Sumptuariae leges were laws that were intended to regulate expenses and limit luxuries in Roman society.
These acts concerned, among others, clothing, food, lavish celebrations, or the number of servants that could be kept. The purpose of these regulations was not only to maintain social order but also to control luxury and the manifestation of wealth, which was intended to counteract excessive social stratification and protect traditional values. The law was introduced by Roman legislators at various times, starting in the 3rd century B.C., to limit pomp and ostentation among citizens, especially among the elite.
One of the most famous laws was the Lex Oppia, passed in 215 BCE during the Second Punic War. Lex Oppia introduced restrictions on women wearing expensive clothes and jewellery. It aimed to maintain moderation and equalize social differences at a time when Rome needed unification and common sacrifices due to the ongoing war.
Subsequent regulations of this type concerned, for example, restrictions on organizing lavish feasts. Lex Fannia from 161 BCE and Lex Didia from 143 BCE they determined the value of expenses for meals served at feasts. The purpose of these regulations was to prevent excessive spending and ostentatious displays of wealth that could arouse envy and destabilize society.
These laws were often difficult to enforce and did not always bring the intended results, but they had a significant impact on shaping Roman social life and customs. Attempts to regulate consumption and luxury reflected the concern of Roman elites for the preservation of traditional values and the stability of the state in the face of the growing gap between rich and poor.
