Ancient Social Life of Harappan vs Rome

(Two Ancient Civilizations)
Written for
American Public University - Prof. Irina G., April 2017

by Robyn Eggs

The civilization of Harappan was one of the earliest in India, dating from 2500 b.c.e. to 2000 b.c.e., and spanning around 300 cities. The cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro stand out in this ancient civilization, built along the Indus River. They include large structures, organized streets and a complete sewage system. The city of Mohenjo-daro also had a large pool. Little is known for sure, but this bath was most likely used ritualistically, since temples were built next to it at a later time.

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The civilization of Harappan is similar to Rome, which was founded much later, in three ways: it is large, organized, and common themes bring their culture together in a way that proves lasting. But that is where the similarities end. Though Rome was a conquering civilization, Harappan’s culture appears religious. Unlike Rome, Harappan leadership remains a mystery, with no distinction of class found in the remains. With clear political organization, however, Rome adapted to the local areas it conquered and intermingled. While Harappan, on the other hand, having unclear leadership, reveals a consistent religious message was spread without.

These two civilizations had different cultural pushes. Rome – politics, and Harappan – religion. One lasting memory of learning about Rome, since grade school, is the birth of Democracy. If Harappan was led in such a way, by several groups of leaders acting on the majority voice of the people, then it is unknown. There are no identifiable markings of politics present in the two notable cities, besides the palace residing in Mahenjo-daro. Perhaps the ancient city is too decayed, leaving no walls where the people may have painted such distinctions.

These cities may have been religion-centric because of the annual flooding of the Indus River. A culture that saw great bounty, in a rush of water after so much drought, was sure to attribute the phenomena to something greater than themselves. They needed to get inventive in order to maximize this bounty over the course of the year. That required working together, or else. The people of the Harappan civilization realized prosperity through unity in their efforts.

The cities of Rome, however, experienced great strain, as resources were abused under varying leaders. Outlying provinces supplied their cities with food, as servants tied to their land. “Many residents of the city of Rome were slaves, who ranged from highly educated household tutors or government officials or widely sought sculptors to workers who engaged in hard physical tasks.” Though it was vast, Rome was successfully integrated through military control. The Romans built streets through the land they conquered, while the people of Harrappan displayed matching symbols to stay continuous, whether it was a requirement of citizenship or not is unknown.

One thing that is known is that there were multiple small, female statues found throughout the civilization of Harappan. If no distinctions in class were made in their burial practices, this could mean that women were revered, at least for their beauty if not their fertility, for the statues showed the women as adorned. The women of Rome, however, were embodied differently. Women played an important role in linking families by blood, birth, and marriage. Still recognized as child-bearers, however, that might be all the recognition they got, from the evidence that remains. Only wealthy or free women of Rome might afford to be elaborately adorned.

The timeline difference of 250 years or so, along with geographical differences, contributed to these social-cultural distinctions in the portrayal of women. It was men that had all the power, politically and socially, in these ancient civilizations. They were responsible for their women, like they were for their property, and considered them as such. A woman could be a powerful asset, if she was wealthy. And, if a woman had 3 children (or 4 for previously enslaved women), in Rome, then she was permitted to make her own decisions. “The Romans praised women, like Lucretia of old, who were virtuous and loyal to their husbands and devoted to their children.”

Both women and men accumulated resources in these civilizations, but were bound by quite different cultural motives. While Rome thrived from 753 b.c.e. to 476 c.e. and was dotted across the Mediterranean, allowing efficient trade from city to city by land and by ship, Harappan bordered a dry desert and held one key port. The Indus river, with the port used for the bulk of their output, contrasts the multiple ports of Rome, which boasted much larger production. These contrasting cultures fostered the key ideas of their time, creating two different worlds, left to the bulk of imagination today. What was it like to be a Harappan women versus a Roman woman?

Did Harappan women actually have more freedom then Roman women, or were they even more bound by ancient religious rituals? Were the vestal virgins of the Roman religion akin to the many female statues found throughout Harappan? There could be more similarities that remain unknown. Were women used for fertility and then sacrificed in the Mahenjo-daro pool? Were the Roman vestal virgins considered living sacrifices? These questions any many more remain speculative, given how little is known about the ancient civilization of Harappan. Regardless of the unknowns, these two cultures were great, and spanned many lands. They maximized an abundance of resources and used the sea for transport, and they were organized to do such. Common themes include the spread of ideas and goods and celebration during bountiful times. There was not a great man born without a great woman to bear him, that is undeniable.

Bibliography

McKay, John P., et al.. A History of World Societies, Volume 1, 10th Edition. (Bedford/St. Martin's, 2015), 22-36.
Gold, Ann G., et al., “Hinduism,” Encyclopædia Britannic. (2016) : 4, Accessed April 23, 2017. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism.
Mark Cartwright. “The Role of Women in the Roman World,” Ancient History Encyclopedia. (2014), accessed April 23, 2017. http://www.ancient.eu /article/659/.

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﻿Ancient Social Life of Harappan vs Rome

by Robyn Eggs

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Ancient Social Life of Harappan vs Rome