Legal Definitions - homiplagium

Term: homiplagium

Homiplagium is a historical legal term that referred to the act of severely injuring another person, specifically a man, in a way that caused permanent disfigurement, disability, or the loss of a body part or its function. This term was used in older legal systems to describe a serious form of assault that went beyond simple battery, focusing on the lasting physical harm inflicted. Modern legal systems typically use broader terms like "aggravated assault," "maiming," or "grievous bodily harm," which are generally gender-neutral.

• Example 1: During a heated dispute over property boundaries in 17th-century rural England, one farmer, in a fit of rage, used a farming implement to strike his neighbor, resulting in the neighbor permanently losing an eye.

  Explanation: This act would have been considered homiplagium because it involved the severe and permanent maiming of a man, specifically the loss of a vital body part, which caused lasting disability and disfigurement.

• Example 2: In a historical context, if a person deliberately cut off another man's ear as a form of revenge or punishment, causing permanent disfigurement.

  Explanation: This action fits the definition of homiplagium as it involves the intentional and permanent removal of a body part from a man, resulting in significant and lasting physical alteration.

• Example 3: Imagine a scenario in a historical military setting where a soldier, out of malice, intentionally crippled a fellow soldier by severing the tendons in his leg, rendering him permanently unable to walk or serve.

  Explanation: This action constitutes homiplagium because it inflicted a severe and lasting injury upon a man, causing permanent disability and loss of a major bodily function.