Document Type : The social history of women in the art and society of Iran and the ancient world(Guest editor: Dr. Esmail Sangari)

Authors

• Zohra Khosravi ¹
• Mohammad-Taghi Imanpour ²

¹ M.A in Ancient History of Iran, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran,

² Professor of Ancient History of Iran, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran,

Abstract

From the beginning of human life, women worked alongside men for livelihood. As life became more complex, especially with the formation of local governments and then the great kingdom which led to the division of labor among different sections of society, women also played a role in this new life in different ways. With the formation of the great Achaemenid Empire and the expansion of economic activities that required more labor, women alongside men, became more active in economic activity. Much has been written about the status of women, especially the political, social, and economic activities of court women during the Achaemenid period, but no coherent work has been done about the socio-economic role of lower-class women in this period. Therefore, based on Persepolis inscriptions and other ancient sources and with a descriptive-analytical approach, using the method of historical studies, in this research an attempt has been made to study the status and socio-economic activities of the lower-class women in Achaemenid period. In other words, this study seeks to answer the fundamental question of whether women of the lower classes of Achaemenid society participated in socio-economic activities and in which kind of occupation they were mostly engaged in. Evidence shows that in parallel with men, they were active in the social and economic activities of society and worked in various occupations, in many cases and based on their skills, they received equal wages as men.

Keywords

• Achaemenids
• Persepolis
• Lower-Class Women
• Women Occupation
• Persepolis tablets

Main Subjects

• The social history of women in the art and society of Iran and the ancient world

Extended Abstract

Social and economic status of non-court women in the Achaemenid period

Introduction: From the beginning of human life, women worked alongside men for livelihood. As life became more complex, especially with the formation of local governments and then the great kingdom such as the Persian Empire which social and economic system became more complicated and many new jobs took shape, women also played a new role in this new life in different part of society. With the formation of the great Achaemenid Empire by Cyrus the Great and its expansion and foundation of new constructions during the rule of Darius the Great and the development of economic that required more jobs and labour, women alongside men, became more active in social economic activities. The discovery and reading of a number of Persepolis Fortification Tablets by Hallock (Persepolis Fortification Tablet) and Cameron (Treasury Tablets Persepolis) in 20 centuries, valuable information related to the daily life of people, administration and economic system of empire and management of Persepolis and most importantly the economic activity of court and non-court women and their place in society during Achaemenid empire provided to us. However, since on and based on Persepolis Tablets many research has been down about women’s economic activities during the Achaemenid period; however, no compressive and independent research has been done on economic and social activity of lower-class (non-court women) in this period. Thus, in this research it has been attempted to answer to the following question.

Research question and hypothesis: This research seeks to answer the question that the women of the lower-class of society (non-court women) in which areas and parts of the society and to what extent they were active in the Achaemenid period? Also, what kind of jobs and professions these women had, and accordingly, what status and salary they received?

It seems that the women of the lower-class of the society (non-court women) parallel to the women in the court who owned real estate and business houses and had economic activities, the non-court women also worked closely with their men in the various fields and in other productive and professional work around the empire, and played a prominent role in the economy of the country. They also had important role in construction of Persepolis.

Literature Review : Much has been written about the status of women, especially the political, social, and economic activities of court women during the Achaemenid period but no coherent work has been done about the socio-economic role of lower-class (non-court women) in this period. For example, Heidemarie Koch in her book titled Aus der Sprache des Darius and in the sixth chapter of it, deals with the noble and court women during the Persian Empire in general, but the lower-class (non-court women) of the society in this work have been given less attention by the author. Pierre Briant in his book, History of the Achaemenid Empire; From Cyrus to Alexander also deals with the activities of court women, their rights and social status, which includes working class women, but the contents of this section about the women of the lower class of society are not comprehensive enough. Daryaee in an article called "Women in the Achaemenid Period: Some Preliminary Considerations", discussed the issue of women in the Achaemenid Period. In this article, he gives a general information about Achaemenid women and their economic activities based on the Persepolis Tablets. However, he pays less attention to economic activity of non-court women in this research. Hassan Khademi, in an article titled "Women's economic activity in Iran during the Achaemenid era", gives brief discussions about economic activity of women without taking advantage of Persepolis Tablets. In the year 1400, Hamid Kaviani Puya published an article entitled "Occupations and Economic Activities of Women in the Achaemenid period" in which he has a general view of the subject and mostly focused on the activities of court women and only limited references to lower class women. Perhaps, the most important research in this field is the book of Maria Brosius titled Achaemenid Women. In the last chapter of this book, under the title "Women and the Economy of the Achaemenid Court", the author has focused on the economic activities of women based on the Persepolis Fortifications Tablets. However, she has paid less attention to the jobs and economic activities of non-court women; except in the places where she refers to the workshops and work groups of two court ladies. Therefore, it seems that the economic activity and social status of non-court women has not been worked on independently and coherently so far and it is a necessity.

Research Method: Therefore, based on Persepolis Tablets and other ancient sources and with a descriptive-analytical approach and using the method of historical studies, in this research an attempt has been made to study the status and socio-economic activities of the lower-class women in the Achaemenid period. In other words, this study seeks to answer the fundamental question of whether women of the lower classes of Achaemenid society participated in socio-economic activities and in which kind of occupation they were mostly engaged in.

For this purpose, in this research, the social and economic activities of the women of the lower class of the society and the amount of their wages compared to the wages of men has been discussed first. Then, the occupations and economic activities of non-court women and their social status during the Achaemenid period will be specifically investigated.

Research findings: The result and findings of this research shows that in parallel with men, lower-class (non-court women) were active in the social and economic activities of society and worked in various occupations and in many cases and based on their skills, they received equal wages as men.