coemptio
coemptio (koh-emp-shee-oh), n. [Latin] Roman law. A form of civil marriage in which the husband “purchased” from a woman’s father — by fictitious sale — the right to exercise marital power (manus) over the woman. • The father conveyed his daughter to her husband through the technical procedure of a sale of res mancipi. The im-aginary sale took place in the presence of five adult Roman citizens and a balance-holder (libripens). The husband or fictitious purchaser was termed the coemptionator or coemptioner. The importance of coemptio as a method of civil marriage had faded by the end of the Republic period. Pl. coemptiones (koh-emp-shee-oh-neez). Cf. CONFARREATIO; USUS(3).
