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Today, divorce seems to be an easy matter that Greek courts resolve in a short time. But what about marriages that broke up in ancient times?
In Ancient Greece, historians recorded many divorces. Initially, there were two types. A lot depended on who asked for a divorce.
If the husband wanted a divorce, then he had to return the dowry received to his wife’s family and ensure his wife’s financial survival for the first few years after the divorce. If there were children, the husband kept them for himself, and if a woman younger than his ex-wife got married, then it was forbidden to appear in public until she remarried.
If a woman from the family demanded a divorce, then she had to irrefutably prove to the local ruler that there were good reasons for the divorce. The most serious reason, which was always accepted by the ruler, was the inability of the husband to provide his wife with a minimum means of subsistence.
Health problems were also one of the major reasons for divorce. In such cases, the home passed to the wife’s family until she remarried.
Also, the laws of Solon (Σολώνειο Νομοθεσία) say that divorce is accepted if a man does not make love to his wife at least three times a month. The legislation exempted the husband from performing marital duties for one week per month due to “critical days” at his wife’s.
There were often cases when an ex-husband took on the task of finding a new partner for his ex-wife. There have only been a few times when an ex-husband has taken ownership of a home, and only to find a new partner for his ex-wife.
Ancient Greek society was modern in many ways and certainly more advanced than it is today.
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