the complete slavery of the wife, who was treated as a thing; then by degrees conjugal customs were mitigated, and the wife became a person, and even a proprietor, whom her dowry or personal fortune could protect. Thenceforward money produced its usual effect on inferior characters: it debased or infatuated individuals who were without moral nobility; cupidity blinded certain men; the insolence of money intoxicated certain women. But this only occurred among the ruling classes, and the fate of husbands reduced to conjugal servitude by love of a large dowry does not concern us here.
The important feature in Greek marriage is, that the first legislators regarded it solely from the point of view of increase of population, and held individual liberty, especially that of the woman, very cheaply. Whatever we may think of this legal tyranny, it attained its end perfectly. The small republics of ancient Greece overflowed with men; thus Attica had four thousand one hundred and sixty-six inhabitants to the square league—that is to say, the population was three times more dense than that of France at present.
V. Marriage in Ancient Rome.
In its general features Roman marriage does not greatly differ from Greek, but its evolution has been more complete, and the legislation on the subject is better known to us. Marriages of children, especially of little girls, were the rule at Rome, since the nuptial majority of girls was fixed at twelve years. But they were often betrothed, and even married, before that age. Vipsania Agrippina, daughter of Agrippa and of Pomponia, was promised to Tiberius from her first year.[1] The Digest authorised betrothal at the age of seven.[2]
In betrothing his daughter the father contracted a civil obligation, sanctioned at first by an action for damages, and later by infamy. Every woman of twenty, if she was
