Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Portorium: A tax or toll that was charged at a port or city gate in the past. It was also a toll for crossing a bridge.
Definition: A tax or toll levied at a port or at the gates of a city. It can also refer to a toll for passing over a bridge.
Example: In ancient Rome, a portorium was collected on all goods entering the city through its gates.
Explanation: The example illustrates how a portorium was a tax collected at the gates of a city. It was a way for the city to generate revenue from goods entering the city. Similarly, a toll for passing over a bridge is another example of a portorium. It is a fee collected for using a specific infrastructure, in this case, a bridge.