Women and the Law in the Roman Empire: A Sourcebook on Marriage, Divorce and Widowhood (Routledge Sourcebooks for the Ancient World)

It Is Widely Recognized That Roman Law Is An Important Source Of Information About Women In The Roman World, And Can Present A More Rounded And Accurate Picture Than Literary Sources. This Sourcebook Fully Exploits The Rich Legal Material Of The Imperial Period - From Augustus (31 Bce - 14 Ce) To The End Of The Western Roman Empire (476 Ce), Incorporating Both Pagan And Christian Eras, And Explaining The Rights Women Held Under Roman Law, The Restrictions To Which They Were Subject, And Legal Regulations On Marriage, Divorce And Widowhood. The Main Focus Is On The Major Legal Texts (the Digest, The Institutes Of Gaius, The Code Of Justinian And The Theodosian Code), But A Significant Number Of Non-legal Documentary Sources Are Included. These Are Particularly Important As They Illustrate How The Law Worked In Practice, And How This Practice (particularly In The Provinces) Could Differ From The Letter Of The Law. Accessible English Translations Are Enhanced By Clear, Concise Background Material, Which Includes Useful Explanation Of Historical And Geographical Context, And A Helpful Glossary Of Roman Legal And Administrative Terms Completes The Volume. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface. A sourcebook on women and the law in the Roman Empire: marriage, divorce, and widowhood......Page 12 List of abbreviations......Page 16 Glossary of Latin legal terms......Page 18 Acknowledgments......Page 24 Introduction: historical and legal background......Page 26 Sources of late Roman law......Page 29 Roman social structure and the legal system......Page 31 Timetable of important events and laws......Page 38 The status of women in Roman law......Page 41 Women in the family......Page 42 Forms of legal power......Page 45 Manus (marital subordination)......Page 46 Tutela impuberum (guardianship of minors)......Page 48 Legal sources on tutela mulierum......Page 49 The Institutes of Gaius on tutela mulierum......Page 50 Selections from the Rules of Ulpian 11......Page 54 The Flavian Municipal Law (lex Irnitana)......Page 55 Tutela mulierum in non-legal sources......Page 56 The guardianship of women in the Roman East......Page 59 The ius liberorum......Page 62 Tutela mulierum in late antiquity......Page 68 Legal stereotypes of women's abilities and behavior......Page 71 Legal assistance for women......Page 72 Women's modesty and the need for protection......Page 73 ~Womanly weakness~......Page 76 ~Womanly weakness~ in the papyri......Page 77 The senatusconsultum Velleianum......Page 80 Women in court: restrictions and rights......Page 85 Prohibition on bringing criminal charges......Page 88 Prohibition on being an informer to the fiscus......Page 89 Right to act legally on behalf of oneself or one's family......Page 90 Right to bring criminal charges......Page 91 Right to bring an action over a family member's freedom......Page 93 Right to bring an action for the public welfare......Page 94 Women as defendants or witnesses......Page 95 Women in public life: restrictions and responsibilities......Page 96 Prohibitions on holding public office......Page 99 Marriage in Roman law and society......Page 106 What makes a marriage valid?......Page 107 The Augustan marriage legislation......Page 108 Preliminaries to marriage: age, betrothal, and consent......Page 113 Consent......Page 114 Dowry......Page 116 Providing a dowry......Page 117 The dowry during marriage......Page 120 Recovery of dowry after marriage......Page 122 Gifts between spouses and a married woman's property......Page 123 Women's property within marriage......Page 126 Marriage and its consequences in late Roman law......Page 127 Repeal of the Augustan penalties on celibacy......Page 128 Paternal power and consent to marriage......Page 129 Pre-nuptial gifts, arrhae sponsaliciae, and dowry......Page 135 Marriage contracts from Egypt and the Near East......Page 147 A synkhoresis from Alexandria......Page 148 Abstract of an alimentary contract from Tebtunis......Page 150 A Latin marriage contract......Page 151 A mother gives her daughter in marriage......Page 152 The marriage of two embalmers......Page 154 Marriage agreement from the ~Cave of Letters~......Page 156 Marriage contract from Dura Europos......Page 158 Prohibited and non-legal unions......Page 161 Uncle niece and aunt nephew marriage......Page 162 Former slaves and incestuous marriage......Page 163 Legal consequences of incestuous marriage......Page 164 Diocletian's edict against close-kin marriage......Page 165 Non-marital unions based on social status......Page 168 The senatusconsultum Claudianum......Page 170 Unions between women and their freedmen......Page 171 Unions between senators and former slaves......Page 173 Concubinatus (concubinage)......Page 175 Other prohibitions......Page 179 Marriage between tutor and pupilla......Page 181 Marriage between imperial officials and locals......Page 182 Marriage of soldiers while in service......Page 183 Marriage to two women simultaneously......Page 185 Prohibited and non-marital unions in late antiquity......Page 186 Prohibitions based on status......Page 191 Concubines......Page 195 Free men and slave women......Page 198 Free women and slave men......Page 201 Forced marriages......Page 206 Other prohibitions......Page 209 Divorce and its consequences......Page 212 Sending a notice of divorce......Page 214 Return of dowry after divorce......Page 216 Freedwomen and divorce......Page 217 Divorce and patria potestas......Page 220 Children after divorce......Page 223 Divorce in late Roman law......Page 227 Divorce in Egypt and the Near East......Page 235 A synkhoresis from Alexandria......Page 236 A wife's complaint......Page 237 A grave-digger's divorce......Page 238 A late fourth-century divorce agreement......Page 239 A mother's complaint against her son-in-law......Page 240 A divorce from Dura Europos......Page 242 Widows and their children......Page 244 Remarriage in Roman law......Page 245 Remarriage and inheritance......Page 248 Widows and the guardianship of fatherless children......Page 261 Guarding the guardians......Page 265 Mothers as guardians......Page 267 Mothers and guardians in the Greek East......Page 273 A mother brings suit against her son's guardians......Page 275 Mothers as guardians......Page 279 A guardian mother defends her children's interests......Page 282 Pregnant widows......Page 286 Inheritance rights and the supposititious child......Page 289 Pregnant widows in the papyri......Page 292 Summation. The condition of women: rights and restrictions......Page 295 Notes......Page 297 Bibliography......Page 352 Index of sources......Page 362 General index......Page 368 Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 Preface. A sourcebook on women and the law in the Roman Empire: marriage, divorce, and widowhood 12 List of abbreviations 16 Glossary of Latin legal terms 18 Acknowledgments 24 Introduction: historical and legal background 26 Sources of late Roman law 29 Roman social structure and the legal system 31 Timetable of important events and laws 38 The status of women in Roman law 41 Women in the family 42 Forms of legal power 45 Manus (marital subordination) 46 Tutela impuberum (guardianship of minors) 48 Legal sources on tutela mulierum 49 The Institutes of Gaius on tutela mulierum 50 Selections from the Rules of Ulpian 11 54 The Flavian Municipal Law (lex Irnitana) 55 Tutela mulierum in non-legal sources 56 The guardianship of women in the Roman East 59 The ius liberorum 62 Tutela mulierum in late antiquity 68 Legal stereotypes of women's abilities and behavior 71 Legal assistance for women 72 Women's modesty and the need for protection 73 ~Womanly weakness~ 76 ~Womanly weakness~ in the papyri 77 The senatusconsultum Velleianum 80 Women in court: restrictions and rights 85 Prohibition on bringing criminal charges 88 Prohibition on being an informer to the fiscus 89 Right to act legally on behalf of oneself or one's family 90 Right to bring criminal charges 91 Right to bring an action over a family member's freedom 93 Right to bring an action for the public welfare 94 Women as defendants or witnesses 95 Women in public life: restrictions and responsibilities 96 Prohibitions on holding public office 99 Marriage in Roman law and society 106 What makes a marriage valid? 107 The Augustan marriage legislation 108 Preliminaries to marriage: age, betrothal, and consent 113 Consent 114 Dowry 116 Providing a dowry 117 The dowry during marriage 120 Recovery of dowry after marriage 122 Gifts between spouses and a married woman's property 123 Women's property within marriage 126 Marriage and its consequences in late Roman law 127 Repeal of the Augustan penalties on celibacy 128 Paternal power and consent to marriage 129 Pre-nuptial gifts, arrhae sponsaliciae, and dowry 135 Marriage contracts from Egypt and the Near East 147 A synkhoresis from Alexandria 148 Abstract of an alimentary contract from Tebtunis 150 A Latin marriage contract 151 A mother gives her daughter in marriage 152 The marriage of two embalmers 154 Marriage agreement from the ~Cave of Letters~ 156 Marriage contract from Dura Europos 158 Prohibited and non-legal unions 161 Uncle niece and aunt nephew marriage 162 Former slaves and incestuous marriage 163 Legal consequences of incestuous marriage 164 Diocletian's edict against close-kin marriage 165 Non-marital unions based on social status 168 The senatusconsultum Claudianum 170 Unions between women and their freedmen 171 Unions between senators and former slaves 173 Concubinatus (concubinage) 175 Other prohibitions 179 Marriage between tutor and pupilla 181 Marriage between imperial officials and locals 182 Marriage of soldiers while in service 183 Marriage to two women simultaneously 185 Prohibited and non-marital unions in late antiquity 186 Prohibitions based on status 191 Concubines 195 Free men and slave women 198 Free women and slave men 201 Forced marriages 206 Other prohibitions 209 Divorce and its consequences 212 Sending a notice of divorce 214 Return of dowry after divorce 216 Freedwomen and divorce 217 Divorce and patria potestas 220 Children after divorce 223 Divorce in late Roman law 227 Divorce in Egypt and the Near East 235 A synkhoresis from Alexandria 236 A wife's complaint 237 A grave-digger's divorce 238 A late fourth-century divorce agreement 239 A mother's complaint against her son-in-law 240 A divorce from Dura Europos 242 Widows and their children 244 Remarriage in Roman law 245 Remarriage and inheritance 248 Widows and the guardianship of fatherless children 261 Guarding the guardians 265 Mothers as guardians 267 Mothers and guardians in the Greek East 273 A mother brings suit against her son's guardians 275 Mothers as guardians 279 A guardian mother defends her children's interests 282 Pregnant widows 286 Inheritance rights and the supposititious child 289 Pregnant widows in the papyri 292 Summation. The condition of women: rights and restrictions 295 Notes 297 Bibliography 352 Index of sources 362 General index 368 Roman History and Culture "This sourcebook exploits fully the rich legal material of the imperial period - from Augustus (31 B.C.E.-14 C.E.) to the end of the western Roman Empire (476 C.E.), incorporating both pagan and Christian eras, and explaining the rights women held under Roman law, the restrictions to which they were subject, and legal regulations on marriage, divorce and widowhood."-- Jacket The sources of Roman law include several different kinds of legal text: constitutions of Roman emperors (both general laws and responses to individual cases), and writings of legal experts called jurists.