RIHLA #8

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Marriages,Weddings, and Divorce in Ancient Rome

Marriages

Reason
Marriages in Ancient Rome was mostly an tie for two families. Families would usually betrothed their son or daughter to a family of higher class, to try ti improve wealth and class.

Law
In order for two people to get married they had to be Roman citizens. Or even had to have permission.
Citizens of Rome could not marry slaves or freed slaves at first. Later the first emperor, Augustus, had made a law that allowed freed slaves to marry citizens, but not senators.
Augustus also made laws to prevent certain marriages
"citizens were not allowed to marry prostitutes or actresses and provincial officials
were not allowed to marry the local women."
Soldiers could not really marry, but only in a special circumstance.
Wives that divorced their husbands could not marry again.

Weddings
The wedding in Ancient Rome is much like it is today. The bride and groom were married at a ceremony between the two families. The two would sign an written agreement to get married and would seal it with a kiss.

Though there was a marriage, it was a legal claim. It was just to show two people formally living together.

How They Chose the Wedding
In Ancient Rome some months were seem better to get married in, and as a result the month of June was a very popular month to get married in.

How the Wedding looked ( Structure)
The bride would be escorted by brides maids and her groom would lead to the brides home. The bride and groom would both sign the agreement and there would be a large feast preceding the wedding. After this the newly weds would, along with the family, lead the way to their new home. There was gifts exchanged and a dowry would be agreed.The wife would be carried over the threshold, because if she tipped over it by walking, that was considered a very bad omen.
A Dowry was the money, or land, or goods that a woman had to bring into the marriage from her family

How the Bride Dressed
The bride would be dressed in an orange veil and orange shoes. She wore a white woven tunic and a belt called the "Knot of Hercules."


Divorce
Divorce in Rome was a very easy thing to do, because marriage was not a law and like marriage, divorce was not a law either. The wife and husband only needed to declare they were divorced in front of seven witnesses. The wife would get her dowry back that she gave on the marriage day. She would then return to her father and would be under her household again.

But if a wife was found guilty of being unfaithful, they she would get back only half the dowry.
Men in Rome would not be recognize for adultery.

Source
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/weddings.html

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Photos

Ancient Roman Wedding ring
This was the type of ring used in marriages in roman time.

Roman Wedding
The bride is seen with a orange veil and is surrounded by brides maids.