Mothers for sale: The case of the wet nurse in the ancient Greek and Roman world. An overview

Abstract

Both literary and material evidence suggest that wet nurses (women who took care of babies without being their mothers) played a central role within ancient families. While they were often beloved members of those families, they were also ambiguous and elusive social figures. This could be surprising if we consider that wet nurses saved many lives and hugely helped mothers. I will try to investigate the figure of the wet nurse through a comparison with the prostitute, and by focusing on her maternity. It seems clear that the conditions and life-style of wet nurses were not significantly different in ancient Greece and Republican Rome, and I almost exclusively base my speculation on Roman Imperial evidence. By using the concept of longue durée, I will also try to make comparisons with other historical periods, in order to strengthen my reconstruction.