IN ANCIENT ROME

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 129, 25 February 1919, Page 2

IN ANCIENT ROME

WOMEN IN; POLITICS. It is customary to regard -the political emancipation of women' as a. sign of modern times. -.It is accepted on that basis, and aspirations to political hon.onrs and seats in tho House stamp the intrcjiid economist as being ultra-pro-gressive. The > fact .is- that one may apply hero the oldest of'old-adages—that tfiero is nothing now under the -sun. Women's presence in the forum is by no means .now. As far back as. the reign of the' Roman Emperor iHeliogabalus the Senate was made up entirely of-the fairer sex, though not necessarily-' the . weaker. Svoemis, the Emperor's learned mother, was the presiding officer, with a number of distinguished. Roman matrons to assist her with tho wisdom of their counsel. As showing i how definite and distinct was their province, they legislated and gavo judgments on all questions pertaining to the welfare of their sex and children. This embraced a full working knowledge of social economy, • education, sociology, otiquette, the art of entertaining j all matters, to . .do with national dressing, and the conduct of the home, jlistory says that the scheme worked out for the genoral benefit of the oonununity. English women of the moment can offer precedent in, their will to hold tho reins of government in the women of 694. Tho Witcnagemot of the AngloSaxons included the mothers, wives, and sisters of the leaders of the day. Abbesses' particularly brought both level heads and -words,/of weight, and every law passed by the tribunal was invalid unless, it bore the signatures of at least five ladies of high degree. . Tho jnarch of time, however, either brought about ail abuse of privileges, or maybe the lords and masters of the world bogan. to foar for their positions and their prestige. During tho reign of Edward 111 the custom received a sudden jolt, and the petticoats and the panniers remained within the garden, places and the walks. Countesses who were privi-. leged still to take their seats in -Parliament were asked to be good enough to send male representatives, an alternative accepted with ill-grrace by many. Previous to this in the reigns of Henry. 11l and Edward I, lovely woman put in her spoke on all subjects under the sun, and-no one dared to abjure her to hold her scolding tongue.