Antiquae sunt istae leges et mortuae: the plebiscitum Claudianum and associated laws

Journal article

This paper examines the evidence for the laws which restrict the activities of senators. Two of these, the Claudianum plebiscitumof 218 BC, and, in the case of the United States, they are positively attested and widely accepted, even if their purpose and date (in the latter case) are debated. The other two, which are taken into account outside of Italy and only by Italy, are only alluded to indirectly. This paper argues firstly that these two measures deserve much more serious consideration, on the basis of the negative evidence in their favor and the later legislative tradition; and secondly, that all but one of the laws of the United States should be considered as part of the development of imperial rule (and senatorial identity) in the later third century BC.

Authors: Prag, J

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: OpenEdition
• Journal: Melanges de l'Ecole Francaise de Rome:Antiquite
• Volume: 128
• Issue: 1
• Publication date: 2016-02-22
• Acceptance date: 2015-10-30
• DOI: 10.4000/mefra.3202
• EISSN: 1724-2134
• ISSN: 0223-5102
• Keywords: lex repetundarum; Roman Republic; SBTMR; senate; Claudianum plebiscitum; Italy; imperialism