Weddings, Roman Style And marriage

Pre-questions  1. What is the number one reason people in American give for getting married?  How many marriages per year in America are formed?  What per cent of marriages end in divorce?

 What is the average age for men and women to marry in America?  What is the youngest age one can be married in America? (in which state?)

List at least five traditions associated with traditional American weddings  Engagement ring  Bride wears white  Bride wears a veil  Father “gives the bride away”  Wedding party—best man, maid of honor etc.  Exchanging vows in front of family (can be religious)  license  Throwing of rice/bird seed  Reception  Wedding cake  Throwing the bouquet  Garter toss  Honeymoon  Threshold carry

Name 2 ways Marriages have changed in America since 1950

Roman marriages  Took place for establishment of legitimate children.  Solidify political connections (Pompey and Julia).  Make money.

Arranged by parents  Although everyone (bride/groom and all parents had to agree).  Earliest age 13 for girls 14 for boys.  Man was usually much older.

Starts with Sponsalia  Betrothal– a dowry is established.  Annulus nuptialis is worn on the left ring finger.  Party is given.

Types of marriage  Cum manu  Bride transfers to the control of her husband. He keeps her money. She cannot divorce.  Sine manu  Bride does not transfer into the control of her husband. She may divorce and her family keeps the dowry.

Three types of Ceremonies  Confarreatio  Very formal  Only patricians  Involved sacred cake (far)  Coemptio  Less formal  Ceremonial buying of wife  Usus  Common law  Live together for a year

Confarratio  Bride wears a tunic recta and a flammeum  Dressed by her mother and pronuba  Hair plated with a spear  Haruspex sacrifices a victima and inspects  Sacrifices to Jupiter or Juno

 Girl dedicates her bulla and toys to household gods  Ceremony at bride’s home  There are witnesses at the ceremony  Dextrarum iunctio  Girl says vow  Ubi tu Gaius, ego Gaia

After the Cialis at cena Nuptialis at the bride’s father’s home  --bride re-enacts the rape of the Sabine Women story and tries to run away from the groom  --next a procession through the streets to the groom’s house  --noisy songs, course jokes are song toabout the bride groom  --faces, wedding torches are carried  --nuces, nuts are thrown

Groom’s house  Flowers are festooned about the home  Door posts are smeared with oil  The groom carries the bride across the threshold so she will not slip  The party continues  The groom gives the wife fire and water as a symbol of her role as head of the household

Unavira—one man woman  She undresses the bride….

Role of Women Forbidden  vote  Participate in politics  Hold political office  Serve on a jury  Plead in court Allowed  Freedom to go anywhere at any time  Travel, do things without a husband/father  Conduct business  Run the entire household

Compared to today—Roman women had few rights Compared t 100 years ago- Roman women had many rights Compared to other ancient cultures—Roman women had amazing rights