Dowry in the Roman Provinces of Egypt and Arabia

Abstract

In the Roman provinces of Egypt and Arabia, marriage contracts were written frequently. This practice is evidenced by the vast amount of documents that have survived from these regions. A central aspect of these contracts was the regulation of the spouses’ economic relations, particularly the dowry. Over time, several different types of dowry emerged, which varied not only in their designation but also in the nature of the items of which they consisted. This inevitably influenced its different arrangements in the marriage contracts, including the provisions for its delivery and recovery. The aim of this paper is to examine these different categories of dowry. In addition to the institution of dowry itself, the paper also explores the mutual influence of the various legal traditions present in the provinces of Egypt and Arabia in shaping this institution.