Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.2.9.pr-50.2.9.1

Decurion Eligibility by Birth and Restrictions on Shipowners

Passage 8690 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

It records a decree of Emperor Severus allowing a man born of a free mother to become a decurion despite his father's slavery, and states that shipowners must not be appointed decurions.

[PAULUS libro primo decretorum. ] §50.2.9.prSeuerus Augustus dixit: etsi probaretur Titius in seruitute patris sui natus, tamen, cum ex libera muliere sit procreatus, non prohibetur decurio fieri in sua ciuitate. §50.2.9.1Non esse dubitandum, quin nauicularii non debent decuriones creari.

[PAULUS, In the First Book of Decrees.] Severus Augustus said: "Even if it should be proved that Titius was born while his father was in slavery, nevertheless, since he was procreated of a free woman, he is not prohibited from becoming a decurion in his own city." It is not to be doubted that shipowners ought not to be appointed decurions.

Notes

50.2.9.prin seruitute patris sui natus — Meaning "born during the slavery of his father." It refers to being born at a time when his father was in a state of slavery. "seruitute" (ablative) indicates the circumstance.
50.2.9.1Non esse dubitandum — This is an accusative with infinitive construction in indirect speech, relying on "dixit" from the preceding text, featuring the impersonal gerundive "dubitandum [esse]".
50.2.9.1quin nauicularii non debent — A dependent clause introduced by "quin" following an expression of doubt (non dubitandum). Although classical Latin normally requires the subjunctive mood here, the indicative present "debent" is used instead.

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.2.9.pr-50.2.9.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.2.9.pr-50.2.9.1

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.