I chose "Cato on the Oppian Law".A noteworthy aspect of Livy's description of Cato the Elder's resistance to the repeal of the Oppian Law is the Roman matrons' active involvement in the political process. Roman women fervently demanded the return of their customary privileges and ornaments, taking to the streets to barricade the forum and stop their husbands. This historic public protest by women demonstrates the Oppian Law's profound effect on their lives and their resolve to have a say in laws that directly impacted them. It also illustrates the larger conflicts in society between Cato's favored traditional Roman austerity and the changing cultural landscape following the Punic Wars.It appears that the author is highlighting the conflict between the changing cultural standards of the era and classic Roman principles, as embodied by Cato. The story emphasizes Cato's dedication to austerity, discipline, and the upholding of classic Roman qualities by stressing his opposition to excess and his defense of the Oppian Law.This document emphasizes the conflict in Roman society between the increasing influence of riches and luxury after Rome's growth and the traditional austere ideals promoted by Cato. It also demonstrates the growing agency of women, who could organize and use their considerable social influence to overturn restrictive legislation despite their limited political rights.In addition to reflecting the cultural shifts brought about by Rome's increasing affluence and exposure to other cultures, this document is consistent with other interpretations that highlight the Roman Republic's emphasis on traditional virtues like discipline, simplicity, and collective obligation. As witnessed in numerous descriptions of the challenges to Roman austerity during this time, it lends credence to the story of moral and social difficulties. It might, however, stand in contrast to more romanticized depictions of women's duties, demonstrating their ability to engage in coordinated political action—something that isn't always highlighted in other Roman sources. This points to a more intricate and dynamic social structure than is occasionally shown.I'd like to know more about the Oppian Law's and its repeal's wider social effects, particularly how it affected Roman views on public protests, gender roles, and wealth. It would also be intriguing to investigate other periods in Roman history where women significantly influenced legal or political decisions, as well as the long-term consequences of such activities on the social structure of the Roman Republic.

She was engaged to an excellent young man; the wedding-day was fixed, and we were all invited. How our joy has been turned into sorrow! I cannot express in words the inward pain I felt when I heard Fundanus himself (as grief is ever finding out fresh circumstances to aggravate its affliction) ordering the money he had intended laying out upon clothes, pearls, and jewels for her marriage, to be employed in frankincense, ointments, and perfumes for her funeral. He is a man of great learning and good sense, who has applied himself from his earliest youth to the deeper studies and the fine arts, but all the maxims of fortitude which he has received from books, or advanced himself, he now absolutely rejects, and every other virtue of his heart gives place to all a parent’s tenderness. You will excuse, you will even approve, his grief, when you consider what he has lost. He has lost a daughter who resembled him in his manners, as well as his person, and exactly copied out all her father. 

The above passage reflects the place females occupied in Roman society. While it is true ancient Roman women faced many of the same oppressive societal elements of other cultures, limiting their agency in the public arena. However, Romans valued a strong female, who was an important part of the Roman family. There have been questions as to how much females were valued inside the family, especially by their fathers. In the passage above when the bride to be dies, her father uses the money he was going to spend on the wedding to give her a lavish funeral instead. Her father is a respectable man and reflects the ideal type of citizen. Meaning his behavior towards the loss of his daughter is not reflective of a social outcast. A father grieving for the loss of his daughter was not out of social context. The writer expects the reader to understand the father’s grief which means it cannot be that unusual. The last line tells of how alike father and daughter were which means she must have spent time with her father is she is to mirror him and his behaviors. This points to a closer relationship between father and daughter than has been shown so far. 

I selected Livy's Cato Opposes Extravagance because of its intriguing perspective on Roman social dynamics and gender politics amid considerable historical conflict. The tension between tradition and evolving cultural standards struck a chord with me, particularly because of its significance in current discussions on gender roles and civic engagement. Cato's eloquent address was notable, especially his assertion that. “The moment they have arrived at an equality with you, they will have become your superiors.” This apprehension regarding women's ascendance to public leadership underscores the profound entrenchment of gender roles within Roman culture and the perception among male leaders that these roles were essential for societal stability. Livy sought to depict the conflict between conventional Roman norms and the changing circumstances of the empire. Through the documentation of this argument, Livy elucidates how Romans contended with ethical issues related to wealth, luxury, and gender, especially during periods of affluence and expansion. In Cato's speech, Livy underscores the conservative viewpoint that upholding discipline and tradition was crucial for Rome's enduring existence.

I read "Cato Opposes Extravagance" by Livy and thought it was interesting how Cato presented his case of where he stood on the repeal of the Oppian Law. The passage that stood out to me most was when Cato the Elder compares the situation to letting a wild beast chain loose. As a reader, it is still shocking how deeply Cato felt affected only by repealing the Oppian Law. The women were not even asking to be treated as equals; they simply wanted to wear fancy jewelry and have transportation. Cato believed that women would further succeed in taking charge. The author wanted to show how the Romans were conflicted with their beliefs. It seemed Cato favored the traditional beliefs that too much freedom and luxury would weaken society. During this time, Rome was deeply connected to its traditional values. Gender, wealth, and power were highly significant aspects of Roman culture. The document contradicts other readings because it shows women taking action and protesting in public. This reading also shows women not being in the background. In a society where men usually make the decisions, but in this narrative, we have women influencing what happens. It would be interesting to hear about more women taking a stand and coming together to use their voices.

For the final reading response, I chose "Cato on the Oppian Law" by Livy. I selected this reading for its portrayal of Roman women fighting back against the Oppian laws, which aimed to limit their rights to extravagance and were believed to cause strife in Rome during the Second Punic War against Hannibal of Carthage. I found it very interesting how the women of Rome went outside into the public space to protest these laws. These laws show the gender disparity and sexism of the Roman civilization,  "The moment they have arrived at an equality with you, they will have become your superiors.” The men of Rome had learned of powerful women in their past, )such as the Sabine women and the Matron Lucretia) and attempted to limit the appearance of such women again so as not to be "displaced."

The reading I picked for this week is Cato on the Oppian Law by Livy. I found this interesting because of Cato opposition of giving women more freedom and a lavish lifestyle. One detail that stood out was when Roman women defied social norms by protesting in the streets, showing how desperate they were to change this law, despite their strict societal expectations. I think what the author was trying to communicate is how traditions and social rules can be challenged by their people, in this case women, when they feel restricted. I think this document shows how Strict were Roman social rules specially for women in this time , and also how a peaceful protest, and showing discontent by unfairness to the government, can influence political decisions in society. This document supports our previous lessons as we see people try to be more modern and slowly letting women be more out in the public to be part of society. I would like to find out more about other events in history were women raised their voice to change unfair laws. 

This week response I chose “Cato Opposes Extravagance” by Livy. The reason I chose this reading because from what I gather from the text the law was created to restrict women’s from being in the public and trying to be heard, and they should know how to represent themselves in public and private setting especially in displaying wealth. This passage “Although if the modesty of matrons confined them within the limits of their own rights, it did not’ become you, even at home, to concern yourselves about what laws might be passed or repealed here.’ Our ancestors thought it not proper that women should perform any, even private business, without a director; but that they should be ever under the control of parents, brothers, or husbands,” stood out to me because you could see how the Roman men’s view their women’s and how they should act and the roles they’re supposed to play. I felt like the author was showing the uproar that the Roman women had in their society. The author was also showing how the Oppian law were to limit the wealth of the women’s and this part of the text shows how they wanted women to be more modest “no woman should possess more than half an ounce of gold, or wear a garment of various colors.” I would like to learn how long did it take women’s to be equal in Rome and able to show of wealth and have an opinion in public setting. 

For this week’s response I have decided to analyze and discuss the primary source entitled “Cato on the Oppian Law” from Livy. I chose this primary source because of the unique rules surrounding women and the manner in which they presented themselves in public. I found the restrictions on one’s public appearance to be an interesting aspect of this primary source. Another aspect of the source that stood out to me that I would like to expand upon is the power dynamics in place in terms of both class and gender. There is a line in the source that essentially states that everyone should remain within the confines their social class and finance allows because it will present more issues within the family dynamic. I found this part interesting because the concern of the person who made this statement was how a largely public law can possibly threaten the private and the family dynamic. This concern also lied with the women, meaning they were believed to be the cause for concern and what would ultimately threaten this dynamic. Overall, I found that the concepts presented in this source and the manner in which they are presented to be interesting.

The reading I picked this week was the selected letters by Pliny the younger. The particular passage that jumped out to me is the letter that Pliny wrote about Quandratilla because his tone sounded different compared to how he spoke about the other women in the other letters. What I think the author was trying to communicate was showing his admiration and praise to the women mention in these letters. In my opinion, Pliny looked at women at a high caliber and how eloquently he spoke about each women you can tell how important they were to him. What I think this document  tells us  about the time and place it comes from is that it provides insight into how a woman from the ancient world was viewed through the lens of a man's perspective, highlighting the societal expectations placed on women during that time.

The reading I picked this week was Cato on the Oppian Law/Livy because it sheds light on the intersection of gender, politics, and morality in Roman society. It is fascinating to see how a seemingly trivial matter like women’s clothing and jewelry sparked such a passionate and wide-reaching political debate. Cato’s speech stood out, especially his statement: “The moment they have arrived at an equality with you, they will have become your superiors.” This line reveals his fear of social change and the disruption of traditional power dynamics. The idea that granting women more autonomy would lead to them dominating men is a striking example of how deeply entrenched patriarchal values were in Roman society. Livy uses this debate to explore themes of social order, tradition, and the tension between private and public life. Through Cato’s speech, Livy illustrates the conservative viewpoint, warning against the erosion of societal norms. This document reveals a society in transition. Rome, in 195 BCE, was grappling with the consequences of its expanding empire and newfound prosperity. This account complements other readings about the conservative reaction to Rome’s growing wealth and external influences. Like Cato’s critique, other sources from this period warn against the moral dangers of luxury and the loss of traditional Roman discipline. I want to explore The broader impact of the repeal: Did women gain more social freedoms as a result, or was this a unique moment in Roman history?

The reading I picked this week was Cato on the Oppian Law/Livy because although I have already read it. I would like to be able to talk more in depth about it. A detail I would like to talk in depth about is "The Capitol was filled with crowds, who favored or opposed the law; nor could the matrons be kept at home, either by advice or shame, nor even by the commands of their husbands." This is interesting as we have just learned about how women had been kept at home consistently, not shown and shamed if they did not uphold these values, yet there seems to be a switch in society. It could be that the women made to stay home were matrons with wealth primarily, and a lot of textbooks seem to focus on these women, so we could have a skewed perspective, but I believe it's interesting that the men noticed that even with shame the women did not care and continued to fight for the repeal. I believe Livy's goal was to spread and document the propaganda of the repeal of the Oppian law effectively and properly. This could have been a catalyst for women looking to seek power, and it is a valuable story to document, especially since this story is more so about women's independence and not luxury as much as one might think. 

In my opinion, this tells us about a time when women lacked agency and power in their lives and men were thrilled to uphold that conservative view, whether it was because they were too used to that idea or did not genuinely believe women deserved or needed that power.

This document does add on and help relate to the various other documentation we have of women being denied privilege out front by elders, men believing that women being casted and hidden and not flaunting themselves was the proper way of society. This idea is being strengthened by readings such as "Women and Housing in Classical Greece: The Archaeological Evidence”: Walker. I would like to find out more on Hannibal and why and how he managed to strike so much fear into these people that they consistently try to stay in a scarce mindset.

I selected "Pliny the Younger’s letter about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius" (Letter 6.16), as it’s one of the most famous and striking passages from his collection, and it provides a vivid, firsthand account of an event in Roman history. The combination of personal observation with scientific curiosity and the narrative’s emotional depth is compelling.

What jumped out at me

The most striking detail for me was Pliny’s description of his uncle, Pliny the Elder, who died attempting to rescue people from the eruption. Pliny the Younger paints a picture of a man of great intellectual courage, willing to risk his life in the pursuit of knowledge. The moment when Pliny the Elder, despite the increasingly dangerous conditions, insists on continuing his observations of the eruption struck me as an example of the Roman value of duty and the intellectual rigor of the time. Pliny the Younger also writes about his personal grief, which humanizes the event in a way that connects the reader to the tragedy on both a public and private level.

What the author was trying to communicate:

Pliny was not only reporting the events of the eruption but also offering an emotional and philosophical reflection on the natural world’s power and unpredictability. The letter conveys his admiration for his uncle’s dedication to science, as well as his own sense of loss. The narrative also subtly communicates the fragility of human life in the face of nature’s overwhelming force, as well as the stoic acceptance of death by those who knew the risks.

What the document tells us about the time and place:

This document reveals much about Roman values and intellectual life in the first century CE. The detailed, observational approach to the eruption shows the Roman emphasis on scientific curiosity and empirical knowledge. The sense of civic duty and the personal bravery of Pliny the Elder reflect Roman ideals of duty, honor, and public service. Additionally, the letter underscores how connected the Romans were to their environment, with a respect for both its beauty and its potential for destruction. The human cost of the eruption, including the vulnerability of cities like Pompeii, highlights the precariousness of life in a time when natural disasters could be catastrophic.

What I would like to find out more about:

I’d be interested in learning more about the scientific understanding of volcanic eruptions in ancient Rome. Pliny the Elder’s determination to study the eruption despite the danger suggests that Romans had a more empirical approach to natural disasters than I previously realized. It would be fascinating to explore whether they had any theories or methods for studying geology or volcanic activity, and how their understanding of nature influenced their views on fate, destiny, and divine will.