chapter three



Chapter Three:
Roman Women
In this chapter I intend to examine the what the life of a Roman woman might have been like as a Matrona which is defined as: ‘a legally married Roman woman of respectable background (not someone infamis, "disreputable")’. After this, I will go on to look at the subject of betrothal and marriage in a more in depth fashion.
To begin, it must be stated that in Roman times, the social status of the world was biased severely in favour of men. Women had few rights of their own, and were very much seen as being of a lower class than Roman men, and as such were often treated accordingly.
In general, the new-born Roman child had a battle for survival, but this dramatically increased if the baby was female in gender as a female was unable to continue the family line.
The life of a Roman girl began with an inspection by the midwife. The midwife made the first decision as to whether the child would live or die at this point as she checked the child for abnormalities and deformities. If the baby was deemed healthy, they then faced another life or death decision. Because a girl was seen as having little to contribute to the family, the father of the child made the decision as to whether they could afford to raise a girl, as continuity of the family line was deemed more important to the Romans. This was decided soon after the midwife’s decision that the girl was healthy. The baby was placed on the floor and if the father picked the child up this was a symbol of the father’s acceptance of the child into the household. Many girls however were not accepted, and they would be left to die by means of exposure. This was deemed a perfectly normal thing to do in Roman times, as it was simply a practical solution to a family’s problem of not having the money or food to keep them.
If the baby girl was accepted into the family, on the eighth day of her life, a ceremony called the ‘dies lustricus’ (day of purification) took place, at which the child would be named, and the family would celebrate.
As the girl grew, she would be taught basic reading writing and arithmetic skills, and also be instructed as to how to speak Latin correctly. The mother of the household would generally be in charge of this task. Whilst intellectual development was encouraged by the parents, the main emphasis on a child’s development would be moral. It was considered most important that a child should develop ‘reverence for the gods, respect for the law, unquestioning and instant obedience to authority, truthfulness, and self-reliance.’
At the age of 7 a girl would begin to learn the skills of housekeeping in preparation for marriage, which for a roman girl, took place at a young age, and this learning also took place at home.
A roman girl was generally married at around ages 12-14, and whilst marriages were arranged between parents around political and financial gain from funerary inscriptions we can see that many of these marriages tended to happy. (The subject of marriage will be examined in greater depth afterwards.)
Once married, the matron, or domina, as she was now known carried power in the household, and was also recognised on a social level, as she was in charge of the children and slaves. She also had influence in both family and state affairs, as can be seen in the repeal of the Oppain Law (195 BCE). After the end of the Punic War matrons demanded the return of their former luxuries quite forcibly:

‘Neither modesty nor the persuasion or authority of their husbands could keep the women indoors. They blocked all the streets and entrances to the forum, vociferously arguing that at a time of prosperity, when men’s personal fortunes were increasing daily, women too should be restored to their former splendours. The press of women increased day by day, as they came in from the towns and outlying districts. They even grew so bold as to waylay and interrogate the consuls, praetors and other officials.’ – History of Rome XXXIV. 1

The Roman matron did not involve going out to work. ‘The woman’s place was firmly in the home: even queuing for the little wooden token entitling a family to the monthly corn dole appears to have been a male prerogative.’
Women were able to wok as wet nurses, midwives, hairdressers, and seamstresses, however the main role of the Roman women was the upkeep of the house, overseeing the education of the children, and of course, producing an heir in order to continue the family line. This was a dangerous task, and it was reported that as many women died in childbirth as men died in war.
Women who survived these things generally had happy lives, and ‘had a place at public games, at theatres and at great religious ceremonies of state. She could testify in court and until late in the Republic, might even defend a case.’ Her birthday was sacredly observes, and every year the ‘matronalia’ was celebrated on the first day of March. When she died she would have been buried, and her respects may have been paid with a public eulogy.
I will now go on to look at a typical arranged marriage, which was the normal thing to happen in Roman times. As stated before, marriages were generally arranged for political and financial or status gain, but in spite of this, were generally contented and successful.
Once a girl was deemed to have reached womanhood, which was usually sometime between the ages of 12-14, she would be formally betrothed to her future husband. Whilst this was not a legal requirement for marriage, it was considered to be good form and practice to do so. During this time a dowry would be arranged between the two families, as this was a point of high honour to the Romans and the bride’s family would provide this. In return the groom would present his bride with a gift, generally that of a ring which ‘was worn on the third finger of the left hand because there was a belief in Roman times and for centuries later that a nerve or sinew ran directly from this finger to the heart.’
The next thing to consider was the choice of date. This was very important, as ‘The Kalends, Nones, and Ides of each months, and the day following each one, were unlucky. So were all of May and the first half of June, because of certain religious ceremonies observed in these months, the memorial days (February 13-21), and the days when the entrance to the lower world was supposed to be open (August 24, October 5, and November 8)’
These dates would have been avoided where possible. It was considered best to be married in the second half of June as Juno was considered the protectress of marriage.
On the night before her wedding, the girl would bring a dedication to the Lares, the household gods, and these included: her bulla (locket), and if she was young, her childish toys’
On the day of her wedding, she would be dressed in her wedding clothes, which generally consisted of a long white dress with a belt, and a flame coloured veil. Her hair would be parted into six locks, which were then coiled and held in place with ribbons, in the same style as the vestal virgins wore their hair.
The ceremony itself would vary between households but centred on the sharing of a wheaten cake. The matron of honour would join the right hands of the bride and groom and silent vows were undertaken. The cake would be blessed by a priest. A procession to the house of the groom then followed, during which the wedding hymn was sung, and upon arrival the bride was carried over the threshold by the groom and given fire and water as symbols of the life they were to live as a married couple, and to formally acknowledge her as domina or matron.. On following nights would be many frivolities and activities, including a feast, and the throwing of the wedding torch to the guests of the wedding.




Bibliography:
The following sources were used in quotes and references:
- Kamm,Antony. ‘The Romans: An Introduction’ (London: Routledge 2003)
- ‘Rome Exposed’ [http://www.classicsunveiled.com/romel/html/marrcustwom.html]
- ‘Rome Exposed’:[http://www.classicsunveiled.com/romel/html/romechildren.html]
- ‘Diotima’: [http://www.stoa.org/diotima/syllabi/skinlecs10.shtml]
- Sheffield University: ‘Handout from lecture on Roman Women’ 2002/3
The following sources were used in research:
- Kamm, Antony. ‘The Romans: An Introduction’ (London: Routledge 2003)
- Carcopino, Jerome.’Daily Life in Ancient Rome’ (London: Penguin 1991)
- ‘Rome Exposed’ [http://www.classicsunveiled.com/romel/html/marrcustwom.html]
- ‘Rome Exposed’:[http://www.classicsunveiled.com/romel/html/romechildren.html]
- ‘Diotima’: [http://www.stoa.org/diotima/syllabi/skinlecs10.shtml]
- Sheffield University: ‘Handout from lecture on Roman Women’ 2002/3
- ‘Feminae Romanae’ http://dominae.fws1.com/Forgotten/Index.html