CLASSICS 2K03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Adoption In Ancient Rome, Potestas, Pater Familias
2 Feb 2016
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Familia means all members of the household who fell under the authority of the head of the household (including slaves) Patria potestas: the substantial power that the paterfamilias held over his family. In theory, included power of life or death over children. Sons could not conduct business transactions without the permission of their fathers. Patria potestas could impact grown men with living fathers, not merely young boys still living at home. Mitigating factors: tradition, legal system, fathers" love for their sons, death. Death: rome had a low life expectancy and was highly militaristic. This meant that sons did not have fathers very long into their adult years. Fathers still had important connections with their sons- acted as mentors, taught their sons important lessons (eg. going to the forum, how to swim, etc. ) In rome, youths and young men were adopted, not babies and infants.
