Ad legem Iuliam de vi publica
(Concerning the Julian Law on Public Violence.)
1Marcianus, Institutes, Book XIV. He is liable under the Julian Law relating to Public Violence who collects arms or darts in his house, or on his land, or in a farm house, in larger quantities than is customary for the purpose of hunting, or travel by land or water.
3Marcianus, Institutes, Book XIV. Those, also, are in the same position who form the design of exciting a tumult, or sedition, and have slaves or freemen under arms. 1He is liable under the same law who, having arrived at puberty, appears armed in public. 2Those are in the same position who, offering an extremely bad example by having assembled in numbers and excited sedition, plunder country-houses, and with darts or arms commit robbery. 3He also is liable who, in case of fire, removes by violence anything except the materials of the building. 4Moreover, he who pollutes by force a boy or a woman, or anyone whomsoever, is also liable to punishment under this law. 5He also who goes to a fire armed with a sword or other weapon for the purpose of robbery, or to prevent the owner from saving his property, is liable to the same penalty. 6He is liable under the same law who, with armed men assembled in a body with a display of force, expels a possessor from his house, his land, or his ship:
4Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book LIX. Or has provided men for this purpose.
5Marcianus, Institutes, Book XIV. Anyone who, by means of an assembly, a crowd, a tumult, or a sedition, causes a conflagration; or who maltreats a man whom he has wrongfully confined; or who prevents a body from being buried, to better enable him to disperse and plunder a funeral procession; or forcibly compels someone to become obligated to him, for the law rescinds an obligation of this kind, is liable. 1When a question of violence and possession, or ownership is involved, the Divine Pius stated in a Rescript that the violence should be investigated before the right of ownership, which Rescript, written in Greek, was addressed to the community of the Thessalians. He also decreed that the question of violence should be examined before that of ownership or possession was decided. 2Anyone who has ravished a free woman, or one who is married, shall be punished with death. If her father, moved by prayers, pardons his injury, a stranger can prosecute without being barred by the prescription of five years, because the crime of rape exceeds in scope the Julian Law relating to Adultery.
6Ulpianus, On the Duties of Proconsul, Book VII. The Divine Pius stated in a Rescript that whoever ravishes a freeborn boy should be punished, as follows: “I have ordered the submission to me of a petition presented by Domitius Silvanus, in the name of Domitius Silvanus, his paternal uncle, who, having been influenced by his complaint, in which it is stated that his son who was freeborn, and still very young, was carried away by force, shut up, and afterwards subjected to blows and tortures, with great danger to his life. My dear brother, I request you to hear him, and, if you ascertain that these offences have been committed, punish them severely.”
7The Same, On the Duties of Proconsul, Book VIII. Anyone who is invested with authority or power, and subjects a Roman citizen to death or scourging, or orders this to be done, or attaches anything to his neck for the purpose of torturing him, without permitting him to appeal, is liable under the Julian Law relating to Public Violence. This also applies to deputies and orators, and their attendants, where anyone is proved to have beaten them, or caused them any injury.
8Marcianus, Public Prosecutions, Book V. By the Julian Law relating to Public Violence, it is provided that no one can bind an accused person, or prevent him from appearing at Rome within a certain time.
9Paulus, On the Edict, Book VII. By “armed persons” we should understand not merely those who have darts, but also anything else with which they can cause injury.
10Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book LXVIII. He who fraudulently prevents the free administration of justice, or prevents the judges from deciding as they should do; or he who, being invested with power or authority, acts in any other way than the law decrees and requires that he should; and anyone who unjustly compels a person to promise, either publicly or privately, to furnish slaves, or pay money; and also anyone who, with malicious intent, appears armed in an assembly, or in a place where justice is publicly administered, with the exception of him who collects men in order to hunt wild beasts, and who is permitted to keep people for this purpose, will be liable under this law. 1He, also, is liable under this law, who, where men have been assembled, uses force for the purpose of striking or beating someone, even though he may not be killed. 2He who is convicted of having employed public violence is interdicted the use of water and fire.
11Paulus, Sentences, Book V. Those who have plundered the houses of others in the city or in the country, or have broken into them, or seized them, and have done so by means of a mob and with a display of armed force, shall be punished capitally. 1By the term “arms,” is understood everything a man can make use of to cause injury. 2Those who carry arms in order to protect themselves are not considered to carry them for the purpose of killing anyone.
12The Same, On the Turpillian Decree of the Senate. Those who impose new taxes arbitrarily are liable under the Julian Law relating to Public Violence.