Roman Weddings

Question 1

Sponsus

Answer 1

Fiance

Question 2

Sponsalia

Answer 2

Betrothal

Question 3

Sponsa

Answer 3

Fiancee

Question 4

anulus

Answer 4

wedding ring

Question 5

How was the wedding ring worn?

Answer 5

Right finger on left hand

Question 6

breaking of betrothal done through nuntius

Answer 6

repudium renuntiare

Question 7

infamia

Answer 7

man could not return his betrothal gifts if he broke the betrothal

Question 8

nubere

Answer 8

term for women used to mean “to marry”

Question 9

in matrimonium ducere

Answer 9

term used for men that meant “to marry”

Question 10

stola matronalis

Answer 10

matron’s dress

Question 11

hymenaeus

Answer 11

marriage hymn

Question 12

Matronalia

Answer 12

1st of March, mother’s day

Question 13

manus

Answer 13

power of husband over his wife

Question 14

in manum viri

Answer 14

what women passed under during marriage (under the power of her husband)

Question 15

marriages that did not involve manus

Answer 15

sine conventione in manum

Question 16

divorce in Rome

Answer 16

did not exist for the first 5 centuries, but many occurred by the time of Augustus

Question 17

usus

Answer 17

plebian form of marriage

Question 18

facts of usus

Answer 18

not recognized as marriage by law or hallowed by gods
did not involve manus

Question 19

coemptio

Answer 19

mock sale marriage

Question 20

trinoctium

Answer 20

period of three nights - if a woman stayed away from her husband for that long, depending on type of marriage, she could own property

Question 21

libripens

Answer 21

sale-holder during coemptio who placed single coin on scale

Question 22

dos, dotis, f

Answer 22

dowry

Question 23

how many witnesses did a coemptio marriage need to have?

Answer 23

5

Question 24

when were patricians and plebians allowed to start marrying?

Answer 24

445 bc

Question 25

tunica recta/regilla

Answer 25

bridal tunic

Question 26

flammeum

Answer 26

saffrom veil worn by bride

Question 27

who dressed the bride?

Answer 27

their mother

Question 28

nodus Herculaneus

Answer 28

knot on bride’s dress only to be untied by husband

Question 29

what did a groom wear at the wedding?

Answer 29

a toga and a wreath of flowers

Question 30

joining of the right hands by the pronuba

Answer 30

dextrarum iunctio

Question 31

how many witnessed had to be present for the dextrarum iunctio?

Answer 31

10

Question 32

confarreatio

Answer 32

most elaborate, religious marriage

Question 33

bloodless offering

Answer 33

farreum libum - spelt cake

Question 34

after the dextrarum iunctio, what was the bride asked?

Answer 34

an sibi mater familias esse vellet - if she wished to be the mater familias to him

Question 35

which god was the bloodless offerings made out to?

Answer 35

Jupiter

Question 36

after the wedding, where do the bride and groom appear to have the proper ceremony?

Answer 36

The atrium of the pater familias of the bride

Question 37

made the bloodless offerings?

Answer 37

The Pontifex Maximus and Flamen Dialis

Question 38

deductio

Answer 38

public procession to the forum

Question 39

word shouted as good luck or congratulations during deductio

Answer 39

feliciter

Question 40

who stood at either side of the bride?

Answer 40

two patrimi et matrimi

Question 41

what did the person standing in front of the bride carry?

Answer 41

a torch (taeda) of white thorn (spina alba)

Question 42

what was sung during the deductio, and who was this song dedicated to?

Answer 42

versus Fescennini, Talassius

Question 43

what did the groom scatter throughout the crowd, as a sign of fruitfulness?

Answer 43

nuts

Question 44

how many coins did the bride drop?

Answer 44

3

Question 45

who were each of the coins dropped by the bride dedicated to?

Answer 45

offering to lares compitales
one for the groom
one to the lares of the groom’s house