Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Spurius: A word from ancient Roman law that means a child born from parents who were not married. This child was considered to be of "base birth" and was sometimes called a "bastard." If the child's mother was a Roman citizen, the child was also a Roman citizen. Another word for this type of child is "nothus."
Definition: In Roman law, spurius refers to a bastard or an illegitimate child born out of unlawful intercourse. The plural form of spurius is spurii. It is also known as nothus, which means a child of base birth or false.
Example: If a child is born out of wedlock, they are considered spurius or nothus.
Explanation: If a child is born to parents who are not married or if the parents are not legally allowed to marry, the child is considered illegitimate or base-born. In Roman law, such children were referred to as spurius or nothus. The term spurius was used to denote a child born out of unlawful intercourse, while nothus was used to refer to an illegitimate child of any kind. If the mother of the child was a Roman citizen, the child would also be considered a Roman citizen.