Curiosities of ancient Rome (Law)

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Law offers interesting facts about the legal system of ancient Rome and the rules that governed public and private life in the Roman Empire. This category includes lesser-known facts, interesting details, and unusual information about Roman statutes, legal institutions, the judiciary, and the everyday functioning of law in the ancient world.

Military law (ius in bello) of republican period

In Republican Rome, there were no legal acts regulating conduct during warfare. However, in ancient times, warring states applied generally accepted customary law in this matter. There were no standards (as there are today) regulating,…Więcej

What was legislative process in Roman Republic?

Roman Senate was an important office during the time of the Roman Republic, which decided on Roman laws. As the plebeians gradually won more democratic governments (moving away from the oligarchy), a typical legislative process…Więcej

Rapist did not have easy life

In ancient Rome, a rapist had his testicles crushed with two stones. In ancient Rome, rape – unless it was committed by the rulers – was punished severely. The victim was given a hammer and…Więcej

Lex Annalis – regulation of cursus honorum

Lex Annalis was the law which decisively regulated the order of office (cursus honourum) in the Roman Republic. Moreover, it set the minimum age that a Roman citizen must have had to apply for a…Więcej

No fight as gladiator

Tabula Larinas was a senatorial decree of 19 CE that forbade sons, daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren from senators or equites to participate in gladiatorial fights if they are under 20 life. The decision to issue…Więcej

Dowry in Roman world

In ancient Rome, it was an unwritten rule that in the event of marriage the bride should bring a dowry (dos). The additional capital contributed to the husband was to facilitate the maintenance of the…Więcej

Loan for use and pledge in the Roman law

Apart from loan for consumption (mutuum) and deposit (depositum) there were other real contracts in the Roman law – loan for use (commodatum) and pledge (pignus). Loan for use emerged towards the end of the…Więcej

Adoption in Roman world

In ancient Rome, adoption (adoptio) meant taking a son or daughter from another family under paternal authority. Adoption was carried out in the presence of a praetor or governor. The adoptive consent was not required.…Więcej

Law of XII Tables was in force until end of Empire

After the expulsion of the last king of Rome in 509 BCE the Romans created the Law of the XII Tables (450 BCE) – a collection of Roman laws that lasted 800 years until the…Więcej

How could Roman citizen lose his citizenship?

Roman citizen may have lost citizenship as a result of capitis deminutio media. The loss of citizenship also entailed the loss of freedom – capitis deminutio maxima (the greatest diminution of personality). A man could…Więcej

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