Humanitext Reader

Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.1.14.pr

Presumption of Citizens' Knowledge of Municipal Affairs

Passage 8657 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

This fragment establishes the legal presumption that the citizens of a municipality are deemed to know whatever is known by those entrusted with the highest administration of that municipality.

[IDEM libro quinto decimo quaestionum. ] §50.1.14.prMunicipes intelleguntur scire, quod sciant hi, quibus summa rei publicae commissa est.
[The same, Questions, Book XV] The citizens of a municipality are understood to know what those know to whom the highest administration of the public affairs is entrusted.

Notes

  1. §50.1.14.printelleguntur scire — A personal construction of the passive intellegere with the infinitive scire (nominativus cum infinitivo), literally meaning 'they are understood to know', which expresses a legal presumption or fiction.
  2. §50.1.14.prquod sciant — quod is a relative pronoun with its antecedent (such as id) omitted, serving as the object of scire. The subjunctive sciant is used because the clause is a subordinate clause within a general legal rule defining a class of knowledge.
  3. §50.1.14.prsumma rei publicae — While res publica often refers to the Roman State, here in the context of municipipes it refers to the public affairs or administration of the municipality itself. Combined with summa (the chief part, sum), it denotes 'the highest administration' or 'supreme executive authority' of the municipality.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.1.14.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.1.14.pr

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.