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Article: Women in business.(ancient Assyria)(Shammuramat or Semiramis)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Calliope
- Article date:
- September 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Women played a key role in the Old Assyrian trade network. Although wealth was passed down along the male line, Assyrian men were not always considered the most capable at managing business affairs. In one letter, the father of a trading family in Kanesh is unhappy with his son in Assur. He addresses his daughter as the head of the home business and writes, "Tell him to obey! Let him not interest himself only in bread and beer! He must be a man!"
It was Common for Assyrian merchants in Kanesh to send letters to their daughters, sisters, or wives at home. The records show that it was largely the Women of the trading families who maintained the main business in ...