When talking about the Renaissance, the most common topic is art and architecture. It is true that the Italian Renaissance was characterized by some of the greatest and most prolific masters of painting, sculpture and construction. It is also true that that era marked the emergence of much more. It was a period of awakening from the intellectual darkness of the medieval order and the emergence of many of the concepts that would form the basis of civilization as it is known today. This era saw the rise of new attitudes regarding the role of man in his relationship with the world and with God. Unfortunately, in most cases, the expansion of 'man's role' has not included the role of women ."Renaissance (from the French "rebirth") is a term originally coined in the 19th century to denote the revival of art. and letters under the influence of ancient Roman and Greek models. This revival began in Italy in the 14th century, flourished in the movements originating in the North. Therefore the term Renaissance has also come to denote the era in general and its dominant spirit, in which the desires are intrinsic to human nature, generally repressed under medieval feudalism, broke out with new fervor and gave rise to a new culture” (Osmond 18). The most conspicuous of these changes occurred in the world of art and intellectual pursuits. Italy's social structure and culturally defined gender roles have not been as affected as art and architecture. ... half of the paper ...... political scientist" (Rhu 326). The Renaissance is perceived as a period of intellectual and creative growth and, in fact, the arts and architectural achievements of the time confirm this perception I two centuries referred to as the Renaissance in Italy are also known as a period of growth in the sciences, with well-known figures such as Leonardo da Vinci making giant strides in mathematics, anatomy, and other sciences that opened the door to the empirical investigations of the centuries later The greatest of Italian Renaissance writers, Niccolò Machiavelli, reflects one of the least known attributes of the era, the social relegation of women. Although it is an era in which the role of women is to some extent expanded, it continues to place restrictions about the place and meaning of women who were forged in the writings of the ancient Greeks, such as Aristotle.