Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Concubinatus

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

CONCUBINA'TUS. Properly, an alliance between two persons of different sexes, in the nature of a marriage, which was not looked upon as immoral or degrading amongst the Romans, so long as each party remained single, though it had none of the legimitate consequences of a proper marriage attached to it. It usually occurred between persons of unequal rank or condition, but who still wished to live together, as between a senator and freed-woman; and, in effect, very closely resembled the so called morganatic marriages of crowned heads or princes with persons of inferior rank, which, by the laws of some countries, may be impolitic or illegal, but not immoral. Becker, Gallus. Ulp. Dig. 25. 7. 1. Ib. 48. 5. 13.