Roman Women

• Roman Women were highly regarded by Roman Society.
• Although they did not have the Right to Vote or the Right to hold Public Office, they nonetheless enjoyed certain freedoms and Rights.

The Role of Roman Women

• Roman Marriage (Matrimonium)
  • Under Roman Law, Marriage had various legal forms which defined the status of the Wife and her Property.
  • A legal contract was signed between the two families and confirmed whether the woman’s Property remained her own or was given to her husband.
• Roman Divorce
  • During the Roman Empire, not only could a woman divorce her husband, but she could keep her Property and take back her Dowry.
• Roman Women’s Clothing
  • Roman Women did not wear the Roman Toga, but wore two types of Tunic instead, which were white with no stripes.
• Roman Women’s Duties
  • Marriage meant the duty of supporting her husband and running the household.
  • Motherhood meant the duty of bringing up and educating the children.
• Roman Women’s Rights
  • Women were held in high regard in Roman Society.
  • If they held Roman Citizenship, they did not have:
    • ‘Ius Suffragiorum: the Right to Vote.
    • ‘Ius Honorum’: the Right to hold Civil or Public Office, except the office of Priestess.
  • But Women did have:
    • ‘Ius Commercii’:
      • The Right to own Property and sign legal Contracts. (ie run a Business)
    • The Right to Divorce.
      • Roman Women were under the authority of the Head of the Roman Family, the Paterfamilias. Great families sealed Political alliances by marriage. However, the Roman Woman could divorce her husband if it didn’t work out, or if the political alliance between the families collapsed.
    • ‘Ius trium liberorum’
      • Augustus passed two Marriage laws in 18 BCE and 9 CE which gave privileges only associated with a Mother of three children.
      • These consisted of being freed from Guardianship (by a male relative) and the ability to receive an inheritance (where it would have normally devolved to her children).