Family Law in Ancient Roman Law
26 Pages Posted: 20 Apr 2017 Last revised: 7 Oct 2018
Date Written: April 19, 2017
Abstract
The family constituted the basic structural framework of Roman society. The Latin term familia means, essentially, household. It can refer to both persons and things It encompasses all persons who are under the power of a single head (the paterfamilias), and, in a broader sense, all relatives connected by blood or marriage. In a still broader sense, the Roman family encompassed all personal property, including slaves and physical objects. Social stratification, sexual inequality, and legal subordination were defining features of the Roman family.
Keywords: Family, slavery, Roman law, paterfamilias, guardianship, women, marriage, manus, paternal power
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