Women’s Rights in Ancient Egypt

Rather than being seen as the weaker sex, women were often portrayed as being just as capable of violence as men.  Queens are shown crushing their enemies, executing prisoners and firing arrows at male opponents in battle and non-royal women have been depicted stabbing male soldiers.  According to Dr Joann Fletcher, the literary and archaeological evidence suggests that these were more than just illustrations of fictional or ritual events as traditionally believed. 

Many royal women under took military campaigns and some were commended for their active role in conflict.  Some women were regarded as enough of a threat to be called ‘enemies of the state’ and female graves spanning three thousand years of Egyptian history have been found containing weapons.  Women were also treated the same under criminal law and would suffer the same punishments as men for their crimes, including being executed if convicted of a capital offence.  However if it was found the offender was pregnant then her execution was delayed until after the birth.

Hetepheres II.  Image source

Although most official posts were given to men, women were known to hold high office.  There were female overseers, governors and judges and at least one, Queen Hetepheres II, ran the civil service.  Two women were given the role of vizier (prime minister), the highest administrative position and six even achieved the title of pharaoh.

Women from poorer families were also free to find work and were often employed in traditional female roles such as maids, nannies and midwives.  However in ancient Egypt, they also played a part in other areas of society generally seen as male dominated arenas such as co-ordinating ritual events and doing manual labour.

 Image source

According to Joseph Perkins of Minnesota State University, some are known to have started small businesses out of their homes often considerably increasing the family income through  making and selling products such as linen or perfume.  Professional opportunities were also available to some women, such as director of dance and even physicians.  Female doctors are known to have been skilled enough to perform caesarean sections and to surgically remove cancerous breasts.