Where did women have notable religious authority in ancient times, and what limits did they face politically?

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The pattern being tested is that religious life offered women notable authority in many ancient societies, while political leadership remained in male hands. Women could serve as priestesses and lead cults, manage temple estates, and take part in the ritual and economic life of religion. This gave them real influence within the religious sphere and often a high social status, access to networks, and control over temple resources. However, the same societies generally restricted political power to men; formal offices and state decision-making were overwhelmingly male domains, with only rare or local exceptions. Some women could exert influence indirectly through religious institutions, family connections, or elite networks, but this did not translate into broad political sovereignty. Examples across regions show the pattern: prominent female religious roles in places like Egypt and Mesopotamia existed alongside male-dominated political structures, while Greek and Roman contexts offered religious authority to women without granting them political power.