Law and Order in Ancient Rome - How did it work? FULL DOCUMENTARY

What was Law and Order like in Rome? Start taking care of your skin: Click here tiege.com/invicta to get 30% off your first Tiege Hanley box plus a FREE gift!🎁
This history documentary series covers Law & Order in Ancient Rome. The combined episode includes the following chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:57 The Law
16:06 The Courts
29:25 The Prisons
39:55 The Police
53:36 The Peace in the Provinces
In the first chapter we consider the very foundation of Law & Order by examining the Law itself. We cover this subject by tracing its chronological evolution from the Roman Monarchy to the Roman Republic and finally the Roman Empire.
In the second chapter we examine how laws were interpreted and applied by Rome's judicial system as over the years. This includes the emergence of many aspects of Roman justice like judges, lawyers, juries, and more which will seem very familiar to us today.
In the third chapter we look at the practice of prisons which did indeed exist but served a far smaller role than our own form of mass incarceration today.
In the fourth chapter we turn our attention to Law Enforcement in Ancient Rome which included such elements as the Vigiles, the Praetorian Guard, and more.
And finally we conclude with the fifth chapter which addresses the wider law and order across the Empire.
Credits:
Research: Chris Das Neves
Script: Chris Das Neves
Art: Beverly Johnson
Editing: Invicta
Bibliography and Suggested Reading:
Law Making in the Later Roman Republic, Alan Watson, 1974.
A Legal History of Rome, George Mousourakis, 2007.
The Historical and Institutional Context of Roman Law, George Mousourakis, 2003.
Roman Law in Context, David Johnston, 1999.
Roman Law: An Introduction, Rafael Domingo, 2018.
Historical Introduction to the Study of Roman Law, HF Jolowicz and Barry Nicholas, 1972.
An Introduction to the Principles of Roman Law, P. Van Warmelo, 1976.
The Cambridge Companion to Roman Law, ed. David Johnston, 2015.
"Crime and Punishment in Ancient Rome" by Richard Bauman
"Law and Life of Rome" by J. A. Crook
“The Roman State: Laws, Lawmaking, and Legal Documents” by Gregory Rowe
"The Oxford Handbook of Roman Epigraphy" by Christer Bruun and Jonathan Edmondson.
"Praetorian: The Rise and Fall of Rome’s Imperial Bodyguard" by Guy de la Bedoyere
"The Praetorian Guard: A History of Rome’s Elite Special Forces" by Sandra Bingham
"Policing the Roman Empire: Soldiers, Administration, and Public Order" by Christopher Fuhrmann
"The Vigiles of Imperial Rome" by Paul Reynolds
#History
#Rome
#Documentary

[@InvictaHistory]

This episode is meant as a primer for our follow up on the Gangs of Rome! Click here tiege.com/invicta to get 30% off your first Tiege Hanley box plus a FREE gift! Let me know what gift you chose in the comments below!

[@mattluke5546]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...DO NOT GO WOKE....THE "KINGS AND GENERALS" KZbin SITE HAS BEEN SHOWING SIGNS OF THAT "WOKE" NONSECE UNFORTUNALLY.....I WILL START WITH A 50$ TIP, IF, YOU PROMISE 2NOT NOT NOT, BE ON THAT CULT OF LEFTISM, WOKE BS!!!!! What do you say?

[@knobgoblin]

Skin care or hygiene in ancient Rome could actually be a super interesting future subject, if you want to deepen your tie to this advertiser. Also: Congratulations on your new career as a skincare model!

[@hpglake3231]

So the real cause of Rome's fall was the wealth gap, which fueled corruption. Mmmmm... I wonder where that's happening again.

[@fluffybunny5518]

Dress up as a Roman Senator and do the add partially in Latin for a godly skin equivalent only that of Aphrodite. ;-)

[@scottdoesntmatter4409]

Still too robotic in pronunciation. Just saw your Gangs of Rome video.

[@OptimusMaximusNero]

Scipio Africanus during his trial: "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I HAVE SACRIFICED?!"

[@Fordo007]

Sure was something when he drove by on that chariot and threw that greek fire pot at the group of senators afterwards.

[@HorizonOfHope]

Important note about the jury courts: depending on the time, juries were not just anyone. For most of the system’s use, a juror had to be an equestrian or higher in social class. This means someone whose wealth was about 600,000 sesterces.

[@zhizhi9138]

Jury Judicial Juice Jewelry ….

[@notsocrates9529]

@@zhizhi9138 I see you.

[@mothman7270]

@@zhizhi9138 what are you implying

[@alex_zetsu]

So if non equestrians had jury duty... "You have jury duty" "But I don't own a horse and chariots aren't used for public transportation" "Too bad"

[@user-hb7py7xy7b]

That's reasonable. Wealthy jurors had reputation, education and was hard to bribe or be threatened. It would work great for the most cases.

[@westrim]

Law and Order: Rome Produced by Phallus Lupus

[@curiodyssey3867]

Severely underrated comment

[@davidec.4021]

Very very nice comment

[@AeneasGemini]

This won't get the attention it deserves

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

Phallus Lupus LMAO Good one!!!

[@justinfowler1271]

Dick wolf for the plebs

[@anzaca1]

24:55 I imagine the Romans of the late Republic would greatly enjoy our modern legal drama movies and TV shows.

[@Sneemaster]

This was an amazing video! Well spoken and great drawings. I didn't realize the complexity of the Roman legal system.

[@artemo.shapovaloff5577]

One small note: Pontius Pilatus was not a governor, as Judea was not a province itself but the part of the province of Syria by the time of Augustus - he was a praefectus and directly obeyed to the governor in Antioch.

[@SonofSethoitae]

By Pilate's time the province of Judaea had been created. Judaea became a province in 6 AD.

[@CubeInspector]

He was literally the 5th governor

[@OptimusMaximusNero]

1:07:04 *Fun fact:* Speaking of Pontius Pilate, the aprocrypal Gospel of Nicodemus contains a letter that Pilate wrote to the future emperor Claudius. That letter, which is about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, probably served as the proof that Claudius needed to know that neither his nephew Caligula nor his friend King Herod Agrippa was the Messiah, unlike what both men previously claimed to be to assert their authority.

[@r0ky_M]

There ain't any proof of a resurrection..that's why it's considered an article of faith for Xtians and nothing more.

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

Who cares? It’s fiction anyway!

[@felicityc]

That's even faker than the other fake stuff frankly

[@BiakSkull]

Should've used the "dun dun" sound

[@KMn048]

Damn, Cicero absolutely roasted that lady

[@elcidsnare07]

Unfortunately for Cicero “that lady” happened to be Clodia. As in the sister of Clodius, who already didn’t like him and now had motivation to go full send after Cicero. This would have um…repercussions…To put it lightly. Arguably concluding with Cicero’s tongue cut out and gifted to Fulvia. It’s an absolutely hilarious roast 100%, but one he paid a price for.

[@svenrio8521]

@@elcidsnare07 lmao they cut his tongue off? that's crazy! Still absolutely worth it though.

[@wedgeantilles8575]

@@svenrio8521 And the tongue was nailed to the senate door. However, I am not sure if this is just an anecdote or if it is confirmed that this happened. Since displaying cut of heads and stuff like that was very common IMO it seems plausible enough that Ciceros famous tongue (he was after all one of the most famous orators in Rome) was indeed nailed to the door.

[@cadenvanvalkenburg6718]

@@svenrio8521 Clodius wasn’t the reason for it though. Cicero pissed off Octavian and Antony while they were trying to deal with Brutus. So he was added to the death lists

[@thew-heat5525]

This explains a lot regarding the roots and contextual reference of the modern law system. Very good!!

[@scottdoesntmatter4409]

and the rich STILL get away with murder on a regular basis!

[@derrickstorm6976]

'Not where the evidence lay, but which truth you would rather believe' wow history really repeats itself...

[@yoelquilates]

excellent Doc , thank you to all those who labored to bring it together...

[@dragontengu]

We need a Crime-Drama series set in the Roman-Era!

[@shlomster6256]

Great presentation and content.

[@greatharlekin]

Amazing work!!

[@tristinkirby]

glad you placed them all together. Wonderful work Ya'll

[@InvictaHistory]

Yes I agree. They were always meant to build upon one another but this way its a lot more seamless. It's also good timing as we plan to take a look at the Gangs of Rome next

[@gergokoos648]

Tomorrow i’ll have a roman law exam, guess i’ll learn a bit more then

[@DoubleGlog]

How can people be loving an hour 11 minute long video when it released 5 minutes ago? Amazing speed-watching skills here lmao

[@InvictaHistory]

x200 speed

[@tristinkirby]

this isn't a new video. it was older they just piece it all together it was originally multiple videos

[@tomtaylor5623]

bots. always the same pointless praise comments saturate the comments section of every channel.

[@garydagg9112]

Well to be fair im 5 minutes in but i like it so far so i give it a thumbs up. I like the topic and the explained structure of the topics. If the next hour is white noise then ill retract it

[@radekwypadek]

amazing episode!

[@BlueBeetle1939]

I always thought the Didius Falco books did a good job of depicting how things really worked back then

[@MrCr1spy1]

Thank you for reminding me about my Roman Law trauma

[@badgoat666]

Very informative insomnia viewing. Thank you 😁

[@user-lu6zz1hc8p]

Great video!!👍

Amazing video.

[@JoeSchmoer]

How do you know? Did you somehow watch it in 100X speed?

[@tsaroftruth820]

It mustve been so easy to just skip town back then. No cameras, limited communication. You could start a whole new family a few towns away and everyone who knows you would never find out.

[@AeneasGemini]

depends on what you did, if your crime was bad enough you'd definitely face pursuit. Not to mention that, in terms of the courts, the attitude was basically more guilty until proven innocent. In other words, the burden of proof was often much lower. In some cases, simply having someone of high status testify against you (as even a character witness) was enough to get you hanged

[@scottdoesntmatter4409]

@@AeneasGemini In some ways, very similar to today.

[@godking]

Until at least the 1980s it was that easy. The 80s and the 70s where the golden years for serial killers they could commit their crimes the next town over and then disappear.

[@commisaryarreck3974]

@@scottdoesntmatter4409 Nuh Uh we've got justice Where any government official or anyone rich enough avoids all punishment, requirement for evidence is dependent on who you've pissed off.

[@anzaca1]

22:13 So we're starting to get towards the idea of "innocent until proven guilty", as well as everyone being entitled to a fair trial.

[@AeneasGemini]

well, throughout most of history (right up until the modern era) guilty until proven innocent was actually a lot more common. It makes sense since gathering proof was actually a lot harder than now.

[@davidcohen4518]

"...and how far we still have to go." amen to that

[@visibleblack4694]

Mmygod i love these long videos

[@Odysseus1313]

The court system was incredibly political during the republican system. Like you said to advance one’s careers young prominent men would frequent them and study. I believed they called themselves advocates and usually would represent the parties respective especially foreigners. For instance Caesar’s case for masintha. Roman’s commonly would tried to associate themselves with more prestigious people and typically the courts would be a demonstration of differing political bodies.

[@wedgeantilles8575]

If anybody is interested in reading book series about crime I can recommend John Robert Maddox "SPQR" Lindsey Davies "Didius Falco" Both series are fiction of course, that take place in ancient Rome. Maddox sometimes uses historical facts and refers to them in his books (e.g. the famous "Ceasars wife must be above all suspicion" statement). Maddox character is a senator, Davies Falco is lower on the social ladder (but has several dealings with the royal palace too) Both series are very good reads IMO and the historical background is fine. However, the reader must be aware that they are fiction - and they do not intend or pretend to be historical correct. I myself had a lot of fun with both series and was never put off by the behavior of the characters. Sure, Falcos dealing with Titus is nonsense, but it is fun to read. For comparision: The HBO series "Rome" was a damn disaster to me, because it was so full of historical bullshit that I did not manage to ignore all this nonsense and enjoy the show. So I do have some expectations when a series / book takes place in the time of the Romans. Most will probably say way too high expectations. So if you like to read books about detectives and if you like ancient Rome - give it a try, I am very confident you will enjoy them :)

[@dixiecyrus8136]

Love the Falco series, there's a new one with his daughter Flavia❤️❤️❤️😎

[@OcelotsFilms]

Cicero is Saul Goodman

[@adetuyisamuel3636]

Love it.

[@benjaminrowley]

Hey could u do a similarity video between Gondor/numenor and the Roman Empire and if u want do a how would both armies fair in a fight against each other

[@kyleanuar9090]

Still amazed at how they had lawyers and prosecutor type of court to judge crimes just like today.

[@TheSkyGuy77]

Its where we got our system from. It all started with the Romans and Greeks

[@heirofwesteros]

@@TheSkyGuy77 yes that’s why even today law schools are teaching their students roman law system

[@arzhvr9259]

How are you amazed that your forefathers were people?

[@Dan_Kanerva]

@@arzhvr9259 shhh... he is just American . They think advanced society started just 100 years ago and that eveyrone befora that was a clueless farmer or evil king

[@kalebloshbough1899]

You stole my green K lol

[@alejandrosakai1744]

Have you ever considered covering again Mesoamerican and Andean History?

[@InvictaHistory]

Yes definitely

[@alejandrosakai1744]

@@InvictaHistory🤗🤩😍

[@MCorpReview]

Urban cohorts kinda sound like cops 👮‍♀️ but they were pretty useful in normal combat when I played total war Rome. If only things were as simple as curse tablets 😊

[@XSpamDragonX]

Can someone please explain to me what that dude is wearing on his forehead at 23:00?

[@UrbanCohort]

Thanks for the shoutout 😂

[@MBP1918]

Law and Order: Rome

[@WarRaven38]

An instant like :)

[@jackgoldfaden2858]

Is some of the background music from ac Odyssey

[@pakshirajan8585]

Please make a video on Hoysala Empire (c. 1000-1343 CE)

[@istvansipos9940]

00:21:29 just to mention some military stuff in a less military video, that gladius might be on the wrong side of the dude

[@Artur_M.]

Let's see how _dura_ the _Lex_ actually was.

[@armisg5664]

Jurist is still the word for lawyer in many languages.

[@TheOnlyKingBee]

Omg i studied law and the structure os the document is almost the same

[@trey9971]

The "other man" in the Jesus story was the son of the last king of Jerusalem so technically the current "king"

[@JRGProjects]

CSI: Alexandria (Miami) Centurion Caine looks at a dead body floating in the bay. "It appears that someone is in da-nile* *puts on Sunglasses* YEAAAAAAAAHHHH

[@fraternitas5117]

48:19 we wuz romans an sheit.

[@apalsnerg]

Notification squad represent!

[@frocurl]

"Now that we have outline what the rules are...." (no one really knew the law because there were way to many laws) pretty large parallels

[@lukathurinn7906]

Damn, I'm early

[@Jim58223]

Is this a combination of past videos or new content?

[@InvictaHistory]

Combo of past videos. I wanted to bring them all together now since we have an upcoming episode on the Gangs of Rome which could benefit from this context.

[@Jim58223]

@@InvictaHistory thanks

[@jdranetz]

In the Ancient world and many other societies, prison was a place they put you until the authorities decided what to do with you.

[@lilstarship34]

Could you post your viewer demographics? Genuinely kinda curious haha

[@Raz.C]

re - 26:55 Is that judge, the one in the centre... Is that Bill Murray????

[@kovi567]

Ancient water hoses xD. Yeah, this is an entertainment channel all right.

[@magicpyroninja]

Some of those ancient Roman Court antics don't sound too different from some of the s*** we're seeing these days

[@stephenknizek2651]

Oh my, this Invicta v-tuber hocking face creams is so weird. XD

[@macrow206]

The study of law didn't really change since ancient rome, it's still complex and confusing as hell

[@onemercilessming1342]

Pax Romana

[@sultanpoppa3735]

Praetorae delenda est!

[@voswouter87]

You don't need crime for good law. People can enforce good law themselves through discrimination. An accused could ask a judge for a ruling to restore his reputation. All contributions by government require crime, never good.

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

Debt slavery and exile are punishments today's society really should bring back.

[@The_ZeroLine]

As has history has shown, radical wealth gaps lead to societal/state collapse. It’s a primary reason the US and the world has become so unstable and polarized.

[@imamfaiz9008]

Muhammad Qasim has seen in many dreams exactly how Islam and Muslim Ummah will rise again in the entire world. This is also present in many hadiths of Prophet Muhammad SAW, and predictions made by popular Islamic Muftis. #MuhammadQasimDreams

[@pyeitme508]

Wiw

[@pleclerc1]

Great video but he Bible quoted as historical facts, interesting!

[@SilverEye168]

Wait radish sodomy??! lol. 31:23

[@someguy9293]

Is it possible to make a Roman pizza? At least a cheese pizza?

[@pyeitme508]

😳

[@sweetlulamoon1636]

FIRST!

[@adriancarroll5281]

First

[@apalsnerg]

Almost! Better luck next time 😁

[@watsongrmi]

Stop using the passive voice

[@FINNIUSORION]

How much further we have to go is the key phrase here. You throw in a good person because he made a stupid decision and had some dust in a bag and he comes out a real criminal . Our prisons are only good at making the state or private corporations money.

[@rogerhull2062]

there is a letter from pontius pilate to the roman emperor ~he spoke of jesus an thare talk ~ thare is a recored !!! asks mary beard fore help SPQR be well

[@Insectoid_]

In america the penal system is AWFUL. Segregation by race, gangs, constant abuse, r4p3s, killings, stabbings. There is zero rehabilitation for most inmates. Many are released with little prospects and have often just come out more broken and criminally minded than when they went in. Treat people with dignity like other countries and you get a far better chance of rehabilitation and not a revolving door in and out of prison.

[@sijul6483]

The revolving door is what the government wants, for that reason it's called the prison industrial complex. It's also good at stripping away American's 'rights'.

[@cattraknoff]

Corporal punishment is more humane than long-term incarceration. The Biblical system is best: Financial crimes have financial punishments, you pay back a few times what you took or if a corrupt businessman who ruins the livelihoods of many work as a debt-slave to pay your victims what you can after your assets are liquidated; Violent crimes have violent punishments - an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, beating for beating, wound for wound; and heinous crimes are punished capitally.

[@I_am_Diogenes]

Well , considering NO system in the history of prisons has ever been about rehab ... whats your point ? If prison alone isnt enough to give someone all of the "rehab" they need then my guess is they wouldnt rehab regardless of what was offered to them .

[@Insectoid_]

@@I_am_Diogenes you’re an idiot

[@I_am_Diogenes]

@@Insectoid_ Yep , a degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Corrections , which makes me an informed idiot , thank you very much . I spent two years going to classes on this specific topic (History/Focus of the Penal System) but please , tell me your youtube level opinion on the topic . Sorry but FACTS are FACTS , the penal system has ALWAYS been about punishment NOT rehab . The system in place now is the first to even consider rehab a real factor . WHERE do you think the saying "they paid their debt to Society" came from ? Rehab was never a factor , period , that is a recent (last hundred years) development in Corrections . NOT defending the issues in the present system you mentioned in your original post but do not pretend it is presently any different in ANY prison in the world today , MOST are much worse than any prison you will find in the US . Just for curiosities sake , ever bother to check Inmate Death numbers compared by Country ? Would you rather go to a prison in the US or a prison in Mexico ? What about Russia ? China ? Japan ? Seriously take your pick .... US or ANYWHERE else , which would you personally prefer ?

[@The_Hagseed]

Ironically, the Law and Order logo is registered. Using it for your thumbnail opens you up to all sorts of legal problems.

[@stefanstoyanov7460]

Not if he secured the rights to use them.

[@totallytubular618]

Fair use can apply to trademarks as well

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

Lesson to still be learned here in 2023: large scale of wealth inequality and discrepancy of power and justice, will in the end lead to turmoil and downright riots!

[@lordblazer]

just watching this. I 100% see why the Roman Empire collapsed.

[@scottdoesntmatter4409]

So the ancient romans weren't democratic at all, since the patricians always ruled the roost no matter what.

[@McCbobbish]

The ancient romans definitely had cop energy, yes. Don't like cops

[@bazookaboss332]

Condensing Roman law into an hour long video is like judging the Ukraine war thru Twitter.

[@miguelsuarez-solis5027]

There's 0 evidence Jesus actually existed. Stick to history man

[@markus717]

Great history, just need to improve your pronounciations. eg: It's not "ple-bian". It's "plebe-ian". Because the people were Plebes. and "ian" is ending. That's why we say, eg, "centur-ion" not "centu-rion". Nor Cana-dian.

[@theConquerersMama]

The emphasis being on the middle syllable - BE. Ple BE an

[@theConquerersMama]

Although I have heard it a variety of ways over the years and in different countries.