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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §48.2.13.pr

Special Qualifications to Accuse Concerning the Grain Supply

Passage 8140 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This text explains that for the sake of public safety and utility regarding the grain supply, individuals normally restricted from prosecuting—such as women, infamous persons, soldiers on guard, and slaves—are exceptionally permitted to bring accusations before the prefect of the grain supply.

[MARCIANUS libro primo de publicis iudiciis. ] §48.2.13.prMulierem propter publicam utilitatem ad annonam pertinentem audiri a praefecto annonae deferentem diuus Seuerus et Antoninus rescripserunt.
[MARCIANUS, On Public Judgments, Book 1] The Divine Severus and Antoninus rescribed that, on account of the public utility pertaining to the grain supply, a woman who brings an accusation should be heard by the prefect of the grain supply.
famosi quoque accusantes sine ulla dubitatione admittuntur.
Infamous persons also, when they accuse, are admitted without any doubt.
milites quoque, qui causas alienas deferre non possunt, qui pro pace excubant, uel magis ad hanc accusationem admittendi sunt.
Soldiers too, who cannot bring accusations in the cases of others, if they are on guard for the peace, ought all the more to be admitted to this accusation.
serui quoque deferentes audiuntur.
Slaves also, when they bring accusations, are heard.

Notes

  1. 48.2.13.prMulierem ... audiri ... deferentem ... rescripserunt — An accusative-with-infinitive (AcI) construction serving as the object of the main verb rescripserunt. Mulierem is the subject accusative of the passive infinitive audiri, and the present participle deferentem agrees with Mulierem in the accusative. In the phrase propter publicam utilitatem ad annonam pertinentem, the participle pertinentem agrees with and modifies utilitatem.
  2. 48.2.13.prcausas alienas — Meaning 'the cases of others.' Under Roman law, soldiers were generally prohibited from bringing accusations in legal matters that did not concern their own interests. However, this passage indicates an exception for serious offenses involving public order, such as those related to the grain supply (annonam).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §48.2.13.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:48.2.13.pr

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