#twelvetables

Roman Constitution

Roman constitution was an accumulation of laws, legal decisions, and ancient customs. While today 'constitution' usually refers to a single act of legislation, this was not the case in ancient Rome. Instead, Roman government relied on the wisdom and customs of their ancestors as Roman law developed gradually over time.

The Roman Laws of the Twelve Tables, c. 449 BCE

An infographic illustrating The Laws of the Twelve Tables were a set of ancient Roman laws put together and displayed in public around 450 BCE. These laws formed the core of the Roman legal system and provided a written code of conduct and regulations for various aspects of Roman society. The Twelve Tables covered multiple topics, including civil, criminal, and procedural laws, property rights, marriage and family law, and rules regarding debt and contracts. They aimed to establish legal equality among Roman citizens and ensure transparency and predictability in legal matters. The Laws of the Twelve Tables had a lasting influence on Roman law and became the foundation of the Western legal systems.

Plebeians

Plebeians were members of the plebs, the hereditary social class of commoners in ancient Rome. Their exclusion from political power by the patricians, who claimed to be the descendants of the first senators, led to Conflict of the Orders, a centuries-long struggle for equal political rights for plebeians, which saw the creation of the Table Tables and other laws.