26th Annual Student Research Conference
A Brief Look At Reproductive Freedom
Madeline A. Oberman
Dr. Bridget Thomas, Faculty Mentor
In this paper, I argue that women in ancient Rome and Greece generally had more control over their own bodies than in other points of time. I compare the use of herbal contraceptives and homeopathic birth control methods in ancient Rome and Greece, from the first century BCE through the first century CE, and America in the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. I have found that women in the ancient world had better methods of birth control and more freedom in control over their bodies than women in more recent times. The laws, testimony from medical practitioners, and firsthand experiences from each time period provide clear evidence on society's changing viewpoint on female reproduction and the amount of control a woman has over childbearing. As time progresses, the evidence concludes that women have begun to gain control over their reproduction rights once again.
Keywords: Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, Birth Control, Women, Reproduction
Topic(s):Classics
Women's and Gender Studies
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 307-5
Location: MG 1098
Time: 2:00