Going to court in Ancient Rome - What was it like?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2025
- What happened when someone committed a crime in ancient Rome? In this video we continue our series on Law & Order by looking at the history of the roman court system. This involves tracing its evolution of the course of the Monarchy, Republic, and Empire. As we do so, you will see the emergence of many aspects of Roman justice like judges, lawyers, juries, and more which will seem very familiar to us today. Stay tuned for more history on Roman Law & Order.
Suggested Reading and Bibliography
"Crime and Punishment in Ancient Rome" by Richard Bauman
"Law and Life of Rome" by J. A. Crook
“The Roman State: Laws, Lawmaking, and Legal Documents” by Gregory Rowe
"The Oxford Handbook of Roman Epigraphy" by Christer Bruun and Jonathan Edmondson.
#History
#Documentary
#Rome
If you want to see the Roman court system in action, here is an awesome scene from the HBO show Rome that does a good job recreating it: th-cam.com/video/I_9Hgg-AKTc/w-d-xo.html
The short answer to today's question:
Dudes with denari were mint.
Plebs without, were in peril.
Things have not changed much.
Hey Invicta, love your channel. :D
Do you have any plans to speak about Arabian or native African culture? Or even culture in these regions that people are even less knowlegeable about? :)
I recommend reading Cicero trilogy by Robert Harris
Judge: We're here today to determined whether or not the defendant is guilty.
Cicero: But you see, your sister is a hoe.
Judge: Fair point lol. ACQUITS
😂😂😂
@@disrespectthemwomensubjuga5471 Name checks out.
Drops mic.
It was the prosecutor's sister,not the jury's.
I like how Scipio was like “Guys this trial is cool and all but how awesome is it that today is the anniversary of that time I saved Rome from Hannibal? Why bother with this court nonsense when we could go to the city and honor my achievements huh?”
He fought for his right to paaaaarty.
basically the "YOU OWE ME BIG TIME"
@@kana22693
Ah, Dovahhatty
We find the defendant totally awesome
He never did deny the charges ;)
Apparently his body was buried outside the city and his gravestone said “Ungrateful country, you won’t even have my bones”
Cicero: "I guess you could say she welcomed everybody..." stands up slowly, puts on sunglasses "... with open arms."
@EmperorJuliusCaesar Horacio lmfaooo
The Might One if he really wanted to roast her he’d have said she welcomed all with open legs. Now that would be brutal
YYEEEAAAAAAAHHHH
Sounds like CSI miami
I always remember reading a book of Roman court transcripts. The one that always makes me smile was an argument of two neighbours, one of whom had built an extension of his house a couple of feet inside the other's property. It was just hilarious that even 2,000 years ago people argued about the same petty little sh# we do today.
TWO FEET YOU SAY! WHY I NEVER!
To be fair I'd be more than a little miffed at someone building on MY property without my consent. Still though it's nice to see these long dead people as more than distant, inhuman historical factoids but as living people or people who lived, loved, fought, cried and had dreams of their own even so long ago. This series really helps to bring a fresh new perspective on history, bringing it to life and see how universal (though not without important nuances) the human experience has been through out time.
what was the book called?
@@navilluscire2567 you make it sound as through people two thousand years ago were apes with feelings.Human evolution have not made that big of an advancement yet, for you to speak about them that way.It's disgustingly patronizing.
@@navilluscire2567 Apparently humans have somehow become less human since 2000 years ago. We're animals, always have been. Of course the Romans lived, loved, and fought like we do now.
I went to law school in Austria. here in the first year, we still had to learn Roman law because of its huge impact on modern European law. we had to solve cases like Slave A, belonging to Master B, broke the nose of Slave C, belonging to master D.
Clearly Master B as the patriarch is responsible for the actions of his household. Therefore it is right and just for him to compensate Master D for the damages done to his property.
Bro, that's why I, Iaw student from Czech Republic, watch this video xD
It wasnt that easy to make the Dominus liable for the actions of their slaves. They only had to pay for the actions of their slaves if they gave a specific amount of their possessions to the slaves for them to use. This money could be Used for damages. If this wasnt enough, it was Tradition to give the misbehaving slave to the other Dominus and he could decide to punish or kill the other slave.
We also had the possibility to study roman law in germany
In the ancient justice system, spell and curse based offenses are considered especially heinous.
In Rome, the dedicated toga wearing citizans who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Roman Unit. These are their stories
That was actually pretty funny 😆
Haha
I totally don’t get it. help!
Bum! bum!
@@TheHesseJames law & order SVU joke/meme sir go watch the introduction to any episode and you'll get it fam
As a classicist, specializing in Rome, it is obvious to me that people have changed very little over the millennia.
I'm in my last semester of law school. I love this series on Roman law. So interesting.
Glad its been relevant to your studies! I hope that eventually we have a whole library of videos exploring the many aspects of Roman history.
I'm also in law school, but here in my country, since our core laws are technically "descendants" of roman laws, we have to study a subject called "Roman laws/rights" , very interesting but also difficult since we have to basically study rome's history to understand the context in which the roman laws were applied
@@MsRAZGRIZ1 For us in the United States， we learn our laws and justice system come primarily from English Common Law. I even had to learn one law from the time of Elizabeth I, related to trustee avoidance powers in bankruptcy, haha. But after watching these videos on Roman history and law, it's clear so much of English law comes from Ancient Rome.
@@AttyMonroe also in law school (in Kenya), and our unit on 'Foundations of Roman Law' was by far my favourite.
Every time I think "he's bound to run out of topics to talk about", you surprise me with something new and interesting.
I think we will all run out of memory before he runs out of topics
Yea he’s really good at it, the ancient world has a lot of obscure but still interesting topics
"Which truth they would rather believe" sounds alarmingly familiar.
It's basically the hard truths we must hear vs sweet lies people want to hear. It's a scary thought how often folks would prefer the latter, scarier still that I would understand why. (not that it makes things right, only understandable)
Sounds like trump.
@@GalacticSpartan , lol
@@GalacticSpartan You have the virus of TDS
"Asking the public not where the evidence lay, but which "truth" they'd rather believe."
- Humanity, since time immemorial.
Would you rather trust a single individual to choose the truth?
@@jcavs9847 depending on the amount of objective information that he said
While I am initially drawn to your videos/channel by the subject matter, I have to admit that the artwork and visuals used have an appeal of their own. These illustrations, combined with your succinct and clear delivery, make this channel both informative and entertaining. Thanks for that!
Law and Order: Rome? I prefer CSI: Gaul
*& you are 14-years old!!!!*
@@Justin.Martyr and..?
Rome: Special Victims Unit
Criminalis mentes.
@@combatantezoteric2965 *& YOU ARE 13-years old!!!~!*
The only channel where you can find the deepest of information regarding the Ancient Roman empire.
Watch historia civis his ceasar and roman vids are detail
I know every episode of HBO's "Rome" by heart...I appreciated that you used the various scenes to explain your subject.
Gods, Cicero, the absolute mad lad! That's not even his best insult.
Roman citizen:"Somebody toucha my spaghet!"
Judge:"To the Colosseum!"
Roman citizens do not apply to fight as a gladiator or convicted with this penalty, unless they give up to he's rights as a roman citizen.
@@ioneltorac computer says no.
Dead meme
So basically, both modern legal system (Common and Continental), stemmed from one, single Roman Empire.. that’s incredibly astonishing!
It's not at all? Western civilization is built on the ashes of Rome.
Yeah pretty much
Seems only logical when you think about it
Iron Duke It’s built on the fragments.
Without Rome, the world we know today would be very different.
The middle east also played a huge role
“Who could argue more convincingly in court”. Sounds just like now in the USA
well this is an oh shit moment if we look at how rome went...civil wars here we come
@@jephthaholt Oh, please.
Another fear-mongering nonsense.
Jephtha Holt we are very close to civil war right now. There is no doubt the liberals are determined to take our constitutional freedoms and p^ss on them making us their work slaves, and we will fight them over that. So it’s coming because the moment they steal the 2nd amendment they will end the 1st. It’s just what liberals do. They can’t help themselves tbey are statist fascist
@@ShadowSumac look then at what happened in Virginia. The governor pressed tighter restrictions on their second amendment rights and they armed themselves and threatened to fight back if they tried to take their arms. This is a very divided country and would take a miracle to bring us back together, or another bin laden for us to universally hate and rally against.
I was a Republican until 2016. Trump's conduct is the greatest threat to our rights, not any of the piddly crap Democrats have been trying (and failing at) for decades. Trump breaks the law in ways that threaten our elections, and the Republicans refuse even to hear evidence at trial. That's the threat to our country.
Love these slice in a life of videos
I cant belive I wasnt subscribed to you allready. Please accept my apologies. I have enjoyed every video you make
Glad to have you aboard : )
civil history is so much more interesting than military history
as a lawyer from brazil, thanks for this
*But your Comment was Pretty Stupid, so-caLLed Lawyer!!!*
@Somali Kid warya stop messing with the Adans😂😂, real talk were are my somali fams learning about ancient history at!
As a son of a lawyer in Brazil, I like to discuss early legal systems since my mother didn't had history of law
@Somali Kid keep seeking knowledge abowe, aslamalykum
As a thanks from this, Brazil for lawyer
Most people in the city crowd during these trials must've trolled.
"He doesn't deserve to speak!"
*person accused of stealing an apple*
Or he cast a spell
Do you swear to speak the truth the one truth, the only truth that suits. So help you Jupiter Optimus Maximus?
Wait a moment! The justice sysem was corrupted by the rich and powerful? That's a shocker.
This is one of the reasons why, in the 5 years I spent in Law School, Foundations of Roman Law was always by far my favourite unit.
These videos are great! Do the Greek legal system next! We only ever hear about the trial of Socrates, I want to know more about the system.
You should make more videos on the topic of Roman Law. These are great!
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA! I wish I could find videos of how trials work in a variety of nations today and throughout history! I'm so excited to watch this video!
Cases could take months, even years...
*laughs in Federal Docket
imagine a justice system that's based on a roast-off
nice
I really enjoy topics like this. Law, politics and the economy of ancient civilizations is so interesting to me. One subject I've never heard anyone get into great detail about is how coins were minted and distributed in the ancient world. What was the process. How many were made a day? Would really like a video on that.
To think, you could win a legal battle with a diss track
0:42 you just described ork culture perfectly.
It is quite amazing to see that our courts today run in essence more or less the same as they did 2000 years ago.
Great video and ty for including scenes from one of my favorite shows, ROME!
Awesome video! Thanks for making it
Hi, can you do a video about viruses and plagues in ancient rome? And how they managed to contain and defeat that particular virus or plague.. Also, it would be cool if you can create a scenario where the coronavirus came and infected the roman empire and how they could have defeated it.
Thanks if you read.
Rule #I for spectators of Ancient Roman trials: when Cicero's on the schedule, bring popcorn. It's gonna be goooood.
Thank you as always for the class
*But you Taught us, Nothing!!!*
@@Justin.Martyr What did the Romans give us anyway?!
@@GyulaHorvathGarijin
*Romans Turned to Jesus & Jesus Masturbated as the*
*Pomans were Exterminated!!!*
I hope you do more on this topic!
' A personmwas found guilty or not guilty based on who could argue more convincingly in court '.....Yeah, things haven't really changed !
Does anyone want else want to see like an ancient Roman version of Matlock because that would be cool
Thanks. Awesome as usual.
0:40 The screenshots from Primal caught me off guard.
This was fantastic, thank you.
man i wish there was a way to time travel because it seems like the most interesting parts of ancient rome was open to the public, so you could literally go back in time and just be like any other spectator and no one would know the difference
About 25% of those crowds are made up of time travelers.
It's amazing that laws back then and today are simular and the handleing of those laws!
I always liked the show "CSI-Espania
"Casting a spell on someone else's crops was punishable by crusafiction"
Jesus! That's harsh.
This makes me wonder if there was any way for the alleged spellcasters to dispell their enchantments or break the curses laid by them on their victims' crops or property, like as a punishment for their crimes.
*Tribune:* Alright sorceress, we'll let you go IF you lift the vile spell you placed on Maximus' field, sounds good right?
*Sorceress:* A-And what if I don't..?
*Tribune:* Then we crucify you.
*Sorceress:* ... **gets to work on dispelling her enchantment**
Or something like that in this hypothetical scenario...plus a possible fine as well. (to pay for grief caused and crop losses)
Quite an impressive and generally accurate restatement of the Roman legacy. It lived on most directly in the Canon law afterwards and the modern civil law. Although people are in error when they paint the common law systems as wholly distinct as the Norman conquest forced a Roman procedural system on the anglo-Saxon juristic philosophy. Would be willing to show new law students this.
"Spell on crop -> crucifixion. Of course not everything could be covered"
Glad they got that one covered, phew!
Have you considered making a video of Cicero's court rhetoric? He must have made a lot of equally, gloriously brazen statements
I’m starting to get the idea that the Chewbacca defense would work very well in Ancient Rome.
Why am I like
Modern law: courts and lawyers boring!
Ancient law: FASCINATING.
Could you do a video about Hellenic magical traditions and what kind of a role they played in religion?
5:26 But that's the point - you would need to bribe the one with power to set punishments rather then the plebs.
*DONT PISS OFF THE PLEBS*
@@australianword3812 if we piss of the plebs we will actually have to work since they actually have brains and knowlege and intelligence enough to leave anytime and leave us to work to understand the hard work they do, so do not, I repeat, *DO NOT PISS OF THE PLEBS*
Reference to when the plebs left for a while since they were upset because they din't have rights and came back when the patricians gave them rights
@@asteriawashere6881 don't piss them off or they will come to kill you during the week lawless festival
". . .the law remained very convoluted and conflicting, such that its proper interpretation came down to, simply, *Who could argue most convincingly* in court?"
In other words, exactly like OUR system of jurisprudence in America today!
Well done! Thank you!
How about a video on how Roman and Roman armies communicated both o and off the field of battle
Facinating thanks.
Many great conquerors had a great reform to their laws codified. Napoleon. Justinian. I think Caesar probably did something, or would've done more if only not for a Cassius, so all he got was a lousy Calendar. But overtime, laws eventually become bloated as old laws ("no driving a carriage over 10mph") become irrelevant and sometimes dangerous and the law system does not fulfill its original purpose anymore. While the court of popular opinion may be swayed by charismatic strongmen, at least some element of its original purpose may be retained.
Laws are a great way to incentives people to act in a specific way and integrate.
Spain for example has a legal system inherited and almost identical to Imperial Rome and it is anything but efficient: cases can be put to sleep for years, decades even if the judge thinks it's politically perilous to close the trial, but even regular matters may take years to resolve. There's nothing "effcient" in the Imperial judicial system (and of course abuse of power is absolutely the norm, rather than the exception).
can't wait for CSI:Rome on netflix :)
Could you do a video on famous Roman trials? :D
It is interesting but if you would speak more slowly, so more clear, and must finaly use 1 minute more... it would be very, very better.
old classic Rome had a system very much like the common law, with magistrate's courts and equity to adjust the formers' decisions
So invicta, do you have anymore of that Roman legion evolution part 2?
Imagine using the chewbacawa defence here
What's the Chewbacca defense?
@@marrqi7wini54 a defence in court ment to confuse jury also know in english system as red herring
The HBO series deserved better.
4:13 - 4:18 Is that a quote? Were can I find it or if it's not, information about the Court cases that this was used for?
Also there's no captions on, was it _Marcus Aemilius Scaurus_ or _Marcus Aurelius Scaurus_ ?
Because I can barely find anything about the first one.
Me in the year 300BC: I do not consent to any searches and I want my lawyer.
Well this is relevant. Just apprehended a guy trying to Rob a bag. 4 strong men held him down and got me thinking what would happen if police weren't available and we all had to do it ourselves
Are you doing an episode about the order aspect of Rome?
I'd like to see CSI Ancient Rome.
The proconsul corruption was so bad that when the famous poet Catullus greeted his friend who had just come back from governing Sicily he didn't ask "how are you" but "how much did you make?"
Nice vid.
1:16 source? I couldn't find that in a pdf that showed the laws listed in the twelve tables.
The second court system sounds just like how criminal cases are handled in the US; even the idea of a specialty court existed.
Man, that was interesting. Kinda like today's legal system.
>Primal reference
>Hits Subscribe
the more i watch this series the more i want a tv series about wacky, sometime serious, and blatant abuse of roman law practice
I don't suppose you could do a video about how people who were not citizens of Rome attained Roman citizenship like foreigners who fought in the army or emancipated slaves and freemen or valued servicemen like Greek teachers and doctors who Caesar had employed and given citizenship to work in Rome.
Will you be covering the how non-citizens and slaves were processed/treated under Roman law? In regards to what was recorded about Saul of Tarsus in Acts 22:25, there seems to be a difference.
wait tf today my Latin class just went over Cicero and Roscius
From the thumbnail, was anyone hoping to hear the Law and Order theme song? 😂
What film is the shot at 10:22 from?
Rule 1: This mine.
Rule 2: You take, me punch.
Ancap ideology in a nutshell.
So the more money you had and the more persuasive argument you could make decided on if you'd win or lose?
God bless America, never change!
They found the tomb of romulus can you tell us more about iT maybe in next videos
In Roman times and in today's times, the system was commercial, where any crime has a specific value that needs to be paid. Not that this will mean to anyone
"bribing an entire city is difficult" *JEFF BEZOS HAS $100,000,000,000*
@Cannabis Dreams he does google it
@Cannabis Dreams net worth is the total worth of all assets. most of bezos net worth is in the form of highly liquid assets like stocks however, so it can be easily translated in his case.
@Cannabis Dreams that is true in a way, if he announced he was selling that stock to fun a new investment however that is unlikely to cause a panic. eitherway bezos definetly has the money to give everyone in a roman city 1000 dollars in bribe and not really notice the loss.
gayus jucilianus: did i say that right?
Julicus publianus: yes you continue to say them correctly
Evolution of the Roman Legions: Part 2 when
My book in university talks about the first fase as ''legis actio'' the second fase as agere per formulam'' and the third extra ordinaria. Can anyone explain me why this is not the case in this video?
Rome had a system like we have in USA
Well our system (and other systems such as Britain's) WAS based off of the Roman system.
Bud I’ve worked in law enforcement for 14 years, I can promise you we don’t have a system of justice. We have too many laws, prosecutors are overworked, law enforcement officers are asked to do too much and society doesn’t support them. The United States will get the type of law enforcement they deserve and there will be even less in the way of justice.
the laws were confusing and contradictory legals scholars studied and analized these laws and it basically came down to who could argue the best. Thats not any differant than today
Month or years to have a time in court? Sounds like today haha
Back then the reason for that was because they had too few judges, these days we just have too many laws which often contradict each other. A competent lawyer can keep any trail going for at least a year.