Marriage Flashcards
What two things would a Greek man expect from his daughter?
To marry and give birth, and be virgins up until the time of marriage.
What was Spinsterhood?
Being an unmarried woman. This was a disastrous fate.
Why did girls get married in their early teens, often to a man in his 30s?
There was an emphasis on premarital virginity, women became ‘wild and ungovernable’ at puberty and their kyrios may die since they were over 30 when the girl was born. Men also preferred a young wife to educate to runt he household as he wished (267)
What effect did the difference in ages have?
Fostered a sense of intellectual inferiority in women and enforces a patriarchal attitude.
How would the Kyrios choose a husband?
Wealth was important. Marriages to 1st cousins were favoured (dowry was kept close) and sometimes they would be unconnected to family: a friend or good business deal.
What did marriage symbolise?
Love, mutual respect, equality and sacrifice.
What would happen during the marriage?
Marriage would take 3 days. Engue (pre wedding ceremonies), gamos (actual wedding) and epaulia (post-wedding ceremonies).
What happened at the engue (pre wedding ceremonies)?
Dowry was transferred (not legally binding, groom could withdraw if he gave back dowry). Proof of engue was vital in case legitimacy of one’s children was questioned.
What happened during the gamos (wedding)?
Marked passing of the girl from father to husband (ekdosis- the handing over ceremony). Feast at house of the bride’s dad. Nightfall the bride, groom and his bff were escorted to future home. She would be greeted by mum in law, taken to hearth. Climax was groom leading bride to bridal chambers.
What would happen at the epaulia (post wedding ceremonies)?
Day after gamos. Wedding gifts were given to the couple. Gifts would include: wool basket, pots, jewellery, clothes, combs and perfume.
What rituals were carried out at the ekdosis (handing over ceremony)?
Bride dressed in a white dress (colour for religious ceremonies), wear crown & carry pomegranate (seeds-fertility), father made sacrifices at alter (announce he’s giving daughter away), childhood toys offered to Artemis and she would cut off hair and dedicate girdle to Artemis/Athena.
What would happen if a girl died unmarried?
A loutrophoras was buried with her and often shown on tombstone (since one of rituals of ekdosis is bride having bath of sacred spring water, carried in loutrophoras)
What were the two principles of organisation of Greek Society?
Locality and kinship. Locality involves parishes, counties and states. They are area divisions. Kinships involve Phylai (tribes), Phratries (brotherhoods), and Gene (clan). They are social divisions.
What was an Athenian citizen?
Someone who was freeborn, with born parents of Athenian descent. A citizen was a freeman of a city involving both inherited and formal participation in a community. Men viewed the responsibility of women to confer citizenship very seriously (illustrated with Neaera)
From mid 5th century onwards, Athenian society became..
endogamic (marrying within the same tribe).
