Customs - Marriage

Question 1

sponsalia

Answer 1

betrothal - maiden promised to man by pater familias or tutor

Question 2

sponsus

Answer 2

fiancé - betrothed man, “he having been promised”

Question 3

sponsa

Answer 3

fiancée - betrothed woman, “she having been promised”

Question 4

anulus

Answer 4

wedding ring - worn on left hand because they thought the left hand vein led to the heart

Question 5

repudium renuntiare

Answer 5

breaking of betrothal done by nuntius

Question 6

infamia

Answer 6

man can’t get presents if he broke betrothal

Question 7

nubere

Answer 7

to marry - literally “to veil oneself”

Question 8

in matrimonial ducere

Answer 8

to marry - “to lead into matrimony”

Question 9

hymenaeus

Answer 9

marriage hymn

Question 10

stola matronalis

Answer 10

matron’s dress - worn outside the house

Question 11

Matronalia

Answer 11

March 1 - Mother’s Day (and Wive’s Day)

Question 12

manus

Answer 12

power of husband over wife

Question 13

divorce

Answer 13

not for first 5 centuries but many by time of Augustus

Question 14

usus

Answer 14

plebeian marriage - no manus, not recognized by law

Question 15

Servius

Answer 15

made plebeians citizens so they could legally marry

Question 16

coemptio

Answer 16

mock sale marriage - involved dowry, 5 witnesses

Question 17

libripens

Answer 17

sale-holder who laid single coin on scale in coemptio (mock sale marriage)

Question 18

tunica recta

Answer 18

wedding dress

Question 19

flammeum

Answer 19

saffron veil

Question 20

nodus Herculaneus

Answer 20

knot on wedding dress

Question 21

hasta caelibaris

Answer 21

spear head that divided bride’s hair into 6 locks

Question 22

vittae

Answer 22

ribbons that tied bride’s hair

Question 23

confarreatio

Answer 23

elaborate, religious marriage

Question 24

pronuba

Answer 24

maid of honor

Question 25

cumera

Answer 25

covered basket with utensils carried by camillus

Question 26

camillus

Answer 26

boy who’s not an orphan and has both living parents

Question 27

deductio

Answer 27

taking of bride to husband’s house

Question 28

feliciter

Answer 28

congratulations - said at deductio

Question 29

“ubi tu Gaius, ego Gaia”

Answer 29

what wife says - “when you are Gaius, I am Gaia”

Question 30

cena nuptialis

Answer 30

wedding feast

Question 31

mustaceum

Answer 31

wedding cake

Question 32

repotia

Answer 32

second feast of wedding the day after ceremony

Question 33

nuptiae iustae

Answer 33

legal wedding

Question 34

days unlucky for marriage

Answer 34

Kalends, Nones, Ides, May, first half of June, dies parentales (Feb 13-21), entrance to underworld opens (August 24, October 5, November 8), major holidays typically avoided)