PERSPECTIVE OF MARRIAGE ACROSS VARIOUS CULTURES
Marriage was a social compact with legal and financial ramifications in ancient Rome. Roman law distinguished between two categories of marriages: those based on mutual consent and those involving dowries. In order to solidify family ties and concentrate riches, marriages were frequently planned. A father's authority over his children included control over their marriages, according to the idea of patria potestas In Europe, the Christian Church started to have a big impact on marriage during the Middle Ages. Marriage's spiritual and moral aspects were emphasized when it was recognized as one of the Church's seven sacraments by the 12th century. A man and a woman should be monogamous for the rest of their lives, according to church doctrine. During this time, the banns of marriage were instituted, which require announcing a planned marriage in public to avoid covert partnerships. Europe during the Middle Ages still saw marriage as primarily a social and economic decision. For the sake of securing political ties, accumulating riches, and guaranteeing the continuation of family lineage, noble families arranged marriages. Though financial factors were still taken into account, peasants had greater discretion when it came to selecting mates.…