Marriage and family in Roman Society
Many
of the marriages in Rome were arranged by the parents of the couple. The favorite
month for marriage was in June. The girl was often around thirteen years old
at marriage, while the boy was a couple of years older on average. The bride
would take her childhood toys and clothing and offer them to either the goddess
Venus or to household gods called lares and penates. A pig would be sacrificed
on the day of the wedding, and prayers would be made to Juno. The father of
the bride would sign the marriage contract and gifts from the brides family
would be given to the grooms family. The wedding day would end with the groom
pretending to take the bride away from her mother as a remembrance of the legendary
story of the Sabian women in early Rome.
Roman Marriage Roman Women in Marriage Roman Father Roman Woman
Roman Children Roman Schools Roman Food
Roman Patricians Roman Plebeians
