The Roman Wedding: Ritual and Meaning in Antiquity

TheweddingritualoftheancientRomansprovidesacrucialkeytounderstandingtheirremarkablecivilization.TheintriguingceremonyrepresentedthestartingpointofaRomanfamilyaswellasaRomangirl'stransitiontowomanhood.Thisisthefirstbook-lengthexaminationofRomanweddingritual.Drawingonliterary,legal,historical,antiquarian,andartisticevidenceofRomannuptialsfromtheendoftheRepublicthroughtheearlyEmpire(fromca.200BCtoAD200),KarenHerschshowshowtheRomanweddingexpressedtheidealsandnormsofanancientpeople.HerbookisaninvaluabletoolforRomansocialhistoriansinterestedinhowideasofgender,law,religion,andtraditionareinterwovenintotheweddingceremonyofeveryculture.