Roman law became the basic of modern jurisprudence.
It must know all: solicitors, barristers, prosecutors, judges, all who are dealing with the laws. At that time it was the most developed and advanced state in the world. However, in the Ancient Rome there were such laws, which now seem not just savagery and real barbarism.
It was forbidden to wear purple
The basic garment of a Roman citizen was the toga is a large piece of woolen cloth that was tied around the body. Toga, as a rule, was white and had purple or gold stripes or a color pattern. Mourners wore grey or black toga. Some strict rules in choosing the color of the toga in Rome was not. Except for one thing: to wear a toga of purple color could only be the Emperor. And dictated this restriction was purely pragmatic considerations. The fact that the purple dye in those days was incredibly expensive. It is made only in Phoenicia and brought to Rome by special order of the Emperor. Moreover, in order to produce enough dye to dye one toga, you had to crush about 10 thousand mollusks. So purple was literally its weight in gold.
It was forbidden to roll a great feast
In Ancient Rome were very common sumptuary laws — laws against excessive luxury in surroundings, clothes, food and other things. One of these is the law of Gaius Orchidia from 181 BC, which restricted expenditures on feasts. Was subsequently adopted its stricter version, which was called Fannie the law. This law was allowed to entertain in my house no more than three guests, and on market days — no more than five such days was three per month. Victuals were allowed to prepare not more than 2.5 dram, smoked meat was allowed to spend in a year not more than 15 talents, vegetables and also beans to soup — how many were given land.
It was forbidden to cry at the funeral
Funerals in Ancient Rome was a very interesting ceremony. The removal of the body, especially if the deceased was a man of noble and the wealthy, accompanied by a Herald. Before the legend the body earth or burning at the stake, the deceased, accompanied the procession carried through the city with the obligatory visit to the forum. At the beginning of the funeral procession were musicians, late — mourners, then the choir, which sang the praise of the deceased, and after the actors performed comic scenes from the life of the deceased. After the actors carried pictures depicting the acts of the deceased (especially if he was in the military), as well as masks of his ancestors. The more noble and honored person the deceased was, the more mourners hired in his procession. Absolutely extraneous woman, who didn’t even know the deceased, literally tore his hair, groaned and scratched face portraying sorrow. Eventually it got to the point that crying at a funeral just banned that people did not hire these actors.
A father could legally kill the lover of his daughter
In General, on the part of adultery is the law of Ancient Rome was a rather peculiar, although and reflect sufficiently the morality and mores of the time. If a man caught his wife with her lover, he had to lock them both in the house and get as many neighbours to witness the fact of treason. The formal indictment, a man had to divorce his wife to himself is not accused of pimping. In that case, if the wife’s lover was an actor or Freedman, the man had every right to kill him. But if the father finds his unmarried daughter’s lover, has the right to beat him regardless of his social status. On the other hand, cheating men to their wives with prostitutes, Actresses and other vicious women legally never punished.
The killer’s parents had drowned in a leather bag with animals
To this kind the death penalty was usually sentenced to the Romans, committed the murder of close relatives. And drowned people for completely different faults often. But the murderers of a relative in a bag have put the animal — dog, snake or monkey. According to a popular belief that these animals are too ill to honor their fathers. Anyway, the drowning in a bag in those days was considered extremely humiliating and disgraceful way to deprive a person of life. Aristocrats are usually executed differently.
Prostitutes were required to dye their hair or bright red color
Blame the numerous military campaigns of the Roman generals in Central Europe. Very soon the capital of a vast Empire flooded by women prisoners from Germany and Gaul. Most often, they fell in brothels as slaves and prostitutes. And since men were among them blondes and redheads, was soon published an official decree requiring all Roman “priestesses of love” to dye your hair a light or red color, to be distinguished from the “decent woman”.
To commit suicide, it was necessary to obtain permission of the Senate
Citizens then were not allowed to commit suicide just like that, on their own. If the person expressed a desire to settle scores with life, he had to submit a formal petition to the Senate with a detailed description of reasons that led him to such a step. If the senators after the meeting, these reasons are satisfactory, then gave the petitioner free of the poison of death.
The father could three times sell his children into slavery
The father of the family in Rome it was a very serious respect and had certain inalienable rights. One of them is the right to sell their children into temporary slavery. However, it will be temporary or permanent, is also the father. In the extant texts there is no clear indication of what it is in this case the contract was concluded and which had limitations. It is known that at some point the father could request that the son was sold to him back. In this random, he was again given authority over their child and could sell it again. However, the law of the Twelve tables allowed to repeat this sale are up to three times. After a triple sale, the son was freed from paternal authority.
The woman was able to leave the house for three days to extend the “trial period” before marriage
Generally, in those days in Rome there were three types of marriage. The first two resembled a modern formal marriage, but the third kind of assumed that the couple will get married only after a year of living together. A kind of “trial period”, during which both can look to each other and to understand whether to tie the knot formal marriage. Thus, if in the course of the year the woman left the house her future husband more than three days and three nights, the countdown began again.
The father could legally kill his entire family
Especially brightly it was expressed in the early pre-Imperial period of Rome. The father of the family was considered a senior member of the dynasty. He was given absolute rights under their families. Here he was the Supreme priest, and Prosecutor, and judge, and executioner, if necessary. However, even if the sons are already adults and have families of their own, while their father is alive, he is considered the head of the family. He owned and wife, and children, and their spouses. And belong in the truest sense of the word. Wife the father could have killed for treason, a daughter for fornication, sons for the offense.
