THE AMENDMENT OF CHARGE IN THE PRACTICE OF THE TRIBUNES OF THE PLEBS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32978/sjp.2023.001Keywords:
Roman public-law, T. Livius, tribune of the plebs, representing of the charge, amendment of chargeAbstract
The aim of this paper is to examine the rights for the amendment of the charge of the tribunes of the plebs. The office of the tribunes was introduced after the secession of the commons (plebs) in 494 BC and its aim was to protect the commons against the full power of the magistrates in the early times. After 287 BC this office was integrated however in the system of the Roman magistrates and its function was to act as ‘checks and balances’ in the state-system. They had the right for the prosecution in the processes for certain charges, e.g., for peculate (theft from the treasury) and for battle-loss. In these cases, they had the right for amendment of the charge as well. I make an examination of two of such cases from the 3rd BC, in the first case there was no doubt of the possibility of the amendment, in the second case the defendant tried however to argue against this possibility, but without any success.
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