ABSTRACT
During the Ptolemaic and Roman periods in Egypt, cultural traditions, economic circumstances, and the desire to perpetuate the family line were strong motivating factors in the decision to conceive and raise children. Abundant textual sources, archaeological remains, and visual material culture from these periods elucidate the lived experiences of children and the role played by children within family and society. This study focuses on literary texts and personal correspondence along with archaeological and visual sources such as family burials, painted portraits, and shrouds as a means of providing further insight into how children were perceived by adults in Greco-Roman Egypt.
