MarcAdrian 0 Report post Posted August 12, 2020 In the early days of the Roman empire, a Roman would first have to free his slave before marrying her—one of the exceptions in the lex Aelia Sentia of 4 C.E. After tribunal, the slave would then be declared free and thus available for marriage. My question has to do with the motive of the master to do this. Children is the likely reason. But was there ever a case where this was about love? Are there any accounts of masters/former masters having romantic ties with their slaves and marrying them? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
caldrail 92 Report post Posted August 18, 2020 , Yes, but only after they had been manumitted. Other examples are masters buying back sold slaves because they just could not live without them. The Romans regard 'love' as something akin to emotional slavery but they were human and fell in love with each other just like anyone else. The problem for women was that social mores were more restricted. Whereas men had some freedom of action women were not so liberated and association with slaves, probably including freedmen, would have been the source of scandal (thougha minority in the early principate did it it anyway). However, it is true that women of status or elite family sometimes bribed a lanista to visit their favourite gladiator.Lust rather than love mostly, I guess, but it illustrates how women got around the barriers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
