Definitions/Terms
What was exposure?
The abandonment of young children at birth if the paterfamilias did not accept them into their family.
Who was a young girl's primary teacher if they weren't exposed?
Their mother.
When did the paterfamilias arrange an advantageous marriage for his daughter?
Often before the girl even reached her teenage years.
How long were earrings? (Generally)
Long, they typically hung down to about shoulder-length.
What did a Roman girl often play with? (Name at least three)
Dolls, board games, strategy games, ball games, games of skill, games of chance
Who was a univira?
A divorced woman who never remarried, and chose to stay a one-man woman. This was common in Roman society, and the Romans approved of any univiras.
True or False: Boys were more likely to be exposed than girls. (Name at least one reason why)
False: Girls were more commonly exposed because they couldn't be expected to earn a living to help provide for the family, and they had to have an expensive dowry (given by the paterfamilias) to give to the new husband when they were married off.
What was a matrona expected to do? (Name at least three)
Manage her new home efficiently, conduct herself modestly, promote her husband's social and occupational interests, and bear children.
What were the elements of a girl/woman's outfit? (Name at least four)
- Tunica
- Stola
- Palla
- Parasols
- Fans
- Leather Shoes/Sandals
What were dolls commonly made of? (Name at least three)
Cloth, wax, clay, bone, or wood.
Who was the paterfamilias?
The father, and head of the family.
Would a young girl be educated?
Yes, if the paterfamilias chose, a young girl would be educated alongside her brothers. And her mother would give her domestic training later in life.
Divorce occurred if.....
Divorce occurred if a wife failed to produce children for her husband, and she would be divorced, whether or not she or her husband were at fault for the lack of kids.
What were the elements of a woman's beauty enhancements? (Name at least three)
- Curling Irons
- Henna (Red Hair Dye)
- Hairpieces
- Braid Extenders
- Perfume
- Makeup
- Jewelry (Necklaces, Brooches, Bracelets, Crowns, Earrings)
Who would a Roman girl play board games/strategy games with?
Often her brothers.
Who was a matrona?
A young/new wife, typically much younger than her husband, who passed under the command of her new husband and his paterfamilias.
What would a mother teach her daughter to do? (Name at least three)
- Act properly in society
- Be gracious and graceful
- Look and dress nicely
- Manage a household
- Manage the kitchen staff from a young age
- Be assertive
- Do handiwork
- Card wool from a young age
- Enhance her appearance
If a woman were divorced by her husband, where would all her things go? (Ex: dowry, property, children, etc...)
- Dowry: To her paterfamilias
- Property: To her paterfamilias
- Children: Stay with her former husband
What colors could a stola be? (Name one example)
- A natural and undyed color
- A dyed and bright color
(Often dyed with vegetable or mineral dyes)
What are two examples of games that a girl would play?
- Game of chance: knucklebones
- Game of skill: tossing nuts into a narrow-necked jar