Forgotten Women of Early Christianity

Women have never truly been afforded the respect they are entitled to for the many contributions they have made to history. Sure, we have great names such as Cleopatra, Dido, Helena, Elizabeth, or Michelle to consider, but these women either held or hold tremendous power and cannot be counted upon to act as a solid representation of the sex as a whole.

The real foundation of history lies squarely on the shoulders of the "lesser" women, the unsung heroines who helped tend farms, silently ran governments, and introduced and supported the implementation of new religious beliefs.

Whether you're a fan of Christianity or not, the fact remains that this juggernaut of a religion would not have survived nor thrived if it weren't for its female followers. Yet, it's traditionally the men in history that get all of the credit (*think Constantine vs. Helena's discovery of the True Cross) for moving Christianity forward and settling new frontiers. However, Professor Kate Cooper of the University of Manchester has given rise to a new understanding of the role women played in the early days of Christianity and she illustrates just how powerful the "simple"woman truly was.


Article Link: Forgotten Women of Early Christianity

6th century mosaic of women at the tomb of Christ, Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna