We realize divorce resided but have zero details about info
Amestris a niece out-of Darius is actually said several times on the texts. She is partnered so you can a man entitled Craterus however, are soon quit by your and shortly after their divorce was remarried so you’re able to Dionysius, a location ruler. They delivered about three youngsters and you may just after their husbands’ passing inside 306 BC she acted as regent. She reigned due to the fact king for some time but was finally murdered of the their sons. We do not features far information about the marriage ceremonies. The actual only real head membership are Alexander’s relationship in the Susa towards the Iranian little princess Stateira an excellent child Albuquerque, NM in USA brides agency of one’s defeated king Darius III. As reported by the fresh new Greek historians the marriage are achieved inside Persian customs. “New bride to be joined the room and seated near the groom. The guy took their give and you can kissed them. The two ate in the same loaf from dough sliced in the two fold from the a sword and you can eaten specific drink. After the service their unique partner got the fiance domestic”.
Modern supplies into the Babylonia or any other regions around Achaemenid lost some light toward courtroom section of the marriage alliances from ordinary couples. You will find zero evidence your practices revealed throughout these files could be just like those in Persia although not parallels resided and you may all the details is actually sharing. Forty-four like relationship deals is actually located into the Babylonia. The agreements will always involving the husband and people in the latest bride’s friends. They start with this new husband’s guarantee to be given the lady in marriage and you will merchandise is made available to the newest bride-to-be and you may her loved ones.
The household was in fact monogamous but significantly less than particular criteria husbands you’ll wed other spouses and you may was permitted sexual intercourse having slaves and you will domestic servants ( a familiar routine in the region)
In the event your spouse decides to take the next wife he is to give the original spouse a specified amount of money, and you will she get come back to her domestic. New ladies’ dowry can sometimes include residential property, house products, jewellery, currency and slaves. In the example of wife’s adultery brand new punishment can often be dying. The new agreements was in fact sealed before several witnesses have been together with titled on the preparations.
Most other records into the Babylonia (also Elam and you may Egypt) demonstrate that women had features, that they you’ll promote otherwise book. Adopting the death of her partner, the fresh widowed spouse passed down on inactive in the event she did not have youngsters. A woman could not play the role of a witness regarding the attracting up of agreements, however, she you will definitely try to be a contracting cluster and then have their particular individual secure. This is not obvious what would function as instance if a guy got more than a couple of wives. In the event that a lady passed away childless, the new dowry are returned to the house of her father.
In the event that there have been pupils regarding one or two spouses, the children of your very first partner inherited two-thirds and the anyone else one-third simply
There were attempts by Darius to codify the legal system but no standard set of laws is discovered. The conquered territories used their own legal system with little interference from the central administration. For example Jewish colonies in Elephantine in Egypt followed their own legal code. Husbands remained monogamous and all property and family matters were settled in the special courts of the Jews. Of all the territories under Achaemenid administration Egyptian women enjoyed more rights and privileges. A husband did not have the right to pawn her wife as security for debts. This practice existed in various forms in Babylonia and even Sassanian Persia. Wives retained their own property in marriage and after divorce. They also had the right to transfer their property to their children as inheritance and could initiate divorce. If the husband initiated divorce he had to apportion a part of the property to his wife. If the woman asked for a divorce she had to return the money she had received from her husband as bride price and could not lay claim upon property acquired jointly with the husband. Sons and daughters inherited equal portions. However fathers’ power over children was substantial and he could pawn them as security for debt.