Title: Summoned to the Roman courts : famous trials from antiquity /
Authors: Liebs, Detlef.
Publisher: University of California Press,
Year: 2012
Subjects: Trials Rome History.; Justice, Administration of (Roman law); Rome History
Abstract: "Summoned to the Roman Courts is the first work by Detlef Liebs, an internationally recognized expert on ancient Roman law, to be made available in English. Originally presented as a series of popular lectures, this book brings to life a thousand years of Roman history through sixteen studies of famous court cases - from the legendary trial of Horatius for the killing of his sister, to the trial of Jesus Christ, to that of the Christian leader Priscillian for heresy. Drawing on a wide variety of ancient sources, the author not only paints a vivid picture of ancient Roman society, but also illuminates how ancient legal practices still profoundly affect how the law is implemented today."--Pub. desc.
Contents: Killing a sister for mourning a fallen enemy -- Temporary end to trials involving black magic -- A dowry hunter loses out -- A naive buyer -- The party's intention vs. the pedantry of jurists? -- Cicero thwarts the intrigue of a powerful man -- Defense against a lover's malice -- Corrupter of morals through poetry, or accessory to a conspiracy? -- A precautionary crucifixion -- They hate mankind"? -- A criminal organization -- Brutal slave owners -- Self-help is punished -- Protecting a ward prevails over standard payment practices -- A dispute among christians -- The execution of heretics.