Marriage in Ancient Rome
Yarelis Chacon, James Green, Nadeem Asgarally, and Anna Roztocil
First Year Seminar 21, HIS 106, Professor Matthew Perry
General Info
Social Expectations
•  Fathers could choose to accept or not •  Roman men were typically married at
the age of 20, while Roman women
accept children as their own.
were usually married around the age
•  Adoption was an acceptable means of
of 15. Minimum legal age for marriage
having children.
was 14 for males and 12 for females.
•  Roman women were allowed to
•  Dowry is a contribution of wealth from
divorce their husbands, based on
the wife's family, and is given at the
their husbands’ actions.
engagement ceremony. These
•  Widowers were encouraged to
contributions can be slaves, clothing,
remarry.
jewels, or furniture.
•  Rank heavily influenced what ages
men or women married. Men had a lot
of duties if they were a high rank.
However, they needed wives to take
care of the home.
Bibliography Jonai&s, M., & Kosaitė-­‐Čypienė, E. (2009). CONCEPTION OF ROMAN MARRIAGE: HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF NATIONAL FAMILY POLICY CONCEPT. Jurisprudencija, 2(116), 295-­‐316. Kuefler, M. (2007). THE MARRIAGE REVOLUTION IN LATE ANTIQUITY: THE THEODOSIAN CODE AND LATER ROMAN MARRIAGE LAW. Journal of Family History, 32(4), 343-­‐370. Requirements
Scheidel, W. (2007). Roman Funerary Commemora&on and the Age at First Marriage. Classical Philology 102 (4), 389-­‐402. Thompson, J. (n.d.). Women and marriage in ancient rome. hep://www.womenintheancientworld.com/
women%20and%20marriage%20in%20ancient
%20rome.htm •  The marriage was considered
terminated if love and affection
republic marriage transferred a
ceased to exist between husband and
woman from the authority of her
wife, whereas nowadays mutual love
father to the authority of her
has nothing to do with validity of
husband or husband’s father or
marriage.
grandfather.”
Marriage was not fully consummated •  "Consent and not cohabitation
constitutes marriage." Both spouses
until the first child was born 
must maintain an ongoing consent to
Marriage was about procreation.
the marriage for there to be marital
The wife’s dowry (or other property)
affection.
became part of the household and
•  Ending consent to be married
managed by the husband.
required the return of the dowry and
Monogamy (having of only one
other financial entanglements.
spouse at a time) was enforced by
law.
•  As Thompson explains, “Roman
• 
Rawson, B. ed. Marriage, Divorce, and the Children in Ancient Rome. • 
• 
Legalities