Legal Definitions - actuarius

An actuarius was an official in ancient Roman law who performed duties similar to a modern-day clerk, notary, or public record keeper. Their responsibilities involved documenting official proceedings, creating legal instruments, and maintaining important governmental archives.

• Imagine a scenario in ancient Rome where a provincial governor was holding court to resolve disputes between citizens. An actuarius would be present, meticulously taking down every spoken word, including the arguments presented by the parties, the testimonies of witnesses, and the governor's final judgment. This written record would then serve as the official account of the proceedings.

  This example illustrates the actuarius's role as a clerk or shorthand writer, responsible for creating accurate, real-time documentation of legal and administrative events.

• Consider the administration of a Roman city, where accurate population counts and property records were crucial for taxation and military conscription. An actuarius might be tasked with overseeing the city's archives, ensuring that all census data, land deeds, and official decrees were properly cataloged, preserved, and made available to authorized officials. They would be the custodian of these vital public documents.

  This demonstrates the actuarius's function as a keeper of public records, maintaining and safeguarding essential governmental information for future reference and legal validity.