Challenging Gender Roles: Hortensia Goes to Court--and Wins! Val. Max. 8.3.3

Hortensia, A Women’s Rights Advocate

Name: Valerius Maximus Date:  1st century CE Region:  Unknown Citation:  Memorable Deeds and Sayings   8.3.3

When noblewomen were oppressed by the triumvirs’ taxation and none of their husbands deigned to advocate for them, Quintus Hortensius’ daughter Hortensia pled the women’s case in court—and won! By using the eloquence she inherited from her father, she managed to get a majority of the taxes remitted. At that time Quintus Hortensius came to life again in female form; he inspired his daughter’s words.

Hortensia, A Women’s Rights Advocate

Hortensia vero Q. Hortensi filia, cum ordo matronarum gravi tributo a triumviris esset oneratus nec quisquam virorum patrocinium eis accommodare auderet, causam feminarum apud triumviros et constanter et feliciter egit: repraesentata enim patris facundia impetravit ut maior pars imperatae pecuniae his remitteretur. Revixit tum muliebri stirpe Q. Hortensius verbisque filiae aspiravit.

Valerius Maximus [1st century CE] Little is known about the life of Valerius Maximus except that he wrote during the reign of the emperor Tiberius. His work, Memorable Deeds and Sayings, is a collection of examples from Roman and world history categorized by theme for the purpose of rhetorical exercises.