Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-14
old ROME HADLAW
TO GOVERN TRAFFIC
Gold Chariots Ran Through
Streets in as Be. Under
Strict Regulations.

The ancient Romans had traffic laws.
The gold chariots that rumbled over
the Roman pavements back in As BIC.
had all the modern regulations except
the stop-and-go lights, according TO the
National Association Of Real Estate
Boards.
Moreover, then as now, some people
got a break under these laws that pro-
hibited driving" during the first 10
hours of the day. This did not apply TO
the Vestal Virgins and priests when
they had to journey to public religious
ceremonies.
The association quotes in this con-
nection DR.. John Henry Wigmore, pro-
lessor of law at Northwestern Univer-
sity, Chicago, who in his recently pub
lished three-Volume book "A Panorama
of the Worlds Legal Systems" includes
translation of a Roman city code dated
BIC. As.
Quotation From Code.
Here are the traffic rules that are part
Of this code:
I'm the roads which are or shall be
within the city Of Rome, or within the
limits of continuous habitation, no per-
son, after the first day of January next
following, shall be allowed in the day.
time, after sunrise or before the tenth
hour OF the day, to lead or drive any
heavy wagon; except where 1t shall be
requisite for the purpose of building
the sacred temples of the immortal gods
or executing some public work, to draw
or convey material into the city, or
where, in pursuance of contract for
the demolition of buildings from such
places and in cases and for objects for
I which it shall be lawful for specified
persons and for specified causes to lead
or drive such wagons.
Some Were Exempt.
ION all days when the Vestal Viz
gins. the director Of religious cere-
monies, and the priests shall be re-
quired to ride in wagons in the city by
reason of the public religious cere-
monies of the Roman people, or wfMl
wagons shall be required for a tri-
umphal procession on the day fixed
for such triumph, or for games, which
shall be publicly celebrated within the
city of Rome, or within one mile of
the city, or for the procession at the
circus sports, for all such causes and
on all such days it shall be lawful for
wagons to be led or driven in the city
in the daytime, anything to this. law
TO the contrary Notwithstanding.
ut shall be lawful for wagons
brought into the city by night, drawn
by oxen or horses, if returning empty
or conveying away refuse, to be in the
city of Rome or within one mile Of the
city after sunrise in the first 10 hours
of the day, anything in this law to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
This same city code also provided for
the assessment OF property owners for
the building and maintenance of roads
on which their property abutted. The
re tn
the length and breadth of the road in
front OF their properly" The code
further provided that iii any person so
assessed shall, within the next 80 days
after he or his agent is notified of the
assessment, fail to pay the money
then such person shall be
bound to pay IN addition half the sum
, to the party 1.-THE contractor) to whom
he shall be liable"
Maintaining the Footpaths.
The code also provides for the paw
ing of footpaths by property owners and
says: ANY person, before whose tene-
ment a footpath shall be situate, shall
be required TO keep such footpath fltly
paved along its whole length where it
abutS on the said tenement, with stones
whole and closely compacted, to the
satisfaction of the aedile public off,
ciaD to whom by this law the charge
OF the roads in that part shall ap-
pertain"
The early Romans were good real
estate men. The earliest recorded civil
judgment now eXtant dates from BIC.
lit. It is on a bronze tablet found
near Genoa and represents a formal
Judgment of arbitration between two
local tribes contending over the boun-
darieS of their lands. The record de-
scribes the boundaries in language quite
comparable with the best technical style
of New England conveyancers in our
own day.
Law Dated BIC. los.
And there exists a Roman ordinance
dated BIC. los, giving specifications for
a contract to build gateway in a wall
AUDITING on a highway in the town of
Puteolis, and in this contract are re-
vealed all the expedientS of long ex-
perience and careful craftsmanship
which we moderns are accustomed to
expect in such transactions. The speci-
fications are so complete that archie
ologistS have been able to restore the
entire structure in detailed design.