Paterfamilias Flashcards
What is the basic definition of the paterfamilias?
The male head of the family ad household (looks over everyone in his house/family, handles money, school etc.)
Why was it important that the paterfamilias chose good slaves?
This way, he was able to show off his wealth by being able to afford such good slaves and also please gusts with the service
What control did paterfamilias have over their children’s marriage?
They could deny or accept women/men for their children and would often arrange who they wanted their child to marry by themselves.
Why was it important to pick a good person for your child to marry as a paterfamilias?
Because you would want them to marry well off in order to gain a better status or keep at the high status you were at. You would not want them to marry someone beneath you in class as this could be a major social embarrassment.
