Legal Definitions - stuprum

Stuprum is a term originating from ancient Roman and civil law that describes a specific category of illicit or dishonorable sexual conduct.

It primarily referred to a man's illegal sexual intercourse with an unmarried woman, typically a virgin or a widow. The concept also extended to sexual acts with a male, particularly in the context of pederasty. The essence of stuprum was the disgrace or dishonor brought about by such acts, distinguishing it from adultery, which specifically involved sexual relations with a married woman. It highlighted violations of societal sexual norms and the resulting damage to reputation or social standing.

• Imagine a scenario in ancient Rome where a prominent citizen, Lucius, engages in sexual relations with a young, unmarried woman named Julia, who is known to be a virgin. Lucius has no intention of marrying Julia, and their liaison is discovered. Under Roman law, this act would likely be considered stuprum because it involves illegal sexual intercourse with a virgin, bringing significant dishonor to Julia and her family, and violating the societal expectations for unmarried women.

• Consider a wealthy landowner, Marcus, who takes advantage of a recently widowed woman, Cornelia, engaging in a sexual relationship with her outside the bounds of marriage. Cornelia, as a widow, was expected to maintain a certain decorum, and Marcus's actions, particularly if exploitative or non-committal, would have been viewed as stuprum. This illustrates the application of the term to sexual misconduct with a widow, emphasizing the dishonor and breach of social norms associated with such an act.

• In another context, an older Roman citizen, Gaius, engages in sexual intercourse with a young male. While certain forms of same-sex relationships existed, this specific act, particularly if it involved a significant age disparity and was considered exploitative or outside accepted social boundaries, would fall under the definition of stuprum as it encompassed illicit sexual acts with a male, often associated with pederasty, and was seen as a source of disgrace.