Place et représentation des femmes dans les structures civiques des provinces de l’Empire

Abstract

The association of women in the Roman public and political life displays since Principat. In Rome, the imperial family has availed itself of public space’s use. The situation is quite different in the provinces : the African epigraphy shows a participation of the local women in the embellishment of urban places since the beginning of the first century AD, and this presence increases at the same time as urban development. Women collaborate on the municipal modelling by personal and financial support, usually set in a family habit of evergetism, binded or not to public offices. They also participate in a structural and collective way as shown by the testimonies of matronal worships. The Severian period actually marks the climax of the public representation of women in the african cities, whereas colonies, municipia or even civitates peregrinae.

Keywords

• woman
• patronae
• flaminicae
• matronae
• Roman Africa
• romanization