Some aspects of the tradition of Pandora in Athens. Women and autochthony
The negative and misogynistic tradition of the Hesiodic Pandora seems to be partly rehabilitated in fifth-century BC Athens. In this polis, the image of the first woman is constructed as interchangeable with the fertile and cultivated Earth, close to Demeter. Furthermore, Pandora is assimilated and...
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| Format: | article |
| Publication Date: | 2022 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) |
| Repository: | Docta Complutense |
| Language: | English |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/119837 |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/119837 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | 94(38) 305-055.2 Pandora Greek religion Classical Athens Authocthony Cecropids Erechtheids Women citizens in Athens Nacimiento autóctono Primera mujer Cecrópidas Eréctidas Mujeres ciudadanas en Atenas Historia antigua 5504.01 Historia Antigua |
| Summary: | The negative and misogynistic tradition of the Hesiodic Pandora seems to be partly rehabilitated in fifth-century BC Athens. In this polis, the image of the first woman is constructed as interchangeable with the fertile and cultivated Earth, close to Demeter. Furthermore, Pandora is assimilated and identified with the mythical parthenoi of Athens, both Cecropids and Erechtheids, who serve the goddess with a fundamental religious role in the polis and are representatives and icons of both the young woman and, at the same time, of the mature women and their religious power in this polis. Women are thus under the protection of Athena, known by the epithet of “Pandrosos”, a heroine who is assimilated to Pandora in the fifth century. Pandora thus becomes the image and icon of the women “citizens” of Athens, for whom the privilege of autochthony was an essential part of their characterisation as begetters and guardians of citizens, in the democratic Athens of the fifth century. |
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