(Ebook) A Cultural History of Marriage in Antiquity by Karen K. Hersch, Joanne Marie Ferraro ISBN 9781350001800, 1350001805

(Ebook) A Cultural History of Marriage in Antiquity by Karen K. Hersch, Joanne Marie Ferraro ISBN 9781350001800, 1350001805

Marriage, across cultures, is
often defined as a union between consenting adults that lasts for the
life of the partners. But is marriage a blessing, or curse? Does
marriage represent the union of two hearts, or was it a necessary evil?
Did matrimony bring a person a helpmeet for life, or was it a societally
approved state entered into to improve one's social standing and
produce legitimate heirs? The authors of this volume show that the
peoples of the ancient Mediterranean were divided on all of these
questions, and reveal ancient Greek and Roman opinions on marriage that
were as varied and complex as they are today. Readers will discover in
this book that ancients juggled multiple ideas that to the modern eye
may appear to be contradictory. Thus, for example, Greek and Roman wives
were expected to come to their grooms spotless virgins, while Greek and
Roman husbands could enjoy multiple partnerships outside the marital
union. Guided by our experts, we take an extensive journey through time
and space, encountering evidence from such sources as diverse as
Hammurabic law codes, Egyptian papyri, Greek epic and tragedy, Roman
inscriptions and writings on the lives of early Christians. Applying
innovative approaches and diverse methodologies, the authors of this
volume reveal the tension and reconciliation between representations of
marriage in antiquity and its lived reality.
A Cultural History of Marriage in Antiquity
presents an overview of the period with essays on Courtship and Ritual;
Religion, State and Law; Kinship and Social Networks; the Family
Economy; Love and Sex; the Breaking of Vows; and Representations of
Marriage.