Social institution in the classical Roman civilization
Marriage in ancient Rome (conubium) was a fundamental institution of society and was used by Romans primarily as a tool for interfamilial alliances. Roman marriage was a monogamous institution: Roman citizens could have only one spouse at a time but were allowed to divorce and remarry. This form of monogamy in Greco-Roman civilization may have arisen from the relative egalitarianism of democratic and republican city-states. Early Christianity embraced this ideal of monogamous marriage, and perpetuated it as an essential element in many later Western cultures.
Roman marriage had precedents in myth. The abduction of the Sabine Women may reflect the archaic custom of bride abduction. Rome's Sabine neighbours rejected overtures of intermarriage (conubium) by Romulus and his band of male immigrants. According to Livy, Romulus and his men abducted the Sabine maidens but promised them honorable marriage, in which they would enjoy the benefits of property, citizenship, and children.
Marriages helped families to build economic and political bonds and alliances. Matrimonium, the root of the English word matrimony, defined the role of wives as mothers (matres) who would produce legitimate children, as eventual heirs to their parents' estates. The most ancient form of marriage, traditionally reserved to the Patrician social class, claimed the husband's right to control his wife and her property. In later developments, the bride retained control over her dowry; the resources of both parties formed a heritable estate.
During the Republican era, marriage, divorce and adultery were matters dealt with by the families concerned. Falling marriage and birth rates in the Later Republic and early Empire led to state intervention. Adultery was made a crime, for which citizen-women could be punished by divorce, fines and demotion in social status; men's sexual activity was adultery only if committed with a married citizen-woman. Families were also offered financial incentives to have as many children as possible. Both interventions had minimal effect.
^Cinctus vinctusque, according to Festus 55 (edition of Lindsay); Karen K. Hersch, The Roman Wedding: Ritual and Meaning in Antiquity (Cambridge University Press, 2010), pp. 101, 110, 211 .
and 25 Related for: Marriage in ancient Rome information
MarriageinancientRome (conubium) was a fundamental institution of society and was used by Romans primarily as a tool for interfamilial alliances. Roman...
Freeborn women inancientRome were citizens (cives), but could not vote or hold political office. Because of their limited public role, women are named...
Weddings inancientRome were a sacred ritual involving many religious practices. In order for the wedding to take place the bride and the groom or their...
following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to ancientRome: AncientRome – former civilization that thrived on the Italian Peninsula as...
Latin: [ˈmanʊs]) was an Ancient Roman type of marriage, of which there were two forms: cum manu and sine manu. In a cum manu marriage, the wife was placed...
ancient Roman family's structure was constantly changing as a result of the low life expectancy and through marriage, divorce, and adoption. Ancient Romans...
Social class inancientRome was hierarchical, with multiple and overlapping social hierarchies. An individual's relative position in one might be higher...
InancientRome, confarreatio was a traditional patrician form of marriage. The ceremony involved the bride and bridegroom sharing a cake of emmer, in...
In modern historiography, ancientRome encompasses the founding of the Italian city of Romein the 8th century BC, the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC), Roman...
as the Lex Iulia et Papia, was a Roman law introduced in 9 AD to encourage and strengthen marriage. It included provisions against adultery and against...
Clothing inancientRome generally comprised a short-sleeved or sleeveless, knee-length tunic for men and boys, and a longer, usually sleeved tunic for...
morals and the numbers of the upper classes inRome and to increase the population by encouraging marriage and having children (lex Julia de maritandis...
cremated. Some would be commemorated in Roman religious tradition. InancientRome, childbirth was the aim of a Roman marriage. Procreation was the prime duty...
Hairstyle fashion inRome was ever changing, and particularly in the Roman Imperial Period there were a number of different ways to style hair. As with...
of Rome include: AncientRome portal List of fiction set inancientRome for a comprehensive list of all works of fiction (including films set in ancient...
theatre inRome has been linked to later, more well-known examples from the 1st century BC to the 3rd Century AD. The theatre of ancientRome referred...
Marriageinancient Greece had less of a basis in personal relationships and more in social responsibility, however it is important to note; the available...
Inancient Roman religion, Mutunus Tutunus or Mutinus Titinus was a phallic marriage deity, in some respects equated with Priapus. His shrine was located...
Slavery inancientRome played an important role in society and the economy. Unskilled or low-skill slaves labored in the fields, mines, and mills with...
plebis, was a law of the Roman Republic, passed in the year 445 BC, restoring the right of conubium (marriage) between patricians and plebeians. Five years...
Patronage (clientela) was the distinctive relationship inancient Roman society between the patronus ("patron") and their cliens ("client"). The relationship...
certain female deities thought to preside at Roman weddings — see MarriageinancientRome and Genius (mythology) Pronuba (beetle), a beetle genus This disambiguation...
Sanitation inancientRome, acquired from the Etruscans, was very advanced compared to other ancient cities and provided water supply and sanitation services...
Prostitution inancientRome was legal and licensed. Men of any social status were free to engage prostitutes of either sex without incurring moral disapproval...