Legal Definitions - propatruus magnus

The term propatruus magnus is a Latin phrase originating from Roman and civil law. It refers to a specific, very distant familial relationship: a great-great-great-uncle.

More precisely, a propatruus magnus is the brother of one's great-great-grandfather or great-great-grandmother. This term highlights the detailed and extensive kinship terminology used in ancient legal systems to define familial degrees, which were often crucial for matters of inheritance, guardianship, and social status.

• Example 1: Historical Inheritance Claim

  Imagine a scenario in ancient Rome where a wealthy citizen, Lucius, dies without any direct descendants. His will specifies that if no immediate family survives, the estate should pass to the closest male relative in the paternal line. A distant relative, Gaius, comes forward claiming the inheritance. Through careful examination of family records and genealogical scrolls, it is determined that Gaius is the brother of Lucius's great-great-grandfather. In this legal context, Gaius would be formally identified as Lucius's propatruus magnus, a term that precisely defines his distant but recognized paternal kinship for the purpose of the inheritance claim.

• Example 2: Tracing Lineage for a Scholarly Work

  A modern historian is compiling a comprehensive family tree for a prominent Roman senatorial family, aiming to understand their political alliances and social influence across several centuries. While researching the lineage of a particular individual, Aemilia, the historian identifies a male ancestor who was the brother of Aemilia's great-great-grandfather. To maintain accuracy and use the correct historical terminology, the historian would label this distant relative as Aemilia's propatruus magnus in the genealogical chart. This precise classification helps to illustrate the full extent of the family's intricate network of relations.

• Example 3: Establishing Legal Standing in Ancient Disputes

  In ancient Roman society, the degree of kinship could be vital for various legal proceedings, such as determining eligibility for guardianship over minors or resolving disputes over family property. If a Roman citizen, Publius, needed to assert his legal standing in a dispute by demonstrating a very distant but legitimate blood tie to a particular family, he might present evidence showing that a key figure in that family was his propatruus magnus. This specific legal term would clearly establish that the individual was his great-great-great-uncle, thereby defining the precise nature and distance of their recognized familial connection under Roman law.