Legal Definitions - mansuetus

mansuetus

In Roman law, mansuetus refers to an animal that has been tamed or domesticated. This means the animal has been brought under human control and is accustomed to human presence and handling, distinguishing it from an animal that remains wild.

• Example 1: Ownership of a Trained Guard Dog

  A Roman farmer captures a wild wolf pup and, through consistent training and care, transforms it into a loyal guard dog for his livestock. This wolf, originally a creature of the wild, becomes mansuetus. Its tamed nature means it is no longer considered a wild animal (*ferae naturae*) in the same legal sense; instead, it is now a valuable piece of property, subject to the farmer's ownership and control, much like his other domesticated animals.

• Example 2: Liability for a Circus Animal

  A Roman impresario owns an elephant that has been extensively trained to perform tricks in public spectacles. One day, during a procession, the elephant, despite being generally docile, becomes startled and accidentally damages a merchant's stall. Because the elephant was mansuetus – tamed and accustomed to human direction and public environments – the impresario would likely be held responsible for the damage. The law would recognize that he had a duty to control an animal that, though powerful, was under his domestication and training.

• Example 3: Inheritance of a Hunting Falcon

  Upon the death of a wealthy Roman nobleman, his estate includes various assets, among them a highly prized hunting falcon. This falcon, originally a wild bird of prey, had been meticulously trained and accustomed to returning to its handler, making it mansuetus. When the estate is divided among his heirs, the falcon is treated as a valuable item of personal property, distinct from any wild birds that might simply fly over the nobleman's land. Its tamed status ensures it is considered an asset to be inherited, rather than a wild creature with no fixed ownership.