Admissibly, we can consider that the Greek Divinities were the first to place the foundation stone of feminism with their total freedom, decision-making, independent movements and their interferences to humans and Gods as alike. They were the first to fall in love and couple with people, breaking down the yokes of their divine blood. For instance, Hera who is at the top of the Goddesses as Zeus's wife, with whom she meets and couples, acts with her own self-will and initiatives because she is independent and could make it on her own.
Although the woman of ancient times seems to be degraded and have limited power exercising her duties at home, nevertheless, she had many profound influences, as no one can dispute Aspasia's bright example - Pericles's wife - who impacted and directed much of her husband's political life. Her personality and strong figure will always remain in history because of the high targets and goals that she aspired to and achieved.
Alcestis, it is another unforgettable example of a wife who sacrificed herself for her husband Admittos whom she adored and remains famous in history for her devotion and loyalty to him.
Woman's power is huge, she can mobilize all internal and invisible forces as she acts and helps standing behind a man. Once a man feels this power, he is launched to the pantheon of the demigods.
Antigona, a great tragic figure, violated every rule in order to properly bury her brother Polyneikis whose burial was forbidden... She does not listen to the human perishable laws and with her self- immolation follows her conscience without any hesitation, ignoring all rules. Olympias, mother of Alexander the Great, was very influential to her son, she used to send him advising letters when he was campaigning deeply in the East.
Lysistratis, Aristophanes hero, showed incontestably when in 2,400 years BC, she devised a plan to make men stop the Peloponnesian war and restore peace again. She revolted all women pretending they could not live or wait any longer having their husbands far away from them.
I consider it to be the perfect excuse working with the Spartiates women to make peace and stop the war with the reason of missing their men. The endmost reason being to restore peace and that was a women's work at this crucial moment in history.
The great lyric poet Sappho (630-570 BC) was one of the first feminists establishing her own School for women, a very impressive fact for her period.
Socrates had been one who saluted and encouraged the first bases of feminism because he believed in the female intellect. Diotima had influenced him a lot as a priestess and wise woman; she taught Socrates the rites of love (Eros), as a desire and motivation of the beauty and true. She had been a Pythagorean, according to Xenophon and Proclus.
Who can ignore Ypatia's intellect, this great mathematician and astronomer woman in the 4th AC century as the unique scientist of her era, she paid with her own life, although she was born in the right place but not at the right time. All these historical accounts bear witness to the fact, that women have been the symbol of feminism since Greek Mythology.
This blog entry is an excerpt from her book "From Sandals to High Heels" translated from Greek to English.
Alexandra Symeonidou is a best-selling author in Greece and has published 10 novels, translated three French theater plays from old French to Greek and two children's books. "Nightmares in the Saudi Arabian Desert" is her autobiography and her first translation from Greek to English. It is available on Amazon.com.