Lex Julia

A Lex Julia (or: Lex Iulia, plural: Leges Juliae/Leges Iuliae) is an ancient Roman law that was introduced by any member of the Julian family. Most often, "Julian laws", Lex Iulia or Leges Iuliae refer to moral legislation introduced by Augustus in 23 BC, or to a law from the dictatorship of Julius Caesar.

Apart from Augustus' laws on marriage, this 90 BC Lex Julia is probably the best known of the laws under this name. It was introduced by the consul Lucius Julius Caesar. It granted Roman citizenship to all citizens of Italic towns which had not raised arms against Rome in the Social War (91–88 BC). This war was a rebellion against Rome by some of her Italic socii (allies) which was caused by Rome's refusal to grant them Roman citizenship. During the war, the Roman introduced this law which granted Roman citizenship to those who had not taken part in the war (especially Etruria and Umbria) to prevent them from joining the rebellion. The next year, introduced the de Civitate Sociis Danda, which granted Roman citizenship to the allies which had rebelled in an attempt to stem the rebellion.

This Law restricted the number of 'gifts' that a Governor could receive during his term in a province, and also ensured that governors balanced their accounts before leaving a province.

Sets regulations for the Italian municipalities. See Tables of Heraclea.

Under Augustus, the Leges Juliae of 18–17 BC attempted to elevate both the morals and the numbers of the upper classes in Rome and to increase the population by encouraging marriage and having children (Lex Julia de maritandis ordinibus). They also established adultery as a private and public crime (Lex Julia de adulteriis).

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