Law and order in ancient Rome

Often, the Roman wars are remembered without due consideration for the subsequent Roman peace. This oversight hampers a proper understanding of history, as the majority of people lived their lives removed from the forefront of civilization. It is important to recognize that the stability of the Roman Empire was its greatest achievement. However, it is crucial to explore how law and order were established in the ancient world. Who investigated crimes when someone was found dead? How were cases adjudicated and justice dispensed? Answering these questions is not only academically intriguing but also provides practical insights into our own systems of justice, which can sometimes be taken for granted without historical context. Failing to safeguard the hard-fought gains of civilization and champion the ongoing fight for progress is a risk we face when we neglect the history of law and order. Today, let us delve into the history of law and order in ancient Rome, which continues to resonate in the present. This compilation video includes the following chapters: the establishment of legal frameworks, the courts responsible for interpreting the law in specific cases, the prisons for holding individuals before or after their day in court, the police force responsible for enforcing the law and carrying out civil duties, and finally, the maintenance of peace in the provinces to extend Rome's authority across the empire. Together, these chapters provide a framework for understanding the general structures of the past. Additional episodes on our channel explore specific examples of these mechanisms in action, such as the execution of the Monkey Sac, the case of the Sacred Chicken Killer, and investigations into murder. Feel free to explore these episodes at your own convenience. With all this in mind, let us now proceed with today's topic as we delve into the fascinating, albeit occasionally dry, history of ancient law and order. To freshen up, consider our sponsor, Tiege Hanley.

Today, we're going to take you back more than five millennia ago to a time when people had their own laws. Can you believe it?

Even before kingship became the norm in ancient Sumerian lands, people were already drawing up legal agreements. This process started way back in 2700 BC, and it was all because of commerce. Tablets from that time still exist and show us transactions involving the sale of land, houses, and even slaves.

As Sumerian society became more complex, they realized they needed uniform laws to govern not just commercial transactions, but also civil and criminal conduct. So, the kings stepped in and issued collections of laws. The earliest collection of laws on Earth, so far, dates back to the reign of King Ernamu in the 21st century BC. It's believed that his son, Shulgi, probably came up with these laws.

Now, here's something fascinating: these laws were written down several centuries before the well-known biblical Ten Commandments! Ernamu's set of laws, unfortunately, is quite damaged, and we can only read five of them. But three of those laws are particularly interesting because they show a remarkably enlightened judicial philosophy. In a time when "an eye for an eye" was the norm, Ernamu's laws prescribed fines instead of physical punishment for causing harm to others.

Sumer really stood out not just for codifying written laws, but also for making them more humane. The judicial system was also quite fair. There were no juries, but defendants were tried before a panel of judges, usually elders from the community. Testimony was taken from witnesses under oath, and if someone wasn't happy with the verdict, they could even appeal to the king himself.

So, you see, Sumer not only had a knack for creating written laws and contracts, but they also had a sense of justice and fairness. It's truly fascinating to learn about their legal system. Stay tuned for more interesting history reports!