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Three Women of the Bible Who Changed History
Stories of some inspiring women who impacted the world
I have always treasured the stories of biblical characters and their influence on the course of ancient — and subsequently modern and future—history.
As a student of history, I am also surprised by the omnipresence of women throughout the Scriptures and their integral connections to the overarching plot lines and themes.
Ancient civilizations are not usually recognized for valuing women, with few exceptions.
Despite worshiping many female deities such as Athena, Aphrodite and Persephone, Ancient Athens largely sequestered women to the private, domestic sphere whilst their male counterparts championed brute forms of democracy. Women in Ancient China were divorced for failing to produce sons and talking too much.
Women in Ancient Israel — where much of the Hebrew Bible occurs — were no more fortunate than their international counterparts. They walked six paces behind their husbands. They were not allowed to uncover their hair lest they be labelled harlots. While their male counterparts enjoyed rigorous schooling from young ages, they received little religious education and were sequestered to the outermost sections of their synagogues.
