Rediscovering women in ancient Rome: inheritance rights of unmarried women in archaic and pre-classical Roman law

Abstract

There is a real fact the not so recent momentum of studies and research about women along history, societies and cultures and in fast all fields of academic specialization (philology, sociology, history, law…). From the perspective of Roman Law it is intended to address a specific aspect of the legal status of women in ancient Rome and in a certain time period: archaic and pre-classical Roman Law, and taking into consideration a state in the life of a woman that has not been treated on a frequent basis: that of single, unmarried women. The conclusions are based, moreover, on the perspective offered by women’s inheritance rights. The possibility of being an heiress will provide women both: a particular legal status and to be economically solvent, even wealthy..