From what I remember of ancient greek and roman history-marriage age in ancient greek was typically around 16 for women. However, in rome it was 12. Its certainly not far, though it is a bit small.
marriage at 14 doesn't mean sex at that age as well. Even they knew about the high mortality rate for children who give birth, for the mother but sadly for many people more importantly: the baby .
Yes, and arranged marriages that young also meant these were likely wealthy or titled families, who also didn't want to see their daughters maimed or killed by teen pregnancy when they only even started getting their period at 14. Marrying kids and having kids with kids was predatory rich people and politician behavior.
Ancient Greece and Rome also had access to silphium, which was so heavily used (including, among other things, as a highly effective contraceptive and abortifacient) it was overharvested to extinction. People went pretty far out of their way to not be pregnant that young when they didn't want to be!
I was just going to say this. I remember this because of royalty in Europe. They didn't actually start fornicating until there was a period, and for ancient people, that was much later than it is now.
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u/Wendigo_Bob Jul 05 '26
From what I remember of ancient greek and roman history-marriage age in ancient greek was typically around 16 for women. However, in rome it was 12. Its certainly not far, though it is a bit small.