This research examines the thesis that women in Byzantine society were not treated as equals within the educational, political and social realms.
Until recently, most historical findings have been written about and focused on men, so significant information about women is essentially missing, and therefore, any information provided involves women being “spoken for, rather than to speak for themselves” (Geanakoplos. p. 38, 1984). In this regard, the perspectives offered in this paper will be limited and coming predominantly from the male viewpoint. The first comprehensive look at Byzantine society from a female perspective came from Anna Comnena, the daughter of Alexius in her 15 volume historical account of her father’s rule in Alexiad. This paper will examine women’s role in Byzantine society generally as it relates to their educational, social and political involvement, and more specifically, how these roles were perceived and played out by Anna Comnena herself.
——— Read Full Text Below ———
