Legal Definitions - res singulorum

Res singulorum is a historical legal term that refers to the private property owned by individual persons. It distinguishes assets belonging to a single individual from property owned collectively by a group, a community, or the state.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a medieval craftsman who owns his workshop, the tools he uses, and the finished goods he has created. These items—the building, the hammers and chisels, and the crafted furniture—would be considered his res singulorum. They are his personal assets, distinct from any communal land or resources shared by the entire village or guild.

• Consider a Roman citizen who possesses a villa, a specific plot of agricultural land, and a collection of personal effects like jewelry or scrolls. These holdings are his individual property, his res singulorum, and are separate from public lands (ager publicus) or shared resources like communal wells or roads that belong to the Roman state or community.

• In a historical context, if a person inherited a specific piece of artwork or a family heirloom, that item would be their res singulorum. It is a personal possession passed down through their lineage, belonging solely to them, rather than being part of a collective family trust or a public museum's collection.