This B.A. thesis examines the transition of girls from childhood to adulthood in Classical Greece and explores the social customs related to the upbringing of girls, to their marriage, and to the position of married women in ancient Greek society. Particular attention is placed on the wedding as the central rite of passage through which a woman became a member of her husband's household and acquired a new social role. The thesis also discusses differences between the status of women in Athens and Sparta and critically summarizes the views of ancient philosophers, dramatists, and historians on women and their social roles. The text-oriented examination is systematically supplemented by the analysis of select examples of Classical Greek vase painting depicting wedding rituals, bridal preparations, and other subjects relating to the lives of women. Vase imagery is thus explored as an important source of visual evidence that significantly complements the available written sources and also provides insight into societal ideals that determined the everyday lives of women whose social standing in Classical Greece was largely determined by family, marriage, and motherhood. Marriage marked the key rite of passage from childhood to adulthood, while a woman's full integration into her new family was associated with the birth of a child. By combining historical sources and contemporary visual evidence, the thesis seeks to elucidate the social ideals, rituals, and expectations that shaped the destiny of women in Classical Greece.
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