Patria potestas is a Latin legal term for 'the power of the father.' [ Patria is the nominative, singular, feminine form of a Latin adjective meaning 'father.' It modifies the feminine noun potestas meaning 'power'. ] Patria potestas gave the father almost absolute power over his descendants, at least theoretically. When a Roman woman married, she might remain under her father's power or the power might be transferred to the hand (manus) of her husband. A father might also emancipate his sons. The property of those under patria potestas actually belonged to the father (or grandfather or great-grandfather -- whoever had the power, aka the paterfamilias).
See: Paternal Power in Late Antiquity, by Antti Arjava. The Journal of Roman Studies (1998), pp. 147-165.
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