A Rome of One's Own: The Forgotten Women of the Roman Empire

Emma Southon reconstructs the history of the Roman world by centering the lives of women who are usually relegated to the footnotes of traditional military and political chronicles. Rather than focusing solely on elite empresses, the text features a diverse cast ranging from Vestal Virgins and business owners to enslaved laborers and poets like Sulpicia. Southon examines how these women navigated a patriarchal legal system, managed households, and influenced local economies. She argues that Roman society relied on female agency and labor to function.

Readers interested in social history or classical studies will find this book useful for its shift away from standard Great Man narratives. It provides a clearer understanding of how gender shaped daily existence, legal status, and social mobility in ancient Italy and the provinces. By the end, the reader gains a concrete perspective on the Roman Empire as a place populated by active female participants rather than just silent onlookers. The book replaces myths about domestic seclusion with evidence of women’s public and private influence.