A Roman Wedding

Resources

Web sites

Ancient Roman Marriage: Part of a master's thesis by Jennifer Powers of Tufts University. Well-researched and detailed. Site also includes information on Greek weddings and chapters on the wedding-related poetry of Sappho and Catullus.

Lararium
Patricia makes her first offering at her new husband's lararium (household altar).
Marriage in Ancient Rome: An overview with primary sources, a bibliography and links, plus a lovely design.

Matrimonium: This article from Smith's Dictionary of Roman Antiquities (1875) is not the latest scholarship, but is an interesting curiosity.

The Greek and Roman Wedding: Outline for a University of Saskatchewan class; scroll down for useful bibliography.

Review of Susan Treggiari's Roman Marriage: D. Potter provides an overview and some clues to recent scholarship in this field.

Peter and Jacqui's Roman wedding: Yes, we're not the only ones. This couple, from Australia, were married in 2002. Don't they look happy?

Nova Roma: International organization for those interested in the history, culture and religion of ancient Rome. Web site includes information on Roman ethics, worship, politics, cooking, games and more.

Latin-English Dictionary:: Good for quick translations of brief phrases.

RomanSites: Bill Thayer's outstanding compendium of Roman-related information on the Web.

Imperium Ancient Arts: Seller of ancient artifacts, including wearable Roman rings and necklaces.

Books

A few suggested titles, including some we used in researching this wedding ceremony:
The World of Roman Costume, Judith Sebesta and Larissa Bonfante, eds. A valuable resource.
Life in Ancient Rome, F.R. Cowell.
Roman Marriage, Susan Treggiari. Too expensive to buy, but get it from your local college library - this is a great resource.
The World of Rome, Michael Grant.
Dictionary of Roman Religion, Adkins & Adkins. Worth the price if you're interested in Roman religion.
Her Share of the Blessings: Women's Religions in the Greco-Roman World, Ross Shepard Kraemer.
As the Romans Did, Jo-Ann Shelton.

Fiction: Of course historical novels may contain some inaccuracies, but heck, so do most straight histories. Good, well-researched fiction can help put a human face on a distant past, using the power of writing to bring the ancient world alive.

Colleen McCullough (yep, the romance writer who wrote "The Thorn Birds") has written a well-regarded series of novels based on the outline of Roman history, beginning with The First Man in Rome. Lindsey Davis' mysteries feature a Roman detective named Marcus Didius Falco (romantics should also read Course of Honor by Davis). Steven Saylor also writes Roman-themed mysteries.

History
A brief overview of Roman wedding customs and the role of marriage in Roman society.
Our Day
One couple's Roman wedding. Photos, ceremony, program and music.
Notes
Some ideas and thoughts for reconstructing a Roman wedding.
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