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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §48.19.35.pr

Prohibition of Perpetual Chains in Mandates and Rescript

Passage 8416 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

It states that the imperial mandates given to provincial governors prohibit sentencing anyone to perpetual chains (imprisonment), a rule also confirmed by a rescript of the divine Hadrian.

[CALLISTRATUS libro primo quaestionum. ] §48.19.35.prMandatis principalibus, quae praesidibus dantur, cauetur, ne quis perpetuis uinculis damnetur: idque etiam diuus Hadrianus rescripsit.
[CALLISTRATUS, from the First Book of Questions.] In the imperial mandates which are given to governors, it is provided that no one should be sentenced to perpetual chains; and this the divine Hadrian also answered by rescript.

Notes

  1. §48.19.35.prMandatis principalibus — Ablative of place or means. The 'mandata' (imperial mandates) refer to the general administrative instructions issued by the emperor to provincial governors (praesides) and other officials.
  2. §48.19.35.prcauetur — Impersonal passive of the verb caueo, meaning 'it is provided' or 'caution is taken'. The following clause 'ne quis... damnetur' serves as a noun clause explaining the substance of the provision. Note that 'quis' functions as 'aliquis' (anyone) after 'ne'.
  3. §48.19.35.prperpetuis uinculis — Ablative of penalty. Although literally meaning 'by perpetual chains', this is a legal expression referring to public 'perpetual imprisonment' (or life-long detention) in Roman law.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §48.19.35.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:48.19.35.pr

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