Manus marriage

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (May 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Manus is a word for a type of marriage during Roman times. Manus is also called coemptio. It represents a "bride purchase." A groom would pay money or some other goods, and receive a bride in exchange. While this purchase was not a real sale, it symbolized the traditional bride purchases of earlier societies. Only five witnesses were required and the wedding ceremony was less formal than a confarreatio, but the bride still passed to her husband's manus (the husband's legal power over his wife^[1]). It meant that the bride was severing all legal ties with her original family. It must be created and is not automatic.

[edit] References