2009/06/01 by Richard Gamauf · 2 citations
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Classical Antiquity Studies #Classical Studies and Legal History #Law, Economics, and Judicial Systems
paper · doi:10.1080/13507480902916837
openalex publication_date 2009/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
A Roman slave could hold property which, despite the fact that it belonged to his master, he was allowed to use as if it were his own. All acquisitions based on such a peculium were automatically credited to the master. His liability, however, never exceeded the peculium's value. This article tries to reconstruct economic relationships between masters and slaves or slaves and slaves within a household using the discussions of the Roman jurists about legal questions regarding slaves' peculia. The legal texts show that legal rules were widely applied to regulate economic and non-economic relationships in a big Roman household. The legal regime of peculium was also influenced by the fact that often some – if not all – the assets of a peculium had not been provided by the master but had been acquired by a slave on his own initiative.