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Marriage- a matter of personal law; i.e. citizens vested with power to enact it themselves - confarreatio: oldest form of patrician marriage - a binding religious ceremony. - arranged marriage the only accepted model Decline of Marriage & Adultery- increase in "celibacy" in late Republic - increase in adultery in upper class (as opposed to sexual exploitation of slaves, prostitutes) - rising upper class divorce rate - the wicked stepmother (saeva noverca) stereotype is peculiarly Roman Augustus' Moral Legislation- Augustus concerned to establish a new moral order, based on traditional ("family") values - aimed at controlling adultery, promoting childbearing, regulating marriage between social ranks Julian law against adultery (Lex Iulia de adulteriis, about 18 BCE) Julian law encouraging marriage (Lex Iulia de maritandis coercendis, 18 BCE) Womanly Virtue- loyalty to a husband the highest excellence a woman could attain - frequent references to unpunished adultery committed by women in Roman literature - hostility against older women who are still sexually active "Unfeminine" Women- personal, sexual and economic liberation of women in late Republic - numerous women in positions of real power, both politically and economically - the typical Roman male response to such women was to attack them as "unfeminine" - assertive woman work against conventional sexual "harmony" Agrippina- goal: acquisition and retention of power for herself and her son Nero - Claudius recalled Agrippina from exile and married her (49 CE) ~ possibly a political alliance - convinced Claudius to adopt Nero - 54 CE Claudius died: plot by Agrippina? - ruled through her son Nero; influence ended by 57 (Seneca and Burrus) - killed by Nero 56 CE in clever plot
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