Ancient Rome, Compared With Early Modern Europe

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ted babies, the infrequency of sexual relations between husband and wife and even contraceptive methods were all factors which affected the low Roman birthrate. Abortion was legal but quite dangerous due to the lack of medical technology. Couples would generally abandon their children if they were unwanted. Even after Christian agitators attempted to outlaw this practice, babies continued to be abandoned.
Before the 1700's in early modern Europe, the three generation family among the aristocracy which involved ownership and inheritance was quite common. However, the lower class generally lived in nuclear or conjugal units. Except for parts of eastern Europe, most couple married in their mid-twenties in order to properly establish households. This type of family unit was disadvantageous to the lower class due to the fact that economic hardships were more common if a spouse would become unemployed. The large family network was key for the higher class to assume and maintain control. However, the influence of relatives among the higher class couples led to many internal disputes. Arranged marriages were quite common in early modern Europe. Young people often had no say in determining who they were going to wed, for matrimony was a collective family decision based on key financial issues. Whereas aristocrats usually married in their early twenties to facilitate property settlements, normal people usual married around the age of 28. "By the middle of the sixteenth century, the idea of matrimony seemed to shift from a financial arrangement to a settlement based on love and children."2 The rise of the nuclear family among the aristocrats also led to more successful relationships between spouses; however, the man was considered to be the king of the house. In case of an unsuccessful marriage, divorce was illegal. Only in rare situations were marriage annulments approved. Sexual morals were mainly determined by the church. For the masses, s...