What is the Laudatio Turiae?:
Laudatio Turiae is a tombstone for a beloved wife (the so-called "Turia") from the late first century B.C. The inscription (the main part is CIL VI 1527) contains the reasons her husband loved her and found her an exemplary wife, as well as biographical data; however, the identities of the husband and wife are unknown. Exceptionally long, this inscription is an important source for the roles of women; however, it was written by a man and therefore may not accurately portray a woman's life.
Accomplishments of the Anonymous Wife:
The first accomplishment of the unknown Roman woman referred to as "Turia," according to the inscription, is avenging the murder of her parents. She then dealt with problems of inheritance within the different types of Roman marriages.
Marriage:
In addition to the inscription's specifying some of the differences between types of marriage, the widower says that their marriage was unusual in lasting 40 years. He wishes he had died first as would have been more fitting since he was the senior member of the marriage.
Wifely Virtues:
Among the deceased's virtues are modesty, obedience, wool-working skill, unsuperstitious religiosity, and familial piety.
Her Husband in Exile:
When her husband was in flight, she sent him her jewelry and gold coins. She also pleaded on his behalf and defended his property against break-in.
Abusive Treatment:
When his wife had prostrated herself at the feet of the triumvir Marcus Lepidus, she was dragged off like a slave. Since Augustus had already reinstated her husband as citizen, this treatment provided some evidence against Marcus Lepidus.
Childlessness:
His wife was childless, and offered divorce so he could have an heir. Her husband wanted none of it.
Resources:
- English Translation of the Laudatio Turiae
- Bibliotheca Augustana - Laudatio Turiae in Latin
- KET DL Latin II Mores Roman Culture
- "Lepidus, the Proscriptions and the 'Laudatio Turiae,'" by Alain M. Gowin. Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte, Vol. 41, No. 3 (1992), pp. 283-296
The Name Turia:
Turia was the name of a woman of the same period who saved the life of her husband as did the unnamed woman of this inscription. It is strongly believed that the woman of this inscription was not Turia.
More about the inscription:
The inscription has been broken up and found in pieces all over Rome. It is the longest surviving inscription by a private individual with about 180 lines of text.
