MARRIAGE, DIVORCE AND THE POWER OF THE FATHER

Stage 38

Marriage (#1-2)

 Purpose of marriage is to have babies - girls marry at age 13-14 when they can bear children - boys marry at ag 18-20 when they can support children  Due to frequent divorce and death, there can be an age discripensy between man and wife  Father picks the groom, but the consent of both bride and groom must be given

PATERFAMILIAS

 Bride does not typically disagree with her father due to his paterfamilias  paterfamilias-male head of the household with no living father or powers  Held paterpotestas, powers of life and including slaves and freedmen  Retained the right to accept or reject

Sponsalia – Engagement (#3-4)

 The terms of the marriage are agreed upon by the fathers  The father of the bride gives a dos – dowry – to the husband. It was a payment (money or property)  Father of bride made promise of marriage to the father of the groom  Wedding contract is signed  Gifts are exchanged and a ring is placed on the left hand, 3 rd finger  Engagement celebration follows

Types of Marriages (#5-7)

Cum Manu – Old school Sine Manu – New School

• • • • • Bride belongs to husband Ceases to be member of father’s family Her property becomes the husband’s property She can not ask for a divorce even though he can Confarreatio ceremony results in this type of marriage • • • • • Bride belongs to father and stays under his control Still a member of her family but lives with husband Bride still retains property Bride can ask for a divorce easy to enter into - Live together and declaring intent

Wedding Day (#8) – Bridal Preparation

 Night before, bride removes bulla and dedicates it to the lares  Bride wears flammeum and tunic style dress – tunica recta  Bride wears the knot of Hercules, which only her husband unties  Bride’s hair is parted by a spear into 6 sections  Before ceremony, bride is symbolically pulled away from her mother  Bride undressed by matronae univirae (women who have had only 1 husband)

Wedding – Ceremony (#8-9)

 Before the wedding, haruspex performs the sacrifice to check the omens  The hands are bound by a strap to symbolize the uniting – iunctio

dextrarum

 Vows are exchanged – ubi tu Gaius, ego Gaia and vice versa  After the ceremony, there is a feast at the father of the bride’s house – cena

nuptialis

dextrarum iunctio

After the wedding… (#8-9)

 After the wedding all the guests escorted the bride to her new home  Bride had three young boys to attend her   One held left hand, one held right hand, one carried a torch before her that had been lit at the hearth of her own home (the torch was thrown away as she approached her new home-whoever caught the torch was promised a long life) Men in the procession called out rude jokes and noisy greetings to the groom Groom greets bride at the door and carries her across the anointed door posts

The Newlyweds Nest

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The brides symbolic acts when they returned to the grooms home:

 Touched the hearth fire and water inside the house  Prepared for her wedding night by women who had only been married once (most girls were virgins for their first marriage)

Marriage Laws (#10)

 The Roman Government, especially Augustus, made laws encourage marriage to ensure the growth in the Roman population - penalities for singles, like no inheritance - special privileges for families with 3+ children

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Rights of Women (#11)

A Roman woman was under the control of her husband or father - could not vote - could not take part in political life - could not sit on a jury or appear in court  However, Roman women had more rights than many other Mediteranean women at the time - could run the house and manage the finances - could leave the house - could dine with the ment - could attend plays/entertainment - could go to the baths - could attend dinner parties with husband

Woman’s Role (#12-13)

 Roman women were expected to - Have and raise children   - Manage house and slaves - Weave - Obey husband - Remain faithful - Behave properly This role was valued and known to be complicated and demanding. Women gained respect and prestige for how they ran their house. Limited information since most literature left to us was written by men

Literature concerning Marriage (#14)

 Letters and tombstone inscriptions give us a view of the average Roman’s view of married life  The lettes of Cicero and Pliny show marital bliss - Here lies Amymone, wife of Marcus, most good and most beautiful, wool-spinner, dutiful, modest, careful, chaste, home-loving - I have written these words so that those who read them may realize how much we loved each other - To my dearest wife, with whom I have lived two years, six month, three days, and ten hours.