Marriage customs

Question 1

Spartan Marriage match making customs(4):

Answer 1

• Young men and women would have plenty of opportunities to interact
• There was no dowry
• Main purpose was to produce children
• Spartan girls married later than in Athens

Question 2

Athenian marriage customs(4):

Answer 2

• They were arranged by the kyrios as soon as the bride reached puberty
• Marriages were handled like business deals
• They would swear a solemn oath in front of witnesses
• Relationships must be beneficial for both families

Question 3

Athenian wedding ceremony day one(2):

Answer 3

• Day one would be a feast between the bride and her female friends
• Bride would make sacrifices to Artemis; a lock of hair and childhood toys

Question 4

How long are Athenian weddings?

Answer 4

3 days

Question 5

Athenian wedding ceremony day two(5):

Answer 5

• Ritual bath for bride
• After she would dress in the fines clothes and jewellery
• Kyrios would host a wedding feast
• After there is a torch light procession
• Bride is dragged away from her mother by groom

Question 6

Athenian wedding ceremony day three(3):

Answer 6

• Bride’s female attendants will be outside the room
• Singing of wedding songs
• Gifts given

Question 7

Greek and Roman marriages were rarely…

Answer 7

based on love

Question 8

What were the purposes of roman marriages?(3):

Answer 8

• Solidifying businesses
• Improving the social standing
• Financial gain due to dowrys

Question 9

Roman Cum Manu weddings(2):

Answer 9

• The woman could inherit property from her husband

- She would be adopted into the husband’s family

Question 10

Roman Sine Manu weddings(4):

Answer 10

• More common
• Women would inherit from their blood family
• Money would stay in immediate family
• Do not require a dowry

Question 11

Children in Cum Manu marriages:

Answer 11

Belong to the same family as their mother and father

Question 12

Children in Sine Manu marriages:

Answer 12

Belong to only the father’s family

Question 13

Coemptio wedding ceremonies(4):

Answer 13

• The bride was symbolically sold by her Paterfamilias to her husband
• A man would hold a set of banking scales
• The bride’s paterfamilias would present a single coin
• These symbolise the exchanging of property

Question 14

Confarreatio wedding ceremonies(4):

Answer 14

• Oldest version of a Roman wedding
• Offerings made by the couple to Jupiter
• The couple offer a ceremonial cake in front of the Chief priest
• The ceremony was presided by a woman called pronuba

Question 15

Usus Wedding ceremonies(3):

[Roman]

Answer 15

• The couple simply declares that they want to be wed
• The bride moves into the groom’s house
• Most common marriage

Question 16

Why were Athenian adultery laws so severe?

Answer 16

So the legitimacy of the heir could not be questioned

Question 17

Roman law states that a girl could reject a fiancé if…

Answer 17

The man was of bad character

Question 18

From the moment both roman families agree on the dowry…

Answer 18

the couple is betrothed

Question 19

What is a Coemptio?

Answer 19

A Roman wedding ceremony, resulting in a cum manu marriage, where the bride was symbolically sold to her new husband

Question 20

What is a Confarreatio?

Answer 20

A traditional patrician wedding ceremony. Resulted in a cum manu marriage

Question 21

What is an Usus?

Answer 21

A very popular marriage with no formal wedding ceremony and resulting in a sine manu marriage

Question 22

Offerings to Junus (Roman):

[4]:

Answer 22

• The bride would carry 3 gold coins
• One is drooped during the procession as an offering to
  Junus
• One was for her husband and symbolised her dowry
• One was an offering to the household god of her new family

Question 23

Who is Junus?

Answer 23

Roman god of transitions, beginnings and endings