Facts About The Roman Empire That Will Shock And Amaze You

Wives Took A Vacation To Avoid Becoming Property

The Romans had a special law, “usucapio,” which allowed a person to take possession of something legally if they held onto it for a certain amount of time. Since slavery existed in Ancient Rome, this included people. Wives were at particular risk: if they stayed in their husband’s homes for a full year without departing sans husband, they would become their spouse’s property!

Photo Credit: Culture Club/Getty Images

Photo Credit: Culture Club/Getty Images

Though they lacked many rights elsewhere, women had a great deal of freedom when it came to traveling on their own in Ancient Rome. So many wives, to avoid becoming their husbands’ legal property, took special three-day vacations to avoid the usucapio rule.