Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
1 The Laws of Humans and Gods 15
Some Important Terms and Concepts 15
The Wedding and the Law 19
Conubium 20
Manus and Confarreatio 23
Matrimonium Iniustum, Concubinatus, and Contubernium 27
Serviles Nuptiae? 29
Same-Sex Weddings 33
Betrothal 39
Days to Marry 44
Consensus, or Nuptiae? 51
The Defining Moment? 55
Conclusion 59
2 At the House of the Bride 61
The Ideal Bride 61
Prenuptial Rites? Dolls and Clothes 65
The Costume of the Bride: An Overview 69
Bedecking 71
Bridal Hairstyle 73
Sex Crines 73
Hasta caelibaris 80
Vittae, Infulae 84
Corona, Corolla 89
Corona Turrita 92
Flammeum 94
Reticulum 106
Tunica recta 108
Cingulum, Nodus Herculaneus 109
Socci lutei 112
Conclusion: Bride's Clothes 114
Events at the House of the Bride 114
Auspices et Auspicia 115
Sacrifice 119
Tabulae: Tablets of Marriage or Dowry 123
Conclusion 131
3 To the Groom's House 135
The Ideal Groom 135
The Clothing of the Groom 137
The House of the Groom: Wedding Night, or Day? 138
Domum Deductio: To the Groom's House 140
Reluctance of and Seizing the Bride 144
Talassio 148
Feliciter 150
Fescennini Versus 151
Nuces 156
Child Attendants (Camilli/ae/Patrimi Matrimi) 159
Baskets and Spindles? 162
Taeda, Fax 164
Torchbearers 167
Torches: Material and Number 171
Torches: Conclusion 174
Gifts of Coins 176
Besmearing Doorposts with Fat and Decorating with Wool 177
Threshold 180
Fire and Water 182
Ubi tu Gaius ego Gaia 187
Pronuba/Dextraum Iunctio: The Literary Evidence 190
Pronuba 191
Dextrarum Iunctio 199
Pronuba and Dextrarum Iunctio in Roman Art 205
Pronuba in Art 206
Dextrarum Iunctio in Art 208
Reclining and Dining 212
The Wedding Night 220
Repotia 221
Conclusion 222
4 Gods of the Roman Wedding 227
Ritual and Religion 227
The Gods 231
The Evidence from Roman Epithalamia 232
Hymenaeus 236
The Wedding Cry and Song 239
The God in Literature 242
The God in Art 259
Concordia 262
Juno 262
Venus 264
Fortuna Virginalis, Mutu/inus Tutu/inus, Picumnus and Pilumnus 266
Fortuna Virginalis 267
Mutinus Titinus 269
Picumnus and Pilumnus 273
Vesta and Janus 274
Ceres and Tellus 275
Household Gods: Lares, Penates, and Genius 278
Priestesses and the Wedding 279
Conclusion 286
5 Conclusion 289
Bibliography 305
Index 319
Illustrations 319
