Legal Definitions - fur

Fur

In ancient Roman law, a fur referred to an individual who committed theft. This term encompassed various acts of unlawfully taking or misappropriating another's property, typically without the owner's consent.

• Example 1: During a bustling market day in Rome, a vendor notices that a customer has discreetly slipped a valuable piece of pottery into their satchel without making payment. The customer's act of secretly taking the pottery constitutes theft.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the customer would be considered a fur because they unlawfully took property belonging to another person without permission or payment, which aligns with the Roman legal concept of theft.

• Example 2: A Roman farmer wakes to find that several of his sheep have been taken from his enclosed pasture overnight, with no sign of forced entry but clear evidence that they were led away. The farmer reports the incident to the local authorities.

  Explanation: The individual who took the sheep would be classified as a fur, as they misappropriated livestock, which was considered valuable property, from its rightful owner without consent.

• Example 3: A wealthy Roman citizen discovers that a trusted household slave, who had access to the family's storage areas, has been secretly removing and selling small quantities of olive oil and wine over several weeks for personal profit.

  Explanation: Even though the slave had access to the property, their act of unlawfully taking and converting the goods for their own gain without the master's permission would render them a fur under Roman law, as it involves the misappropriation of property.