Legal Definitions - sacrilegus

In ancient Roman law, a sacrilegus was an individual who committed sacrilegium, which broadly refers to the violation or desecration of something considered sacred. This could involve actions against religious objects, places, or even certain persons or institutions deemed holy or divinely protected under Roman legal and religious customs. Essentially, a sacrilegus was someone guilty of sacrilege.

• Example 1: Theft from a Temple
  Imagine a person who breaks into a temple dedicated to the goddess Vesta and steals the sacred flame or valuable gold and silver offerings left by worshippers. This act would be considered a profound violation of a holy place and its consecrated items.

  How it illustrates the term: This individual would be deemed a sacrilegus because they have committed an act of theft and desecration against a sacred space and objects dedicated to a deity, a severe transgression under Roman religious and legal principles.

• Example 2: Desecration of an Imperial Image
  Consider a situation where, during a public procession, an individual intentionally defaces a prominent statue of the reigning Emperor, whose image was often considered divine and held sacred significance, especially in later Roman periods.

  How it illustrates the term: By defacing the Emperor's statue, this person commits an act against a divinely associated figure and a sacred object, thus qualifying them as a sacrilegus under Roman law, as it was an affront to both religious and state authority.

• Example 3: Violation of Burial Grounds
  Suppose someone excavates an ancient Roman burial ground without authorization, disturbing the remains and funerary objects, which were considered sacred and protected by religious rites and ancestral veneration.

  How it illustrates the term: This act of disturbing consecrated burial sites and the dead would be seen as a violation of sacred ground and religious custom, making the perpetrator a sacrilegus, as they have shown disrespect for the sanctity of the deceased and their resting place.