild Boyz Manly?

Is this a girly man?

Who defines what is the norm for a culture?

Do we make exceptions for certain subcultures within a culture?

Things the Romans found unmanly

Women the Romans found manly

Agrippina, the wife of Claudius

From this point, the empire was changed. All obeyed a woman. But this was a woman without feminine frivolity. She was openly severe and often arrogant. Agrippina's dominance was almost masculine.

Tacitus