Lex Irnitana facts for kids
The Lex Irnitana is a set of ancient Roman laws. These laws were carved onto six bronze tablets. They were found in 1981 near a town called El Saucejo in Spain.
These tablets are very important because they give us a nearly complete look at the lex Flavia municipalis. This was a special law for cities during the time of the Flavian dynasty (a family of Roman emperors). The Lex Irnitana, along with two other law sets (the Lex Salpensana and the Lex Malacitana), helps us understand how Roman cities were governed. Today, you can see these amazing tablets at the Archeological Museum of Seville.
What the Tablets Look Like
The bronze tablets are quite large, about 57.5 by 91.5 centimeters (22.6 by 36 inches) each. They have three holes at the top and bottom. These holes were used to attach the tablets to the front of an official building. This way, people could easily read the laws. The laws even said that they had to be placed where everyone could see them!
If all the tablets were lined up, they would have stretched about 9 meters (30 feet) long. Imagine a giant scroll unrolled! The letters carved into the bronze are small, only 4 to 6 millimeters (about 0.16 to 0.24 inches) tall. A simple border frames the text.
Six tablets have survived: numbers III, V, VII, VIII, IX, and X. Later, small pieces of tablet II were also found. Tablet X has a special legal note at the end, which shows it was the very last tablet. Each tablet has three columns of text, and most of the writing is still clear. The tablets contain 96 different articles, plus an extra section and a letter from Emperor Domitian. The articles are not numbered, but they each have a short description. By comparing the Lex Irnitana with other old texts, experts have been able to figure out most of the original numbering.
When the Laws Were Made
A letter at the end of the tablets helps us know when these laws were written. The letter says it was dated April 10th and publicly read on October 11th. Both dates were in the year 91 AD. This was when Manius Acilius Glabrio and Marcus Ulpius Traianus were important Roman officials called consuls.
This date fits with when "Latin Rights" were given to the region of Baetica (part of modern-day Spain) around 73-74 AD. The original laws were likely put together sometime between these dates. They probably used parts of older laws from even earlier Roman times. There's also an extra section added to the tablets. It's written in smaller letters and was probably added much later, in the second or third century AD.
What the Laws Are About
The Lex Irnitana covers many important topics about how a Roman city should be run. It talks about the powers of different city officials:
- Duumviri: These were like the two main mayors or chief judges of the city.
- Aediles: These officials were in charge of public buildings, markets, and city events.
- Quaestores: These were officials who managed the city's money.
The laws also explain how the city council, called the decurional order, should work. They cover rules for manumission, which was the process of freeing enslaved people. The tablets also discuss how guardians were appointed for children.
Another part of the law deals with the relationship between a patronus (a powerful protector) and a cliens (someone who depended on the patron). It also explains how people could gain Roman citizenship if they became city officials. Finally, the laws cover public affairs, including how to pay for religious groups, priests, rituals, the calendar, and public games. In Roman times, these games were considered a very important religious matter.
See also
In Spanish: Lex Irnitana para niños
