'Of all living, thinking beings, we women are the most unlucky.' So says Medea in Euripides' play. But was it true for all women in ancient Greece and Rome? And what were the attitudes of men towards them? Michael Massey's thorough and provocative account is an ideal resource book for students following courses in classical studies and classical civilisation. It draws on a wide range of contemporary quotations and is well illustrated with examples of original painting and sculpture. The book is divided into two sections - on Greece and on Rome - with material organised under thematic headings, ranging from religion to exploitation, entertainment to employment.