Weaving the Body Politic: The Role of Textile Production in Athenian Democracy as Expressed by the Function of and Imagery on the Éπίνητρον

Abstract

An examination of the historical and political background of Athens, combined with close readings of several Athenian ἐπίνητρα whose dates span the Late Archaic after the institution of democratic rule and Classical Periods, reveals the possibility that the iconography conveys targeted messages to women consumers – who although perhaps not the purchasers of the ἐπίνητρα, are certainly the ones using them – that their their textile contributions to the πόλις (city-state) play a role in the continued success of Athenian democracy.