Twelve Tables

The Twelve Tables

Introduction

The Romans were fascinated by the Greek culture and their forms of government. The Romans didn’t want to be governed no longer by kings. So when the Romans saw that the Greeks no longer wanted to be governed by kings; they also desired to elect their rulers and create their own laws.

The twelve tables were the first laws of the Romans. Those laws were based in the Greek law. Those laws were universal and every citizen has to know them. The Romans wrote the laws in twelve tables and affixed them in the senate where every one could see.



The Roman laws were written in twelve tables and constituted the law that every citizen has to respect, as explained in the examples below:

LAWS OF THE TWELVE TABLES

1º
“If someone is called to go to court, he is to go. If he doesn't go, a witness should be called. Only then should he be captured.”

This type of law safeguarded the right of the State to solicit any citizen (Patricians or Plebeians) to come to the tribunal. Also gave the right to the citizen to be familiar with the intention of the tribunal to have him go there.

2º
“Serious illness. . . or else a day appointed with an enemy; . . . if any of these is an impediment for the judge or any party, on that day proceedings must end.”

This type of law safeguard the right of the citizen to be present in the tribunal to defend himself.

3º
“A person who admits to owing money or has been adjudged to owe money must be given 30 days to pay.”

This type of law safeguard the citizen that lend the money to have his money back at the same time it protects the right of the citizen who owns the money to have a period of 30 days to pay.

4º
“An obviously deformed child must be put to death.”

This type of law avoids that the State and the society will be required to spend resources in citizens who are not going to produce in the future.

5º
“If someone goes mad, his nearest male kinsman shall have authority over his property.”

This type of law safeguards the rights of the family if the member of the family becomes mad and the family can prove it than the family shall obtain the properties of that citizen.

6º
“No one must displace beams from buildings or vineyards”.

This type of law safeguards the right of the citizens to not have someone to cause damage on their property.

7º
“If runoff does damage, he shall be made to fix it by the judge.”

This type of law safeguards the right of the citizen that has his property damaged to request the judge for reparation of the damage.

8º
“If one has maimed another and does not buy his peace, let there be retaliation in kind.”

This type of law safeguards the right of the tribunal to sentence the offending citizen to experience the same type of injury as well as giving the offending citizen the right to pay the damage and avoid going to the tribunal.

9º
“Treason: he who shall have roused up a public enemy or handed over a citizen to a public enemy must suffer capital punishment.”

This type of law safeguards the right of the State to punish by death the traitors.

10º
“No dead man may be cremated nor buried in the City.”

This type of law safeguards the right of the State to make obligatory public hygiene.

11º
“Marriages between plebeians and patricians are prohibited”

This type of law safeguards the right of the State and the Patrician families to keep the properties in the Patrician families.

12º
“Someone who has brought a false claim shall be brought before three judges, and shall pay a double penalty”.

This type of law safeguards the right of the State to severely punish whoever makes a false claim and at the same time safeguard the rights of the citizen being accused making sure that the citizen is judged by three judges.

Conclusion

The twelve tables were the first Roman laws to put in order the roman society as well as serving as the foundation of the laws of the Occidental society.