Ružica Ljubičić
The Sabine women, as central figures in one of the most famous episodes of ancient Roman history (Bauman, 1992; Bauman, 1994), stand as a positive example of women’s peace initiatives in the face of injustice. Their story transcends historical boundaries and emerges as a powerful symbol of women’s involvement in the pursuit of peace and social stability. Despite being subjected to kidnapping, forced marriages, and patriarchal norms, these women managed to reshape their fate and become agents of peaceful change in a society that initially viewed them merely as objects (Beard, 2015; Beard, 2017). Today, their example can be viewed through the lens of several important themes that this text will explore, including the abuse of women’s bodies during conflicts and the role of women in peace negotiations, framed within the ethics of care, responsibility, and non-violent communication.
What is the historical significance of the Sabine women, and what made them famous? What provoked their reaction, and how did they manage to secure peace? How courageous was their act given the context of their times, and what risks did they face in their struggle? What were the concrete outcomes of their actions, and how can their poise and empathy inspire today’s efforts by women resisting oppression? Lastly, what lessons can contemporary society draw from their actions, particularly in the realm of non-violent resistance? These questions aim not only to deepen the understanding of the historical context and influence of the Sabine women but also to highlight their lasting significance in contemporary struggles for women’s rights and freedoms.
Sources on the Sabine Women
From the very founding of one of the most renowned cities in history, women’s hands have shaped the destinies of its people. The eternal city of Rome is enveloped in numerous legends about its origins, the most famous being the story of the brothers Romulus and Remus. The first accounts of the Sabine women come from Roman historical and literary works, which not only document events but also shape how these events were perceived across centuries. These early writings serve as both historical records and valuable literary sources for understanding the social, moral, and political implications of the story within Roman culture and its broader cultural legacy (Dench, 2005).
The Sabine tribe is believed to have been one of the Italic peoples of ancient Italy. Many scholars speculate that their language was originally Greek, as they may have migrated from what is now Turkey. The Sabines inhabited the Apennine Peninsula, including the region of Abruzzo, known as Latin Sabina, located northeast of Rome (Forsythe, 2005; Brown, 2005).
The most important early historical accounts of the abduction of the Sabine women come from Roman and Greek historians such as Titus Livius, Plutarch, and Dionysius of Halicarnassus. Each of these authors offers both similarities and differences in their interpretations of the event, which played a crucial role in the development of early Rome and its societal fabric. In what follows, we will present their versions of the event and analyze how the abduction of the Sabine women impacted Roman society and politics, as well as Rome’s relations with other nations. By studying their approaches, we can understand the complexity and layered nature of this event, which, according to legend, marked the beginning of Rome’s emergence as a dominant power, showcasing its ability to integrate, assimilate, and transform under the influence of other cultures.
The most comprehensive version of the story is provided by the Roman historian Titus Livius (59 BC – 17 AD) in his work From the Foundation of the City (1.9-13). Livy’s account is one of the most detailed and complete historical records of early Roman history, and his narrative of the abduction of the Sabine women plays a crucial role in shaping the Romans’ collective consciousness of their past. The story is inextricably linked with the founding of Rome by Romulus, who established the city on the Palatine Hill after killing his brother Remus. The city grew rapidly, creating a demand for a larger population. To address this need, Romulus began attracting people from surrounding regions, including fugitives, positioning Rome as a haven for those seeking a fresh start. Despite Rome’s rapid rise in power and influence, it faced a critical shortage of women. According to Livy, Romulus initially sent envoys to neighboring communities to propose alliances and arrange marriages, but his overtures were rejected. Faced with the failure of diplomacy, Romulus devised a different plan: he organized a festival in honor of the god Neptune and invited neighboring tribes, including the Sabines and their families. During the festivities, Roman men seized the opportunity to abduct the unmarried women, while their families, in shock, fled in terror. The tribes whose daughters had been taken soon launched retaliatory attacks on Rome, but the Roman forces successfully repelled each assault, expanding their territory in the process. The final and most significant battle was waged against the Sabines, led by their king, Titus Tatius. Tatius managed to infiltrate Rome by bribing the daughter of the commander of the Roman fort, Tarpeia persuading her to allow the Romans to enter the city. After the Sabines by trick entered Rome and seized control of the Roman fort, the conflict between the Romans and the Sabines reached its peak. However, the Sabine women intervened, pleading with both sides to end the hostilities. They acknowledged that they were the cause of the conflict and implored the warring parties to direct their anger at them, rather than destroy each other (Livy, 2002).
Ancient sources offer differing motivations for the abduction. According to Livy, the primary aim was to increase the population of Rome, without any intent of sexual violence. Livy asserts that the women were given freedom of choice and were granted civil and property rights, as Romulus framed the abduction as a response to the pride of fathers who refused to allow marriages between their daughters and their neighbors. In contrast, Ovid describes the abduction as an act meant to satisfy the sexual desires of Roman men, rather than an attempt to form families (McIntosh, 2022).
Plutarch, in his Life of Romulus, focuses on Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome. According to Plutarch, Romulus faced a critical issue: the lack of women in the new city, which threatened its survival and growth. To resolve this, Romulus organized a festival in honor of the god Neptune, during which the Sabine women were kidnapped while their male relatives were distracted. Plutarch emphasizes that the abduction served two purposes: to secure offspring for the Romans and to establish alliances with neighboring peoples. After the abduction, Romulus promised the women certain community rights, including property shares and Roman citizenship, thus ensuring their integration into Roman society. Confronted with war, the Sabine women chose to mediate and halt the conflict, facilitating the creation of a unified Roman-Sabine community (Plutarch, 2007).
Dionysius of Halicarnassus, in his Roman Antiquities (1937), provides a more detailed examination of the historical and cultural context. He describes Romulus’s plan to deceive neighboring peoples and force them into marriages with Romans, using the festival as a pretext for the abduction. Dionysius highlights Romulus’s use of surprise to execute the plan, as well as his ability to turn the Sabine women’s initial hostility into loyalty by offering them respect and Roman citizenship. This version sheds light on the pragmatic approach of the Romans and the social dynamics that facilitated the stabilization and expansion of the city (1937).
The abduction of the Sabine women blends mythological and historical elements. Fundamentally, this event belongs to the realm of mythological history, as it forms part of Roman mythology, which contains various stories the Romans used to explain and legitimize their social institutions and norms. While Plutarch emphasizes the moral and philosophical aspects of the tale, Dionysius focuses on the historical context and the analysis of its social implications.
Gary Miles’s Reconstructing Early Rome: The Regal Period (1995) offers insights into the historical narratives surrounding the Sabine women. Within this context, the role of women was largely passive, as they were treated as possessions transferred from fathers to husbands. The Romans viewed marriage as the primary means of establishing political and social ties, which in turn strengthened their influence. Thus, the proper implementation of the ritual of acquiring a wife was essential for respecting social norms and laws (Tuttle, 2014; Bush & McHugh, 1975). The Sabine women served a dual function: first, within institutionalized marriage, they ensured legitimate offspring for families and the state, and second, they acted as a bridge between the two peoples, enabling political and social connections. The abduction itself was a strategic prelude to a series of carefully orchestrated events. Although women were seen as lacking individual value, they became essential instruments in achieving Rome’s goals of expansion and consolidation (Miles, 1995).
According to Roman legends and historical sources, Romulus is often credited with initiating certain aspects of the institution of marriage in Rome, though he was not solely responsible for its development. As Livy recounts, Romulus instigated the abduction of the Sabine women to secure marriages between Romans and Sabines, thus laying the foundation for the integration of the two peoples and ensuring the survival of the Roman community. This event marked the beginning of the formalization of relations between men and women in Roman society (Livy, 2002). Romulus, according to legend, enacted some of the first marriage laws, including regulations defining the rights and duties of spouses, and is believed to have established rules regarding the sanctity of marriage and its indissolubility, except in cases of adultery or poisoning of the husband. In doing so, Romulus positioned himself as a moral authority in shaping marriage norms, which would later influence Roman society. However, the institution of marriage in Rome evolved under the influence of various cultural, legal, and political factors over the centuries, making Romulus’s contribution one of the first steps in a long process of developing marital customs and laws in Roman civilization. (Milnor, 2010.).
Abduction of the Sabine Women in a Feminist Context
The abduction of the Sabine women, viewed through a feminist lens, is critiqued as an act of violent conquest over both the female body and space, as well as a symbolic gesture of revenge. This event underscores a fundamental premise of patriarchal society: male control over the female body and its functions, with women’s roles reduced to biological tasks and subordination to men (Čaušević, Gavrić, 2011: 304). The Sabine women were “selected” to fulfill this purpose.
In “Woman and Early Rome as Exempla in Livy, Ab Urbe Condita Book 1”, Tom Stevenson (2011) explores the role of women in shaping Roman history up to the end of the monarchy. He criticizes Livy’s portrayal, arguing that Roman women are expected to conform to societal expectations, particularly the assumption that wives should offer unconditional support to their husbands. Livy, Stevenson notes, downplays women’s contributions, presenting them solely within a patriarchal framework. For instance, the interventions and counsel of women, such as the Sabine women, are often underrepresented. Stevenson argues that this creates a narrative of inherent instability in women’s contributions, leading men to be cautious of women’s influence in public life, even when these women advocate for peace and dialogue (Stevenson, 2011).
In her article “The Familiar Other: The Pivotal Role of Women in Livy’s Narrative of Political Development in Early Rome”, Jo Marie Claasen (1998) analyzes the status of the Sabine women and Livy’s recounting of their abduction. She points out that Livy’s narrative swiftly shifts from the violent abduction to a focus on the discipline and propriety of the would-be husbands. Romulus attempts to alleviate the fears of the kidnapped women by promising them full civil rights and a respected status as wives, emphasizing that each woman will stand to her husband “as her mother stood to her father” (1.9.9-16). This passage is critical because it grants the Sabine women civic status through their marriages to Romans, with Romulus using the opportunity to introduce the first laws, including iustum connubium (a Roman legal term for a marriage valid under all legal regulations). However, Claasen notes that Livy’s depiction of the Sabine women as legal wives reflects a later historical period, as ius connubii—the right to marry citizens of other cities—did not exist in Rome before the fifth century BCE (Claasen, 1998). In this context, the treatment of the Sabine women can be compared to other forms of sexual violence and exploitation of women. Although they are integrated into Roman society as legal wives with certain rights and social status, their abduction and forced marriages result in enduring traumas that cannot be fully mitigated by legal recognition or social standing.
The portrayal of the Sabine women as legitimate wives can be interpreted as an attempt to justify the violent act of abduction while emphasizing their contribution to the building of Rome. In contrast, women subjected to sexual violence and enslavement during wartime generally received no legal or social recognition. In such cases, women were treated solely as property, stripped of any rights or status. Although the Sabine women, despite the violence, were formally integrated into Roman society and granted a level of protection and rights, their personal integrity remained violated, and the psychological and emotional scars of the abduction were not healed or compensated by their legal or social status as wives. A feminist perspective enables a deeper critique of historical and cultural attitudes toward women, who were often treated as instruments in carefully planned political strategies, rather than as autonomous individuals with rights and dignity.In her comparative analysis “Marriage Customs of the Roman Republic and Livy’s Rape of the Sabine Women”, Kathleen Tuttle (2014) argues that Livy’s interpretation of the abduction reflects deeper political motives, which remain relevant today. Livy presents the abduction as a relatively smooth process that is eventually reconciled, a portrayal that can be misused to justify or normalize violence against women. This interpretation transcends its historical context, raising questions about how societies shape narratives that conceal or excuse injustices against women. Tuttle contends that Livy frames the marriage customs of the Roman Republic as a means of rationalizing the abduction, portraying it as an acceptable procedure within the political context of the time. This practice parallels contemporary, traditionally entrenched ways in which sexual violence is often romanticized or minimized (Tuttle, 2014).
Feminist theorists frequently argue that historical and cultural power structures shape perceptions of women’s bodies according to patriarchal norms (Brownmiller, 1995). In her work The Archive and the Repertoire: Performing Cultural Memory in the Americas, Diana Taylor observes that women’s bodies are often treated as “symbolic nationalperipheries“ in genocidal situations, indigenous women’s bodies and sexualities become targets due to what they represent—land, territory, reproduction, sovereignty, and the potential for an indigenous future (Taylor, 2003). Taylor’s analysis reveals a profound connection between violence against women and the broader political, cultural, and territorial contexts. In these circumstances, women’s bodies come to symbolize national and cultural values, and violence against them signifies an assault on the sovereignty and future of their people.
In the context of Livy’s depiction, Claasen notes that the Sabine “brides,” who are now mothers, are portrayed as creating a barrier between warring ancestors and wives with their bodies and children. This reflects the ideological use of women’s bodies as sites of conflict. Claasen highlights Livy’s ideological portrayal of women as a boundary between opposing men, suggesting that women are expected to endure blows from both sides, even though they did not actually suffer such violence. A key insight is that women possessed the power to halt inter-tribal conflicts by mediating family issues. Livy demonstrates how the Sabine grandfathers and grandmothers, through their daughters’ mediation, were integrated into Rome (I.13.1-6). The women were then honored by having parts of the city named after them (I.13.7,8) as a civic reward for their matrimonial loyalty (Claasen, 1998). This perspective uncovers how historical narratives can obscure real traumas and abuses while simultaneously using the female body as a tool for political stabilization and social recognition, leaving unresolved questions about women’s autonomy and rights in both historical and contemporary contexts.
Women’s Role in Building Peace
The question arises: how much progress has society made from the time of the Sabine women’s abduction to today? Despite some legislative advances, deeply entrenched patriarchal patterns continue to perpetuate violence against women. The use of women’s bodies for revenge and power, as well as their subjugation by men and conquerors, persists in both individual and collective relations. However, the story of the Sabine women has a more hopeful aspect. Analysis reveals that these women were crucial in reconciling the conflicting sides of the Sabines and the Romans. Driven by love and responsibility towards their families and communities, they undertook a courageous act of reconciliation, risking violence and defying the norms of their time that relegated them to passive roles.
In “City of Women” by Christine de Pizan[1], one of the first theorists to seriously challenge the position and role of women in history and analyze misogyny, there is a recorded quote from Queen of Sabine women. Gathering all the women, including the pregnant and those with small children, she addressed them: “Dear ladies of the Sabinian kingdom, dear sisters and friends, I do not need to remind you how our husbands appropriated us. Therefore, our fathers and relatives have invited our husbands to the feast today. Regardless of the outcome of today’s bloody conflict, the result will be unfavorable to us. If our husbands are defeated, it will be a painful loss for us who love them, and our children will be left orphans. If, on the other hand, our husbands win and our fathers are executed, we will still be in despair over the calamity we have caused. What is done is done and cannot be undone. Therefore, we need to find a way to stop the war and establish peace” (de Pizan, 2003: 125). Moved by this plea, the men looked at each other and made peace. Thus, the queen’s prudence triumphed over egoism and the desire for revenge, as recorded in historical sources (Pizan, 2003: 125, 126).
Their attempt at reconciliation facilitated the integration of their families into the new community, ending the conflict and laying the groundwork for future unity among the tribes. This act became a symbol of nonviolent resistance and peacebuilding, demonstrating that women, despite being marginalized in public life, can significantly impact peace processes. The story of the Sabine women can inspire contemporary struggles against oppression, showing that nonviolent resistance and solidarity can bridge deep divisions. In today’s world, where many women face oppression, the experience of the Sabine women serves as a reminder of the power individuals, especially women, can wield in creating a more just society through nonviolent means. Their actions symbolize ethics, care, and responsibility towards future generations.
The theory of care, which has feminist origins, emphasizes the dynamics of power and privilege in society (Hamington & Flower, 2022: 14). Women in many societies play a crucial but often under-recognized role in peace negotiations, leveraging emotional intelligence and community concern to facilitate reconciliation and reconstruction. They often act as counselors, fostering dialogue and employing nonviolent communication and empathy to build trust. This approach, grounded in respect and understanding, can be pivotal in achieving sustainable peace and finding diplomatic solutions to conflicts.
LITERATURE
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[1] In a series of her texts, including *The City of Women* (La Cité des dames) and *The Book of the Three Virtues* (Le livre des trois vertus), Christine de Pizan examines the lives of women, critically assesses their social status, and challenges prevailing stereotypes. Through her works, she advocates for the acknowledgment and respect of female virtues and highlights the injustices and marginalization faced by women of her time.
