Materna Potestas. Maternal Agency and Marriage Decisions in Roman Times

It is generally believed that Roman women had no legal or official authority over their children. This is only partly true. This chapter discusses the main powers Roman mothers possessed, both de facto and de iure, from the Republic to Late Antiquity. In fact, Roman mothers could exert considerable influence over their children. In very specific cases, prestigious women were able to influence the tastes and behaviour of society as a whole. Specifically, they could play an increasingly important role in their children’s marriage decisions, marital problems and guardianship.