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Women of Pompeii

Underneath the fossilized mud and ash at Pompeii, the lives of influential Roman women have been uncovered. Perhaps the most famous woman with a sizeable amount of influence to be discovered out of Pompeii was an upper class priestess named is Julia Felix. Julia was a wealthy property owner who came upon her bags of money via a sizeable inheritance.

The property that she owned, her grand villa, took up an entire block of the city. It was, of course, lavishly decorated and furnished. It seems that Julia Felix held none of the aspirations that her multi-tasking contemporary Eumachia did. Julia preferred to relax her days away in her courtyard garden, gazing at her many marble statues. That is, until the earthquake of A.D. 62 caused some damage to her property. Digital Art, Digital Art

At that time, her survival instincts (and frugality) kicked in. In an effort to avoid spending any of her own money, Julia rented out parts of her massive villa. For this purpose, she had converted these parts into public baths, shops, a tavern, and apartments. This proved to be a worthwhile venture for her, paying for the repairs to her home, and no doubt providing her with a nice amount of extra income. Thus, Julia Felix used her inheritance as a springboard to independence.

Julia Felix is one of many examples of Pompeian women striking out on their own and making it on their own separate from their family names. They were property owners, businesswomen, and public figures, with seemingly little or no male interference. Far more is known about the more famous Imperial Roman women. Therefore, the discoveries at Pompeii of these fascinating characters provide an opportunity to get to know the women of Rome at all social levels. Digital Art, Digital Art