Husbands and Wives. What was the relationship between a husband and wife? The legal relationship depended upon whether or not the marriage conveyed manus. The personal relationship depended on much more. Because the husband was usually older than his wife, especially if this was her first marriage, there was some expectation that the husband took over the wife's education about domestic matters. As the wife (and possibly materfamilias) her duties included managing all aspects of the household: overseeing cleaning, cooking, giving orders to slaves, and preserving the pax deorum (peace with the gods) inside the home by attending to the household gods (the Lares and Penates) and outside the home by attending religious festivals and by behaving appropriately in public.

The Marriage-Relationship. The relationship that developed between a husband and wife ranged from complete dislike to a genuine love. Obviously, marriages in...