Becoming a Woman and Mother in Greco-Roman Egypt

Ada Nifosi gained a BA in Classical Archaeology at the University of Padua, Italy, and an MA and MPhil in Egyptian Archaeology at the University of Bologna, Italy. She was awarded her PhD at the University of Kent, UK, where she is now a Lecturer in Ancient History.

• Introduction; 1. Women’s social status in Greco-Roman Egypt; 2. The role of midwives in Dynastic and Greco-Roman Egypt; 3. Childbirth and domestic cults in Greco-Roman Egypt; 4. The liminal status of the unborn and the newborn child in Greco-Roman Egypt; 5. Pollution and purification in women’s reproduction; 6. Childbirth, menstruation and domestic space in Greco-Roman Egypt; 7. Conclusions

"Through the discussion of an impressive range of evidence, Ada Nifosi sheds new light on everyday lives of women in Egypt from the Pharaonic to the Greco-Roman period. The author focuses her attention on many aspects of women’s functions in society, from childbirth and reproduction to professions and the administration of family wealth; a vital part not only of their households but also of village and city communities, women played a significant role in the shaping of the multicultural society of Egypt. Becoming a Woman and Mother in Greco-Roman Egypt is an important reading for anyone interested in gender and women studies and social history of ancient Egypt." - Roberta Mazza, The University of Manchester, UK