Lesson plan
Ius
recording a law of the Senate now termed the Lex de imperio Vespasiani, establishing Vespasian in his imperial munus. Section VI states that "whatsoever he shall think likely to promote the welfare of the state ... he shall have full right (ius) and authority (potestas) to do." This senatus consultum gives the emperor the absolute right to make decisions, a concept later adopted by the absolute monarchies of Europe. This legislation forestalled any questions about whether the emperor had a right to exercise the authority of the state in any way he pleased. In fact, such questioning was against the law as infringing on the emperor's rights. The death penalty was frequently invoked for such questioning, depending on the emperor (not under Vespasian, who was considered a good emperor). Ius or Jus (Latin, plural iura) in ancient Rome was a right to which a citizen (civis) was entitled by virtue of his citizenship (civitas). The iura were specified by laws, so ius sometimes meant law. As one went to the law courts to sue for one's rights, ius also meant justice and the place where justice was sought. On the whole, the Romans valued their rights as the greatest good of Roman citizenship (civitas romana), as opposed to citizenship in other city-states under the jurisdiction of Rome but without Roman rights.…
Article summary
recording a law of the Senate now termed the Lex de imperio Vespasiani, establishing Vespasian in his imperial munus. Section VI states that "whatsoever he shall think likely to promote the welfare of the state ... he shall have full right (ius) and authority (potestas) to do." This senatus consultum gives the emperor the absolute right to make decisions, a concept later adopted by the absolute monarchies of Europe. This legislation forestalled any questions about whether the emperor had a right to exercise the authority of the state in any way he pleased. In fact, such questioning was against the law as infringing on the emperor's rights. The death penalty was frequently invoked for such questioning, depending on the emperor (not under Vespasian, who was considered a good emperor). Ius or Jus (Latin, plural iura) in ancient Rome was a right to which a citizen (civis) was entitled by virtue of his citizenship (civitas). The iura were specified by laws, so ius sometimes meant law. As one went to the law courts to sue for one's rights, ius also meant justice and the place where justice was sought. On the whole, the Romans valued their rights as the greatest good of Roman citizenship (civitas romana), as opposed to citizenship in other city-states under the jurisdiction of Rome but without Roman rights.…
Key claims
No claims recorded.
Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
No sources recorded.
Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.