论古罗马维斯塔贞女的性别角色和社会地位

The Gender Roles and Social Status of Vestal Virgins in Ancient Rome

从社会性别的视角探讨了古罗马维斯塔贞女的性别角色,并从宗教、政治、法律、经济、社会生活、服饰和性道德等方面考察了其社会地位。维斯塔贞女因其宗教职责在古罗马人的宗教和社会生活中起到了重要的作用,她们在侍奉维斯塔期间由于国家的宗教和政治需要而摆脱了父家长权的控制,取得了类似于男性的法律和经济地位,并在一定程度上参与了公共政治活动,扮演了某些类似于男性的性别角色。从服饰和性道德等方面来看,维斯塔贞女的性别角色依然是女性。罗马男权社会强调维斯塔贞女至少要保持30年时间的贞洁来侍奉维斯塔,这种要求由于国家的政治和宗教需要而被强化和制度化。一旦失去贞操,她们会受到严厉惩罚。维斯塔贞女的双重性别角色反映了古罗马人虔诚信神的特征,古罗马的男性家长为了国家的最高利益而让渡了自己的权力,也为自己的家庭带来了荣誉。在古罗马社会文化背景下,维斯塔贞女虽然具有较高的地位,但这并不能改变古罗马男权社会的本质。

From the perspective of social gender, this paper discusses the gender roles of Vestal virgins in ancient Rome, and explores their social status in terms of religion, politics, law, economy, social life, clothing, and sexual morality and so on. Vestal virgins in ancient Roman played very significant roles in religion and social life owing to their religious duties. While ser- ving Vesta, Vestal virgins broke away from the control of patriarchy and acquired the legal and economic status similar to that of men. Participating in public political activities, Vestal virgins played an assumed men＇ s role. From the aspects of clothing and sexual morality, their gender role still fell into the female category. In the male dominated Roman society, Vestal virgins were ex- pected to commit to the priesthood and remain virginity for at least 30 years, which was strengthened and institutionalized to meet the political and religious needs of the state. Therefore, once they were found guilty of not remaining virginity, they would be punished severely. The dual gender roles of Vestal virgins reflected the ancient Romans＇ devout belief in god. Roman male par- ents gave up their fights to Vestal virgins for the well - being of the nation, which was regarded as a family honor. Although Ves- tal virgins enjoyed a higher social status, it could not change the nature of the patriarchal society of ancient Rome.