Marriage and Divorce Flashcards
What is a dowry
A gift of money the brides family gave to the grooms family to secure the marriage
What are 3 reasons for Roman marriage
- solidify a business agreement
- improve social standings
- financial gain
Who was in charge of Roman marriages
Paterfamilias
What did Roman law say about rejecting marriages
All parties had to consent
(Girls could only reject if someone with bad character had been chosen)
How were engagements celebrated
Engagement Party
- man offer woman a ring as a gift
What are cum manu marriages
Wife legally transferred to husbands family and only inherited from husbands family
What is a sine manu marriage
Wife legally under her own paterfamilias with now dowry which made divorces easier and children were considered the fathers family
What are coemptio weddings
Paterfamilias symbolically sells the bride and it’s a cum manu marriages
What are confarreatio weddings
Only used by noble class, ceremonial cake offered to Jupiter in front of romes chief priest
Explain Usus weddings
Couple declared they wanted to marry and wife moved into husbands home but had to spend three consecutive nights away a year and there was no formal ceremony
Describe coemptio and confarreatio weddings
- animal sacrificed
- couple say sacred words while clasping right hands
- official papers signed by 10 witnesses
- feast
- then procession from brides house to grooms
What would the bride wear at a wedding
- woollen tunic and knot her belt which would be undone by her husband after the wedding
- flame coloured vale and her hair was in six locks
- hair parted by a spear like the vestal virgins
