Why were women downgraded in ancient civilizations?

Question

i know that they were, but why were they? is there a more detailed explanation other than "because men rule the world"? and if you use a website to answer, please cite it. thanks =D

Answer 1

Because outside of giving birth (which was worshiped in more ignorant times as miraculous), men were the providers, the hunters. When you're in a society where everyone contributes or you don't eat, that tends to make the men more important.

I hope that helps.

Answer 2

one theory about how women were downgraded, remember it is just a theory, is that women used to be worshipped becasue they brought life into the world and then when rulers needed men for armies the rulers gave power to the men so the men would fight in the wars and so that the men would ensure lots of soldiers for the future

Answer 3

Woman are still being downgraded to a certain degree. Only now, woman have rights unlike before. Back then, woman were solely recognized only as mothers or potential mothers. The only good woman were, were to keep the family tree growing into a legacy. A man was measured by only the size of his legacy. It was then, a woman's resopnsability to make sure that legacy kept growing.
Which is why later, women were not allowed into the armed forces. Sounds downgrading doesn't it. Wrong! Women were too important to everyone's legacy that they were to be safe at home protecting it.

Answer 4

In the ancient civilizations women were seen as nothing but breeders and nothing more. The only thing men thought they were good for was to produce offspring for the husband.

Answer 5

Wowen were indeed downgraded in ancient civilisations. The rights and freedom of these women were restricted. In some of these societies women were unable to hold certain status. To make it even worst people in ancient civilization were educated to think on that part.

Answer 6

Actually, they WEREN'T. The denigration of women is a relatively "modern" phenomenon that started with the Greeks and the Romans; think of all the great and powerful Egyptian Gods AND Pharoahs who were female, and of all even-older Nature-worshipping cultures that absolutely REVERED womanhood!

Answer 7

Patriarchy started with the notion of private property...during the advent of agriculture men needed to know who their offspring were so they made women their property. this was well after we looked like apes even...

do you know that once we were bipedal and women started to mensturate that women craved meat and needed iron..and so men hunted for women....

Answer 8

yes. especialy in religeous doctrines