Legal Definitions - logographus

A logographus refers to an individual in ancient Roman law who held a position as a bookkeeper or a public clerk. These individuals were responsible for maintaining records, managing accounts, or performing various administrative duties for the state or public entities.

Here are some examples to illustrate the role of a logographus:

• Imagine a Roman official whose primary duty was to meticulously record all births, deaths, and marriages within a specific district. This individual would ensure that the official public registers were accurate and up-to-date, providing vital demographic information for the administration of the city or province.

  This person would be acting as a logographus by serving as a public clerk responsible for maintaining essential civic records.

• Consider an individual employed by the Roman treasury to track all incoming tax payments from citizens and outgoing expenditures for public projects, such as road construction or temple maintenance. This person would keep detailed ledgers, ensuring that the state's finances were properly accounted for and transparent.

  In this scenario, the logographus functions as a bookkeeper, managing and recording the financial transactions of a governmental body.

• Picture a clerk assigned to a Roman magistrate's court, whose task was to document every detail of legal proceedings. This would include writing down the accusations, the testimonies of witnesses, the arguments presented by advocates, and the final verdict or decree issued by the judge. These written records would then become the official legal history of the case.

  Here, the logographus acts as a public clerk, creating and preserving official legal documentation crucial for the judicial system.