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PATRI´MI

PATRI´MI, ET MATRI´MI, also called Patrimes et Matrimes, were those children whose parents were both alive (Festus, s. vv. Flaminia, Matrimes; called by Dionysius, 2.22, ἀμφιθαλεῖς), in the same way as pater patrimus signifies a father whose own father is still alive (Festus, p. 234). Servius (ad Verg. G. 1.32), however, confines the term patrimi et matrimi to children born of parents who had been married by the religious ceremony called confarreatio, and who were still alive; it appears probable that this is the correct use of the term. We know that the flamines majores were obliged to have been born of parents who had been married by confarreatio (Tac. Ann. 4.16; Gaius, 1.112); and as the children called patrimi et matrimi are almost always mentioned in connexion with religious rites and ceremonies (Cic. dc Har. resp. 11; Liv. 37.3; Gel. 1.12; Tac. Hist. 4.53; Macrob. Saturn. 6; Vopisc. Aurel. 19; Orelli, Inscr. n. 2270), the statement of Servius is rendered more probable, since the same reason which confined the office of the flamines majores to those born of parents who had been married by confarreatio, would also apply to the children of such marriages, who would probably be thought more suitable for the service of the gods than the offspring of other marriages. It this restriction ceased when confarreatio fell into disuse, it was at least still necessary that the mother should not have been divorced: in such a case the children would obviously cease to be patrimi et matrimi. There is, however, reason to think that the rite of confarreatio was retained so far as to provide persons qualified for priestly office [MATRIMONIUM p. 140 b], and so the patrimi et matrimi of late times may still have been born from parents so married, though it is clear, from the statement of Macrobius (l.c.) that after the 3rd century B.C. the service was no longer restricted to patrimi et matrimi, since the children of libertini served also. For the religious functions which required attendance of patrimi et matrimi, see CAMILLUS; ARVALES; MATRIMONIUM, p. 143 b. (Rein, Das röm. Privatrecht, p. 177; Göttling, Gesch. d. röm. Staatsverf. p. 90; Marquardt, Staatsverw. 3.227; Privaleben, p. 70.)

[W.S] [G.E.M]

hide References (6 total)
  • Cross-references from this page (6):
    • Cicero, On the Responses of the Haruspices, 11
    • Vergil, Georgics, 1.32
    • Tacitus, Annales, 4.16
    • Tacitus, Historiae, 4.53
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 37, 3
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 1.12
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