As the product of a patriarchal society, Greco-Roman culture privileged the male in political, religious, and social life. Yet women played a far from insignificant role in all aspects of human endeavor, public and private, as is amply attested in our literary, historical, documentary, and artistic sources. Despite the wealth of ancient material, the voice of women eludes us, since our evidence is almost entirely created by their male counterparts. In this course, we will take up the challenge of recovering the voice of women in ancient Greece and Rome. We will examine the discrepancy between the cultural ideal constructed for women in literature and the reality of their lives as it emerges from the historical evidence. We will investigate how the cultural categories of male and female were delineated and deployed in various social, political, and literary contexts. In so doing, we will concentrate on primary sources (literary, artistic, documentary) and will explore strategies to overcome their limitations. At the same time, we will read selected works on feminist theory, anthropology, and sociology, in an effort to achieve a better understanding of contemporary issues in women's studies, as the societies of Greece and Rome are often considered to provide the origin of present Western attitudes toward women. Specific topics covered will include sexual stereotypes and ideals, power-relations of gender, the ancient family, social and economic status, social and political history, women's role in religion and cult, visual art, medical theory, homosexuality and pederasty. Format: lecture/discussion. Evaluation will be based on contributions to class discussion, three short papers, and a final take-home exam. No prerequisites. Open to first-year students.