conubium

law history

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June 24, 2026

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In Roman law, conubium (or jus conubii) referred to the lawful right to marry. This was a crucial aspect of family law, determining who could legally enter into a marriage recognized by Roman society.12

While conubium granted the right to contract a Roman marriage, it's important to distinguish it from concubinage. Concubinage was a state of cohabitation without the full legal sanctions of marriage, and the partners and their offspring did not have the same legal rights as married individuals. The concept of conubium ensured that marriages were legally recognized and conferred specific rights and status upon the individuals involved and their children.32

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jus Latii
…right to legal intermarriage (conubium). Upon the decline and depopulation of Latium after 300 bc the application of the jus Latii shifted to the Latin colonies, many of whose settlers had been recruited from the Roman citizenry. These colonies were autonomous communities subject to Rome in foreign policy and…
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…right to legal intermarriage (conubium). Upon the decline and depopulation of Latium after 300 bc the application of the jus Latii shifted to the Latin colonies, many of whose settlers had been recruited from the Roman citizenry. These colonies were autonomous communities subject to Rome in foreign policy and…
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Roman law
Family
…he or she must have conubium (the right, sometimes given to non-Romans, of contracting a Roman marriage). In marriage without manus, the property of the spouses remained distinct, and even gifts between husband and wife were invalid.
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…he or she must have conubium (the right, sometimes given to non-Romans, of contracting a Roman marriage). In marriage without manus, the property of the spouses remained distinct, and even gifts between husband and wife were invalid.
Read More