According to the state's customs in ancient Sparta:
- Men were recommended to marry at age 30 while women married at 20, since men lived in communal barracks until 30. Couples who married earlier had to live separately.
- For Spartan weddings, Spartan brides shaved their heads and dressed as men, then waited alone in the dark for their husband-to-be to "capture" them, completing the marriage ceremony. Younger grooms had to sneak out at night to visit their wives due to living in communal housing.
23. ACCORDING THE STATE’S CUSTOMS, IT WAS
RECOMMENDED THAT MEN MARRY AT AGE 30
AND WOMEN AT 20. BECAUSE MEN WERE
REQUIRED TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNAL
BARRACKS UNTIL AGE 30, COUPLES WHO
MARRIED EARLIER WERE FORCED TO LIVE
SEPARATELY UNTIL THE HUSBAND TURNED 30.
AS FOR SPARTAN WEDDING CUSTOMS,
SPARTAN WOMEN DIDN’T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT HOW TO WEAR THEIR HAIR FOR THEIR
WEDDING,
24. • because unlike Viking brides who wore their hair long,
Spartan brides shave their heads on the night of the
"wedding." The bride then dressed in a man's cloak and
sandals and was left alone in a dark room. Her husband-to-
be visited this room and “captured” her. That’s it. They were
married. Later, the groom dropped the bride off at her
parents’ house which completed the “ceremony.”
• men under 30 were still required to live in the communal
housing. So once married, these husbands had to sneak
out at night if they wanted to see their wives. Men who
delayed marriage were publicly shamed, while those who
fathered multiple sons could be rewarded.