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Curiosities of ancient Rome (Law)

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.

Contubernium in Roman law

Contubernium in Roman law was a permanent and legally permissible relationship between slaves or a free person and a slave. Contubernium was a purely factual relationship with no legal effect. Children from this relationship became the property of the owner of a slave.

Mosaic showing slaves

Lex Tullia

Candidates for civil servants often organized spectacular shows prior to the elections in order to win the favor of the crowds. In the year 63 BCE the Senate issued an act, on the initiative of the consul Marcus Tullius Cicerolex Tullia, in which he forbade standing for election to anyone who, during the preceding 2 years, would organize games. In addition, for such an act he was punished with 10 years of exile.

Bull on the Roman mosaic

Physical person in ancient Rome

In ancient Rome, as a physical person was considered a person from the moment of a birth, but only when he came into the world alive and his body exhibited the characteristics of naturalness. The sign of a living child was a shout for the Romans; for Sabinian, any signs of life.

Roman relief showing a woman and a child

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