Ancient Roman Family and Religion: Marriage, Birth, Death, and Ancestor Worship, Study notes of Classical Philology

Download Ancient Roman Family and Religion: Marriage, Birth, Death, and Ancestor Worship and more Study notes Classical Philology in PDF only on Docsity! CLA 315 Ancient Religion Religion and the Roman Family Definitions of the familia: Most commonly:  those in the power of the paterfamilias (kin and slaves), not necessarily living in the house. Other usages:  all birth-relatives who had been in such power.  a lineage within a clan, like the Julian house.  a group or household of slaves. NB the authority of the paterfamilias (patria potestas) applies to sons as well as daughters! Birth Governed by Juno Lucina, but not such a religious event. Was not considered as polluting as it was by the Greeks. Marriage Two versions: 1. (more common): Very simple: bride and groom choose to live together and commit to one another + celebration. May be accompanied by law of manus = wife’s property becomes husband’s and she enters his control. 2. (old-fashioned): Confarreatio – sharing of the spelt-cake. More formal. Only accessible to patricians (upper class). Parents of potential Flamines and Vestales must have been married this way. A general account of an upper class marriage based on literary sources: Scheduled on a dies fas (favorable day in the calendar), often June. On the previous day: the bride puts away her toga praetexta (childhood clothes). On the wedding day: Bride’s ritual outfit:  hair arranged in six locks, with woollen ribbons  dress is a straight white woven tunic fastened at the waist with a ‘knot of Hercules’  veil is a large flame colored headscarf (‐colored headscarf ( flammeum) with matching shoes. Friends and associates gather in bride's father's house. 1