ABSTRACT
When studying educated women in Roman society one is struck by the scarcity of women of learning mentioned in our sources. Not even the term matrona docta, used in the title of this study, is found in Roman literature. It is a concoction of matrona, the married Roman woman of rank, and puella docta, the ‘learned girl’ whose praises were sung in love poetry.1 Both terms are loaded with moral values. The matrona is closely associated with traditional female values such as chastity, modesty, austerity, domesticity and devotion to husband and children. In contrast, the puella docta of Augustan love poetry was praised for her cultural accomplishments (in poetry, music and dance), but in traditional Roman eyes her morals raised suspicion; moreover, the typical puella docta does not seem to have belonged to the élite. Of course, words and social practice do not always coincide, but the lack of a term for a respectable ‘learned’ woman to counter-balance the doubtful reputation of the puella docta indicates how ambivalent Roman feelings were as regards women’s education.
