Legal Definitions - maculare

Maculare is a historical legal term that refers to the act of inflicting a wound upon a person. It describes causing physical injury to another individual, often in the context of historical legal documents or discussions.

Here are some examples to illustrate the use of "maculare":

• Imagine a legal historian studying ancient court records from the 15th century. They might encounter a document detailing a criminal case where a defendant was accused of "maculare" the victim during a tavern brawl. In this context, "maculare" would specifically mean that the defendant wounded the victim, causing a physical injury that went beyond a simple bruise or scratch.

• Consider a scholar translating a medieval legal treatise written in Latin. If the text discusses various forms of assault and battery, it might use "maculare" to distinguish a serious physical injury, such as a stab wound or a broken bone, from less severe forms of harm. This shows how the term was used historically to denote a significant physical wounding.

• An archivist cataloging a collection of old English legal manuscripts from the 13th century might find a document describing a dispute between two landowners. The document could state that one landowner's guard was accused of "maculare" a trespasser who was caught on the property. Here, "maculare" would indicate that the guard physically wounded the trespasser, leading to a legal complaint.