Legal Definitions - dieta

Dieta is a historical legal term that refers to a measure of time or activity associated with a single day. It can encompass a day's travel, a day's labor, or the costs incurred within a day.

• A Day's Journey: In historical contexts, "dieta" could refer to the distance or travel achievable within one day.

  Example: Imagine a medieval royal summons instructing a noble to appear before the king within "four dietas."

  Explanation: This means the noble was expected to complete the journey to the royal court within four days of travel, with each "dieta" representing one day's worth of travel.

• A Day's Work: The term could also denote the amount of labor or effort performed in a single day.

  Example: A historical building contract might specify that a stonemason would be paid for "ten dietas of skilled labor" to complete a particular section of a wall.

  Explanation: In this scenario, "dieta" refers to a full day's worth of work performed by the stonemason, indicating that he would be compensated for ten days of his skilled labor.

• A Day's Expenses: Historically, "dieta" could also signify the daily allowance or costs associated with a day, particularly for travel or official duties.

  Example: A record from a historical diplomatic mission might show that an envoy was granted funds to cover "fifteen dietas" for his journey and stay in a foreign land.

  Explanation: Here, "dieta" represents the daily allowance or expenses provided to the envoy to cover his accommodation, food, and other necessary costs for each day of his mission.