In this highly acclaimed work, an in-depth study of the important women in ancient Rome is combined with a detailed examination of Roman women's daily life. Covering a period of more than one thousand years, this book traces the history and habits of Roman women from the founding of Rome in 753 B.C. to the death of Constantine in A.D. 337. Part one discusses Roman women of myth and legend. From the She-Wolf that nurtured Romulus and Remus, to the outraged Sabines, Roman lore featured many women, often in central roles. Such women include the powerful and political Livia, wife of Augustus; Julia Domna, whose influence and personality pervaded the empire from A.D.185 to 217; and Zenobia, who conquered Egypt in A.D. 267. This book also reviews the habits of Roman women from all walks of life. It discusses the societal norms concerning such issues as marriage, child-rearing, adultery, divorce, alcohol consumption, and the arduous beauty regimen undertaken by Roman women. Overall, it presents the social history of Rome from a valuable perspective, the feminine one. -- Publisher description