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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §1.8.8.pr-1.8.8.2

Definition of Sanctum and the Sanctity of City Walls

Passage 156 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Marcianus defines "sacred" (sanctum), explains its etymological origin from "sagmina," and reports Sabinus' opinion that municipal walls are sacred and must not be encroached upon.

[MARCIANUS libro quarto regularum. ] §1.8.8.prSanctum est, quod ab iniuria hominium defensum atque munitum est.
[MARCIANUS, Rules, book 4] That is "sacred" which is defended and protected from human injury.
§1.8.8.1Sanctum autem dictum est a sagminibus: sunt autem sagmina quaedam herbae, quas legati populi Romani ferre solent, ne quis eos uiolaret, sicut legati Graecorum ferunt ea quae uocantur cerycia.
Now, "sacred" is so called from "sagmina"; and "sagmina" are certain herbs which the envoys of the Roman people are accustomed to carry, so that no one may violate them, just as the envoys of the Greeks carry those things which are called "cerycia".
§1.8.8.2In municipiis quoque muros esse sanctos Sabinum recte respondisse Cassius refert, prohiberique oportere ne quid in his immitteretur.
Cassius reports that Sabinus rightly answered that in municipalities also the walls are sacred, and that it ought to be forbidden that anything be projected into them.

Notes

  1. 1.8.8.prhominium — A variant reading in the manuscripts for hominum (genitive plural of homo, "of men").
  2. 1.8.8.2Sabinum recte respondisse Cassius refert — The main verb is refert ("Cassius reports"), which governs an indirect discourse with Sabinum as subject and respondisse as infinitive. The content of Sabinus' opinion (respondisse) is further expressed by two subordinate accusative-with-infinitive clauses: muros esse sanctos and prohiberique oportere.
  3. 1.8.8.2ne quid in his immitteretur — A subjunctive clause expressing prohibition depending on prohiberi (which is the subject of the impersonal oportere). The verb immittere ("to insert/project into") is a legal-technical term referring to inserting beams or projecting structures into walls.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §1.8.8.pr-1.8.8.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:1.8.8.pr-1.8.8.2

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