roman women

• title when a roman woman just married

  • matrona , and materfamilias if she married paterfamilias
• what authority did the matrona have

  • slaves, unmarried girls who support the household, children
• list matrona's duties


  • make children to ensure the continuation of the houshold so children can advance the status + wealth of household
  • rearing children
  • manage daily operations in household
  • organise dinner parties for husbadn
  • take a lead role in managing public affairs of household + business in absence of husband
• what would boys grow up to do + if they were rich

  • get a job to earn money and if you were rich they would excel in history, law, politics, military
• what would girls grow up to do

  • be exchanged in marriage for business relationships, allies, partners to solidify relationships between families
• was there complications during birth?

  • grave epitaphs show teens/ young women in twenties dying from childbirth of after due to infections
• where did they give birth + who was present

  • prefer to do it at home, reclined on a sofa with midwife assiting, uncommon for father to be present
• would the mother and father take a role in looking after children?

  • mum would take an active role in rearing the child thru breastfeeding suggesting fathers would make an effort to spend time with them
• how would matrona manage daily operations

  • poor = spinning, weaving, cooking, cleaning, looking after children and might also have a job
  • rich = slaves assist in domestic roles so free time = reading (they were often educated), spending times with friends, keeping up with politics and didn't have restrictions = go to public theatres, festivals, games
• matrona organising dinner parties for husbadn


  • organise parties as they were allowed to attend events to boost the reputations of fam by presenting herself well + making sure it runs smoothly
• matrona taking a role

  • in absence of their husband they would take a role in managing the household, public affairs and business
• restrictions


  • cant sign a will
  • cant sign a contract
  • cant free a slave
  • cant bring a lawsuit to court
  • cant sell property
• how are these resitrctions carried out

  • all must be done by paterfamilias if cum manu or paterfamilias in sine manu
  • can own property + can be an heiress in a will = responsible for managing property
• what does laudatio turiae mean + show

  • in praise of turia
  • shows upper class roman mens opnion of women but also true love
• what was the genre of laudatio turiae

  euology meaning it was performed to the public meaning it commemorates the life of turia but also boosts the household = qualities mentioned are ideal and positive
• what does laudatio turiae show

  • a devoted , faithful wife who was sucessful in the domestic sphere + public sphere of politics
• what did turiae do

  • sought justice after parents murder
  • made sure female relatives had enough money for their dowry
  • made sure inheritance went to sister

  made sure husband had enough money in exile

  • went to agustust and begged husband to be pardoned and suffered physical + verbal abuse in spirit of getting him pardoned
  • offered to divorce husband as she couldnt produce children
• turia quotes


  "your parents death didnt remained unavenged"

  "single-handedly accomplished this undertaking out of reverence to your father, duty to your sister and faithfulness to me"

  "having taking your jewllery off - you sent servants, money and provisions"

  "i shall put an ackonwledgment before everyoens eyes that you saved my life"
• how did divorce work

  • either man or woman asked for a divorce , the woman remained to her paterfamilias and man kept custody of any children born from the marriage
• if man asked for a divorce

  • women gets whole dowry
• if woman asks for a divorce

  • man can claim some dowry depending on how many children born from marriage + if she was adulterous
• were custody battles rare

  • yes as the children came under the patria potestas of their father as hes their paterfamilias = mother had liuttle claim to children = some stayed in a miserable marriage to stay with children
• common reasons for divorce

  • adultery
  • infertility
  • business + politcal reasons
• adultery laws for men and women

  • men cant do anything with an unmarried girl and daughter + must be of a certain social class
  • women cant do anything - if caught with a slave she is killed and slave is burned alive and would forfeit an amount of her dowry
• infertility


  • Spurius carvilius "he loved his wife intensely" "gave prefernce to the santicity of his oath over his inclination and his love "
• business and politcal - divorce


  • since this was a reason for marriage, men would divorce when the marriage no longer convienced them