Types of Roman Weddings
"feliciter!"
congratulations or good luck shouted during deductio
confarreatio
most elaborate, religious marriage
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Traditions of Confarreatio
the sacred marriage for patricians
dextrarum iunctio
"joining of right hands"
the bride and groom were brought together by the pronuba (matron that was married to her first husband) by joining their right hands with 10 witnesses present
farreum libum
"spelt cake"
spelt cake was shared between the bride and groom and was then given to Jupiter as a bloodless offering by pontifex maximus and flamen dialis
deductio
"take bride home"
deductio is a public procession anyone can watch that involves the taking of the bride to the house of the husband, with distaff and a spindle (emblems of domestic life) carried behind the bride. feliciter is said during this procession to say congratulations or good luck
versus Fescennini
lascivious verses
during deductio, lewd and lascivious verses were sung to Talassius or Talassio who was a Sabine god. these are also known as teasing songs or poems sung at weddings
usus
plebeian form of marriage
most informal marriage held together by mutual consent
did not involve manus
manus: the power of a husband over his wife
wife remained in power of her father but not husband
wife could remain a member of her own father's family and hold property if she stays away from her husband for three nights each year (trinoctium)
usus was not considered iustae nuptiae because it was considered a promiscuous joining and plebians were not citizens
iustae nuptiae: just/legal marriage
Did you know that we wear wedding rings on the ring finger or the left hand because it was believed that there was a vein that went from the finger straight to the heart?
anulus
wedding ring
coemptio
Coemptio is the third and final form of Roman marriage also known as mock sale marriage. This form of marriage has been around since the time of Servius's reign. It involves a fictitious sale by which the pater familias of the bride transferred her to the man in marriage -- a transfer or selling of property! Coemptio required 5 witnesses and involved a dowry.
