The women of ancient Athens were treated poorly by men. In Greek society, men viewed women as intellectually inferior. Ancient Greek men also controlled women as items of personal property. Additionally men treated women as sexual objects in ancient Greek society. Athenian men openly expressed the contempt that ancient Greek society had for women.
Athenian men viewed women as intellectually inferior from the contempt that society in ancient Greece showed for women. Athenian women were only educated to be housewives since they were considered unable to learn more and were not intellectual. In The Life of Greece, Durant states, "Her education is almost confined to household arts, for the Athenian believes with Euripides that a woman is handicapped by intellect. "1To be handicapped means that someone is placed at a disadvantage. When Durant describes women as being handicapped by intellect he is implying that their intellect is a disadvantage that makes them unable to learn. The Athenian men show contempt by believing this handicap defines a woman to only being a housewife. William J. O'Neal acknowledges in The Status of Women in Ancient Athens, "Generally the women did not attend school and did not learn to read or write they were uneducated except for domestic training; they were virtually imprisoned in their homes. "2 A woman's education was strictly limited to domestic duties because the jobs were considered easier to do and foolproof, compared to what Athenian men do. Men were able to go to work, war, or have a more suitable education just because they were considered to be more intellectually inclined than women. The men did not want the women doing these jobs in fear that their intellectual incapability would prevent the job being done correctly. Men had disrespect for Athenian women and confined them to their houses for domestic chores in ancient Greek society. .
Athenian men also showed contempt by not allowing women to partake in any political events due to their intelligence in Ancient Greece.