A more thorough explanation:

ab actis

Ab actis is a term from Roman law that refers to an officer who is responsible for keeping public records, registers, journals, or minutes. This officer can also be a court clerk or a notary.

An ab actis would be responsible for keeping track of all the court proceedings and decisions made by a judge. They would also be responsible for recording any important events or transactions that occur within a city or town.

For example, if a new law was passed in ancient Rome, the ab actis would be responsible for recording the details of the law and making sure it was added to the public records. Similarly, if a person wanted to buy or sell property, they would need to have a notary present to make sure the transaction was recorded accurately.

These examples illustrate how important the role of an ab actis was in ancient Rome. Without them, it would have been difficult to keep track of important events and transactions, and there would have been no way to ensure that the law was being followed.