Why Were Ancient Roman Girls Married at 12?

In ancient Rome, a girl could be married off at just twelve years old. And in some families, her future husband was already being chosen before she could even read or write. While Roman boys were preparing for adulthood, girls could be prepping for marriage, motherhood, and a life with a man they barely knew. But these early marriages weren't always about love, or even starting a family. Welcome to Ancient Lore. Today, let’s find out why ancient Roman girls married so young, and what marriage actually looked like in one of history's most powerful empires.