What was the role of women in Macedonian Seleucid society?

In Macedonian Seleucid society, women were expected to fulfill traditional roles, including being wives and mothers. Women did not have a public role in government or hold positions of power. However, some women of the ruling class were able to exert influence through their marriages and alliances with powerful men.

Women in Macedonian Seleucid society were responsible for managing the household and raising children. They were also expected to be skilled in weaving, sewing, and other domestic tasks. Women from wealthy families were educated in music, dance, and literature, and could participate in cultural events, but they were still expected to be subservient to their husbands and male family members.

Despite these restrictions, there were examples of women who challenged gender norms and became influential in their own right. For example, Apame II was a queen and political advisor to her husband, Seleucus I Nicator, the founder of the Seleucid Empire. She was known for her intelligence and diplomatic skills, and her advice was sought by many rulers of the time. Another influential woman was Laodice, who used her marriage alliances to become the queen of several different regions within the empire.