Legal Definitions - lex Pompeia de parricidiis

The lex Pompeia de parricidiis was an ancient Roman law enacted around 70 or 55 B.C. This statute specifically addressed the crime of parricide, which, in Roman legal tradition, encompassed not only the murder of one's parents but also other close relatives such as grandparents, siblings, or even patrons. The law prescribed a particularly severe and symbolic punishment for those convicted of this heinous offense: the offender was sewn into a leather sack along with a dog, a rooster, a viper, and a monkey, and then thrown into the sea or a river.

Here are some examples illustrating the application of the lex Pompeia de parricidiis:

• Example 1: Murder of a Parent
  Imagine a Roman citizen named Gaius, who, driven by greed, poisons his elderly mother to inherit her substantial estate. Upon discovery and conviction, Gaius's act would be classified as parricide under the lex Pompeia de parricidiis. He would then face the unique and gruesome punishment mandated by the law, being sewn into a sack with the specified animals and drowned.

• Example 2: Murder of a Grandparent or Sibling
  Consider a scenario where a Roman woman, Livia, orchestrates the murder of her wealthy grandfather, with whom she had a strained relationship, hoping to gain control of his fortune. Similarly, if her brother had committed the act against their sibling, the law would apply. In either case, because the victim was a close relative, Livia's crime would fall under the definition of parricide according to the lex Pompeia de parricidiis, leading to the prescribed expiatory execution.

• Example 3: Murder of a Patron
  Suppose a freedman, Quintus, who had been a slave but was granted freedom by his former master, Decimus, later murders Decimus in a dispute over property. In Roman society, the relationship between a freedman and his former master (patron) carried significant legal and social obligations, akin to family ties. The lex Pompeia de parricidiis extended its definition of parricide to include the killing of a patron, meaning Quintus would be subject to the same severe punishment for his act against Decimus.