Big Bad Dad

I cannot believe the amount of unlimited power the fathers or paterfamilias had within the household. To be able to kill your wife or children based on something that couldn't always be proved goes to show these men could conduct their lives nearly unchecked. If a wife was in bed with another man, it comes down to the husband's word against the wife's and we all know where that ended up, bye bye wife. Selling the children into slavery is a tiny step above killing them altogether. Although the men had so much power and control, it's surprising to me that the wives were viewed as high as they were. Wives having input and arranging the childrens' marriages is huge as marriage is the means by which the family name and wealth is continued. Then again, Big Bad Daddy comes in and takes control and ownership of any land, business, and wealth the new extension of the family has created. This is one aspect of Roman society that isn't missed by many, I'm sure.