The Lost Story of
Persian Women
We often hear about the great kings of ancient Persia, but what was life like for the women at the time?
During the Achaemenid Empire, women enjoyed rights and freedoms that were uncommon in the ancient world. In fact, historians believe that only in ancient Egypt were women treated with as much respect. Persian women owned land, ran businesses, and earned equal pay for skilled work. But for years, this incredible true story was lost to history.
Uncovering
The Truth
For a long time, most of what we knew about women in ancient Persia came from ancient Greece. Greece and Persia were rivals, and they also held very different views on women.
Women in ancient Greece often had fewer rights than men. In Athens, for example, women were not allowed to own land, inherit property, or vote.
Ancient Greek historians described Persian women as dangerous and overly powerful. The Greeks wrote this because Persian society was very different from their own, which made them uncomfortable. As a result, the stories they told were full of unfair ideas about women. These false stories hid the real history of ancient Persia.
So how do we get to the truth? The answer lies in the ancient clay tablets discovered in the ruins of Persepolis. By studying these Persian sources, historians are uncovering the real story.
Royal
Women
At the center of Persian court life were the royal women. These were the women closest to the king. They included the king’s mother, wives, and daughters.
These women were deeply respected and often traveled with the king as he expanded his empire. However, the royal women were also incredibly independent. They managed their own royal courts, allowing them to travel without the king!
One businesswoman named Irdabama had a team of up to 480 people working for her!
As you would expect, these royal women lived lives of wealth and privilege that were not available to everyone. So, what was life like for the everyday women who served the Achaemenid Empire?
Everyday
Laborers
Clay tablets discovered in Persepolis describe teams of female workers who labored alongside men and children. These laborers earned their living mostly in rations.
WHAT ARE RATIONS?
In ancient Persia, workers were paid in rations of food and drink.
Rations included items such as grain, wine, figs, and flour.
Did you know some work teams were led by a female chief called an arassara? They also had special crews made up mostly of women who were experts at making cloth. As for their pay, regular female workers usually received fewer food rations than men because people thought they didn’t need as many calories.
But skilled female workers received the same rations as skilled male workers.
FUN FACT!
New mothers were given extra rations, which helped them recover after childbirth.
Historians are still working hard to uncover the rest of these untold stories. But one thing is clear: In ancient Persia, women enjoyed rights and freedoms rarely seen in the ancient world. From royal women who managed businesses to everyday laborers who kept everything running, women helped shape a powerful empire.