The Evolution of Babylonian Marriage Auctions

In Ancient Babylon, Marriage Began With an Auction In ancient Babylon, weddings didn’t

start with love or vows. They started in the marketplace. Once a year,

the community gathered — not to trade food or animals — but to auction brides. But it wasn’t as

harsh as it sounds. The auctioneer began with the most beautiful woman. Men bid high to

marry her — and that money was then used to pay the men who married women considered

less desirable. The idea was simple: Everyone should be able to marry. No one left behind.

Beauty funded equality. Greek historian Herodotus wrote that the crowd reacted to each match —

cheering when a pairing seemed joyful, booing when something felt wrong. Babylon had public