It is widely recognized that Roman law is an important source of information about women in the Roman world, and can present a more rounded and accurate picture than literary sources. This sourcebook fully exploits the rich legal material of the imperial period - from Augustus (31 BCE -
14 CE) to the end of the western Roman Empire (476 CE), incorporating both pagan and Christian eras, and explaining the
rights women held under Roman law, the restrictions to which they were subject, and legal regulations on marriage, divorce and widowhood. The main focus is on the major legal texts (the Digest, the Institutes of Gaius, the Code of Justinian and the Theodosian Code), but a significant number of non-legal documentary sources are included. These are particularly important as they illustrate how the law worked in practice, and how this practice (particularly in the provinces) could differ from the letter of the law. Accessible English translations are enhanced by clear, concise background material, which includes useful explanation of historical and geographical context, and a helpful glossary of Roman legal and administrative terms completes the volume. Comprehensive and user-friendly, this will be a core text for students, an illuminating aid for non-specialists, and an essential reference guide for more advanced scholars.
By:
Judith Evans Grubbs
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Spine: 21mm
Weight: 690g
ISBN: 9780415152419
ISBN 10: 0415152410
Series: Routledge Sourcebooks for the Ancient World
Pages: 376
Publication Date: 20 June 2002
Audience:
General/trade
,
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
ELT Advanced
,
A / AS level
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Preface. A sourcebook on women and the law in the Roman Empire: marriage, divorce, and widowhood, List of abbreviations, Glossary of Latin legal terms, Acknowledgments, Introduction: historical and legal background, 1 The status of women in Roman law, 2 Marriage in Roman law and society, 3 Prohibited and non-legal unions, 4 Divorce and its consequences, 5 Widows and their children, Summation. The condition of women: rights and restrictions, Notes, Bibliography, Index of sources, General index
Reviews for Women and the Law in the Roman Empire: A Sourcebook on Marriage, Divorce and Widowhood
Women and Law in the Roman Empire is an interesting anthology for anybody interested in the history of the Roman family and a boon for scholars and students alike. <br>-Marcus Sigismund, Bergische Universitat, BMCR <br>
