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Although the Romans lived in a society very different from ours, they were like us in fearing crime and in hoping to control it by means of the law. Ordinary citizens wanted protection from muggers in the streets or thieves at the public baths. They demanded laws to punish officials who abused power or embezzled public monies. Even emperors, who feared plotters and wanted to repress subversive ideas and doctrines, looked to the law for protection.
In the first book in English to focus on the substantive criminal law of ancient Rome, O. F. Robinson offers a lively study of an essential aspect of Roman life and identity. Robinson begins with a discussion of the framework within which the law operated and the nature of criminal responsibility. She looks at the criminal law of Rome as it was established in the late Republic under Sulla's system of standing jury-courts. Grouping offenses functionally into five chapters, she examines crimes committed for gain, crimes involving violence, sexual offenses, offenses against the state, and offenses against the due ordering of society.
Review Quotes
1. "Robinson's book is most welcome." -- Bryn Mawr Classical Review
2. "Robinson discusses the framework within which the law operated and the nature of criminal responsibility. She looks particularly at the criminal law in Rome as it was established in the Late Republic under Sulla's system of standing jury-courts." -- Law and Social Inquiry
3. "This is a short book for Roman lawyers in a hurry, with punchy chapters outlining the various criminal offenses that the Roman law recognized. The point of the book is chiefly to outline what the law was; procedure and punishment are dealt with summarily. The substantive law is reconstructed by economically leavening material from books forty-seven and -eight of the Digest with other legal and literary evidence." -- J. E. Lendon, Classical Journal
4.
"Robinson's book is most welcome." -- Bryn Mawr Classical Review
5.
"Robinson discusses the framework within which the law operated and the nature of criminal responsibility. She looks particularly at the criminal law in Rome as it was established in the Late Republic under Sulla's system of standing jury-courts." -- Law and Social Inquiry
6.
"This is a short book for Roman lawyers in a hurry, with punchy chapters outlining the various criminal offenses that the Roman law recognized. The point of the book is chiefly to outline what the law was; procedure and punishment are dealt with summarily. The substantive law is reconstructed by economically leavening material from books forty-seven and -eight of the Digest with other legal and literary evidence." -- J. E. Lendon, Classical Journal
7.
This is a short book for Roman lawyers in a hurry, with punchy chapters outlining the various criminal offenses that the Roman law recognized. The point of the book is chiefly to outline what the law "was"; procedure and punishment are dealt with summarily. The substantive law is reconstructed by economically leavening material from books forty-seven and -eight of the "Digest" with other legal and literary evidence.--J. E. Lendon "Classical Journal "
8.
This is a short book for Roman lawyers in a hurry, with punchy chapters outlining the various criminal offenses that the Roman law recognized. The point of the book is chiefly to outline what the law was; procedure and punishment are dealt with summarily. The substantive law is reconstructed by economically leavening material from books forty-seven and -eight of the Digest with other legal and literary evidence.
--J. E. Lendon "Classical Journal "
