culture, which defined honor for men and women and publicly praised the attainment of this value and shamed those who rejected or failed to uphold this cultural ideal. While the Greco-Roman world was not monolithic in its definitions of honor, all groups used this system to define themselves and others. Status was the social currency in the honor/shame system. To best understand the complexity of ancient women’s lives, we must consider the crucial role the institution of patronage played in the broader