Legal Definitions - incendiarius

An incendiarius is a term originating from Roman law that refers to an individual who deliberately sets fire to property. It is the historical equivalent of what we now call an arsonist or a fire-raiser—someone who intentionally causes a fire with malicious intent or to destroy property.

• Example 1: A disgruntled former employee, seeking revenge against their previous employer, intentionally sets fire to the company's warehouse late at night, causing significant damage to inventory and the building itself.

  Explanation: The former employee's deliberate act of igniting the warehouse with malicious intent to cause destruction perfectly illustrates the concept of an incendiarius, as they are a person who intentionally started a destructive fire.

• Example 2: During a period of political unrest in a historical context, a radical group decides to burn down a government building as a symbolic act of protest and defiance.

  Explanation: The members of the group who actively participated in setting the government building ablaze would be considered incendiarii because their actions involved the intentional and unlawful setting of a fire to property.