Ptolemaic Marriage Laws

Description

Side 1, with the fibers: Ptolemaic Marriage Laws: "a copy of a series of regulations, apparently issued by one of the Ptolemies, concerning marriage... The first step prescribed is an announcement on the part of the bridegroom to some official of his name, age, etc., and the date of the proposed ceremony. A corresponding announcement was to be made by the bride, acting under the authority of her father (3-7). This regulation is followed by a provision concerning the sacrificial ceremonial, for which the hierothutai were responsible (8,9); the dowry, on the other hand, was in some way connected with officials called thesmophulakes (9,10). Nothing is known of the functions of either the hierothutai or thesmophulakes from other sources. After the announcement of the date of the marriage had been made certain payments became due (11-14). The remaining regulations relate to divorce, in case of which the dowry of the wife was to be returned, the husband being liable to penalties if convicted of having failed to produce it. If the wife was divorced in a state of pregnancy the husband was responsible for her adequate maintenance, and also for that of her child (21-29)." (Grenfell, Hunt, & Hogarth) Side 2, against the fibers: "part of an account of legal proceedings dated in the third and fourth years of Tiberius. This copy of them, however, was made much later, being apparently not earlier than the second century." (Grenfell, Hunt, & Hogarth)