Women in the ancient/medieval world: What is the role of women in iliad

Women could be Goddesses or mortals. I don't think we were supposed to relate to them. They were frequently put on a pedestal or given powers beyond what we might consider normal. Check this out:

http://www.umich.edu/~homeros/Politics%20in%20Homer/women%20in%20the%20iliad.htm

We could relate to them in one sense in a very interesting view of women put forth by interpretation of when Achilles makes his laments.

“[Achilles] raised his hands in prayer to his immortal mother, "Mother," he cried, "you bore me doomed to live but for a little season; surely [Zeus], who thunders from Olympus, might have made that little glorious. It is not so. Agamemnon, son of Atreus, has done me dishonour, and has robbed me of my prize by force." (Homer, Butler. Book I)

After doing his part in battle, he was awarded a prize to emphasize his achievements of honor and glory that was later rescinded by King Agamemnon. That "prize" was the right to be mated with the (second) most beautiful woman of the conquered city. To put it bluntly, Briseis - the woman in question - was essentially an object and was given to him as his trophy.

More to support this notion of the objectification of women present in Homer's Iliad, Agamemnon's justification for taking away Briseis was the fact that the God Apollo had taken Chryseis away from him, who he viewed as his own righteous prize for his achievements gained from that same victorious campaign.