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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §37.13.1.pr-37.13.1.2

Military-Style Wills for Non-Soldiers and Fleets

Passage 5850 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

Discusses how non-soldiers dying in enemy territory are exceptionally allowed to make wills as if under military law, and clarifies the application of military law to naval officers, fleet crew, vigiles, and soldiers in transit.

[ULPIANUS libro quadragensimo quinto ad edictum. ] §37.13.1.prNon dubium est, quin debeant ratae uoluntates esse eorum, qui in hosticolo suprema iudicia sua quoquo modo ordinassent ibidemque diem suum obissent.
[ULPIANUS, in the forty-fifth book on the Edict.] There is no doubt that the last wills of those who have in any way settled their final testaments in an enemy territory and have met their end there ought to be held valid.
quamquam enim distet condicio militum ab his personis constitutiones principales separent, tamen qui in procinctu uersantur cum eadem pericula experiantur, iura quoque eadem merito sibi uindicant.
For although the condition of soldiers differs from these persons and the imperial constitutions separate them, nevertheless, those who are engaged in actual battle-array, since they experience the same dangers, also deservedly claim for themselves the same rights.
omnes igitur omnino, qui eius sunt condicionis, ut iure militari testari non possint, si in hosticolo deprehendantur et illic decedant, quomodo uelint et quomodo possint, testabuntur, siue praeses quis sit prouinciae siue legatus siue quis alius, qui iure militari testari non potest.
Therefore, absolutely all who are of such a condition that they cannot make a will under military law, if they are caught in enemy territory and die there, shall make their wills in whatever way they wish and in whatever way they can, whether it be a governor of a province, or a legate, or anyone else who cannot make a will under military law.
§37.13.1.1Item nauarchos et trierarchos classium iure militari posse testari nulla dubitatio est.
Likewise, there is no doubt that naval commanders and trierarchs of fleets can make wills under military law.
in classibus omnes remiges et nautae milites sunt.
In fleets, all rowers and sailors are soldiers.
item uigiles milites sunt et iure militari eos testari posse nulla dubitatio est.
Likewise, the vigiles are soldiers, and there is no doubt that they can make wills under military law.
§37.13.1.2Si quis militum ex alio numero translatus sit in alium, quamuis et hinc sit exemptus et illo nondum peruenerit, tamen poterit iure militari testari: est enim miles, quamuis in numeris non sit.
If any soldier has been transferred from one unit to another, although he has been removed from the former and has not yet arrived at the latter, he will nevertheless be able to make a will under military law; for he is a soldier, although he is not in the active units.

Notes

  1. §37.13.1.prsuprema iudicia — Literally 'final decisions,' referring here to wills (testamenta) or any post-mortem dispositions.
  2. §37.13.1.prdistet condicio militum ab his personis constitutiones principales separent — The subjunctives 'distet' and 'separent' are coordinated. The first part means 'the condition of soldiers differs from [that of] these persons,' and the second part means 'the imperial constitutions separate [them].' The direct object of 'separent' is omitted but understood from the context.
  3. §37.13.1.2in numeris — The word 'numerus' (plural 'numeri') refers to a military unit or roll in the later Roman army. Here it indicates that the soldier has not yet been registered in his new unit during the transfer.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §37.13.1.pr-37.13.1.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:37.13.1.pr-37.13.1.2

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