Welcome to Matron Earth

In this world, there was a shift of power in the ancient Roman Empire. During the last days of the Roman Empire, a illegitimate heir claimed power Victis was the son of the Caesar and a mistress attempted to seize the throne from Lucius the legitimate heir. Helvia was a Mistress herself. But much more. As the armies of the two sons clashed in the heart of the Empire she organized support by a combination of bribes, grain delivery to the people and political maneuvering. Eventually taking control of Roma herself and declaring Pax Matria. Cleopatra sensing an opportunity to secure her own authority and that of any daughters she could have used a different strategy. She called priestesses of Isis and 'corrected' Divine Law. These changes of course didn't go unopposed in the Empire. Several Generals declared Helvia a Tyrant and attempted to force her from Rome. The resulting war lasted three years and as the people starved in the rebellious territories demanded the stability and peace that Helvia promised. And when the dust settled two large and influential empires were firmly in the hands of women.

These events set in motion a world drastically different from the world you know. Women rule the households. Your family name is your mother's name. The most important leaders in history? Women. Christianity? The Catholic Church? We follow the Marianity. The Virgin Mary is not merely the earthly mother of Christ but Mother of Heaven. The Goddess came to Earth in Human form and birthed her daughter Christa to absolve us of our sins. Hell? There is no Hell, for those who reject the Divine Mother and her Daughter Christa there is only dissolution after death. Your soul is ended and it's energy used to birth a new life on Earth instead. While the faithful are brought into Divine Mother's Heaven to live in peace for eternity.

Marriage? Relationships? Women are the heads of our households. We initiate proposals and because maternity is never a question monogamy, to secure Paternity, isn't exactly the norm. While Strict Monogamy does exist, it's considered odd but not stigmatized. Most families operate on "Fluid Monogamy". Meaning that the Wife and Mother has a Primary "Hearth Husband" and he is the social male role model of the home. And her primary partner in domestic life. But women who practice fluid monogamy have 'Cavaliers' lovers who fill certain needs. Be they sexual or otherwise. But affection with them in the presence of a Hearth Husband is a taboo insult. Men however are generally forbidden from engaging in sexual relationships outside the wife unless permission is given. If he provides a child to another woman his attention and perhaps even emotional loyalty would be compromised. That is not to say that men never engage with other women, it is just under controlled circumstances.

The social elite, celebrities generally or the super wealthy prefer Structured Polyandry. They marry multiple men who they feel can provide an advantage. Perhaps they have a valuable skill or come from a wealthy matriarchal line. Or they are simply a status symbol. This is less common among middle class families but not unheard of.

Of course we have women who like the idea of Strict Monogamy. The reasons are often personal and can range from disinterest in varied sexual experience or a romanticized idea of the Soul Mate.

And then we have Un-partnered Mothers. Women who choose to forgo a Hearth Husband entirely. There is no stigma to doing so.

And of course, we have the setting, you are in the United States of America. But not as you know it. The Founding mothers grace our history books and the Rights of Men Bill only provided suffrage for husbands in the last century. You and I live in New York City in this Matron World.