Elite Women

Abstract

Abstract More specific information is available about royal women than about any other group. It is clear, however, that a historian must not generalize from information about the female kin of kings to women of lesser social status. For example, because of concern about the legitimacy of the succession, only royal women are named in tales of adultery, but the ancient sources often do not distinguish between royal and upper-class women. Many Spartiates had Heraclid blood. Aristotle writes about wealthy women, but only Plutarch gives details about particular wealthy women and they are all members of the royal houses (see below). Furthermore, the Spartiates were an elite, an aristocracy, and women of the upper classes tend to imitate the most elite among them.