Final answer:
The correct answer is option a) Desertion.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of history and divorce law, wives could only initiate divorce under stringent conditions. Considering the various historical texts and decrees, such as those from the Roman times, wives could potentially initiate divorce in the case of adultery when combined with other severe misbehaviors by their husbands.
These additional instances that could allow for a divorce included desertion, abandonment, violence, and in some cases, specific forms of legal infamy. The Lex Julia, for example, although skewed against women, did permit legal actions under certain egregious situations. In practice, however, societal norms and legal restrictions made divorce an incredibly difficult avenue for women, often leaving them with limited recourse in unhappy or abusive marriages.