This study investigates the intersection of legal frameworks and social realities governing marriage in Rome from the late Republic through the Principate. Susan Treggiari, a distinguished scholar of Roman social history, synthesizes extensive legal scholarship with modern sociological insights to reconstruct the lived experience of Roman spouses. The work argues that marriage functioned as a primary mechanism for defining social status and ensuring the legitimacy of offspring, while simultaneously navigating complex behavioral norms and personal motives.

Scholars and historians recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the complexities of Roman domestic law. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the thoroughness with which Treggiari bridges the gap between abstract legal codes and daily social practice.