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The article studies the relationship between wealthy women and male inheritance hunters among the elite in the High Roman Empire in the "Épigrammes" written by the Roman poet known as Martial. The author examines the specificity of the notion of inheritance appropriation (captatio) and the social conditions conducive to such a practice, discusses why captatio is a recurring theme in satirical literature, and looks at the social and financial position of single and childless women.

An abstract related to the urban patronage in imperial Rome is presented.