Marriage in Byzantium

"Brings together ritual texts, visual representations, objects, and historical narratives to trace the social process of marriage formation in the pre-modern Mediterranean world. Recreates the colorful ceremonies employed and explores what they reveal about family ties, religious belief and practice, sexuality, law, and gender relations"--

Introduction; Part I. The Christianization of Ancient Marriage Ritual: 1. Pre-Christian Marriage Ritual in the Mediterranean World; 2. Early Christian Weddings in the Eastern Mediterranean; Part II. Byzantine Marriage Rituals Before and Beyond the Liturgical Books: 3. Marriage Ritual in Law and Literature; 4. Marriage in Visual and Material Evidence; Part III. Marriage Rites in Byzantine Liturgical Manuscripts: 5. The Byzantine Euchologion: Sources and Methods; 6. Rites of Betrothal; 7. Rites of Marriage; 8. Rites of the Bridal Chamber; Conclusion: Byzantine Marriage Beyond Byzantium; Appendix I. Chronological List of Manuscripts Consulted; Appendix II. Sample of Marriage Rites in the Manuscript Sources.