Amestris a relative off Darius is mentioned from time to time regarding the messages. She is hitched to help you one named Craterus however, is actually in the near future given up from the him and you will immediately following their particular splitting up is actually remarried to Dionysius, an area leader. It produced around three people and you can shortly after their unique husbands’ dying in the 306 BC she acted while the regent. She reigned because the king for a time but try in the long run slain of the their sons. We do not features far details about the marriage ceremonies. Truly the only lead membership is Alexander’s wedding at Susa to your Iranian little princess Stateira a daughter of one’s beaten queen Darius III. As reported by the newest Greek historians the wedding was carried out within the Persian community. “Brand new bride-to-be joined the space and you will seated next to the groom. He grabbed their particular give and you may kissed all of them. The 2 consumed regarding the exact same loaf regarding bread sliced inside the two fold from the a blade and you will eaten certain wines. Adopting the service their own spouse took brand new bride-to-be house”.

Latest supplies from inside the Babylonia and other territories around Achaemenid missing some white with the judge side of the wedding associations out of normal lovers. You will find zero facts your means explained during these records could be same as those in Persia however similarities existed and the information is revealing. Forty-five eg relationship deals try discovered in Babylonia. The brand new deals are often between the husband and you can members of the latest bride’s friends. It begin with the fresh new partner’s pledge is because of the lady in marriage and you may gifts as presented to the brand new bride-to-be continue reading this and you can their particular family.

The family had been monogamous however, less than specific conditions husbands you’ll wed other spouses and was enabled sexual intercourse having submissives and family servants ( a familiar behavior in the area)

If for example the spouse decides to just take an extra wife he could be to offer the original partner a specified amount of money, and she can get return to their own home. The new women’s dowry could be homes, household gadgets, accessories, currency and you can slaves. Regarding wife’s adultery brand new punishment often is dying. New contracts was close before multiple witnesses who have been in addition to called throughout the preparations.

Almost every other files from inside the Babylonia (in addition to Elam and Egypt) reveal that women owned functions, which they could promote otherwise rent. Pursuing the loss of their own husband, the newest widowed partner inherited throughout the lifeless even when she performed not have people. A lady couldn’t play the role of an observe from the attracting upwards away from deals, however, she you certainly will act as an employing team and just have her very own secure. This is simply not obvious what can become situation in the event the an excellent man had more several spouses. If a female died childless, the new dowry are returned to the house off their own father.

In the event the there had been youngsters of one or two wives, the children of one’s basic spouse passed on two thirds as well as the anyone else one third only

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.