defense of the roman house

[lothia]

am working on a short story set in AD 311 in Gaul. As part of the story, a character is caring for a member of the Bacaudae and I was wondering what the citizen had at his disposal to defend against searches of their premises.

 

What authority did Provincial Governors, Duoviri, Senators have to order the search of a citizen's home when looking for fugitives, contraband, incriminating evidence that someone commted a crime.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Me (lothia)

[Centurion-Macro]

I would assume that most Roman citizens in Gaul would in possession of a dagger, and possibly a sword. If they were a hunter, they may have possession of spears and bows, but if it was the suburbs or anything similar it would be dagger and sword.

~I believe governors could search whenever they wanted, and for whatever reason, as long as they said it was a matter of importance to the emperor.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Centurion-Macro

[Ludovicus]

By AD 311, the needs of the Empire take precedence over individual rights. Besides, the Senate has very little power in this period.

[Ludovicus]

am working on a short story set in AD 311 in Gaul. As part of the story, a character is caring for a member of the Bacaudae and I was wondering what the citizen had at his disposal to defend against searches of their premises.

 

What authority did Provincial Governors, Duoviri, Senators have to order the search of a citizen's home when looking for fugitives, contraband, incriminating evidence that someone commted a crime.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Me (lothia)

 

In terms of individual defense, your best bet would be your network of friends and clients to prevent a home invasion by government. Roman culture was based on the patron/client relationship. The officials would be reluctant to invade the home of powerful or well connected individuals.

[Centurion-Macro]

In terms of individual defense, your best bet would be your network of friends and clients to prevent a home invasion by government. Roman culture was based on the patron/client relationship. The officials would be reluctant to invade the home of powerful or well connected individuals.

So they would disobey orders?

[Maty]

In terms of individual defense, your best bet would be your network of friends and clients to prevent a home invasion by government. Roman culture was based on the patron/client relationship. The officials would be reluctant to invade the home of powerful or well connected individuals.

So they would disobey orders?

 

Disobey, no. But proceed very slowly to the wrong address, while sending frequent messages back to their boss saying e.g. 'So you are sure you want us to invade the home of this powerful, well-connected individual who will probably ruin you and us in consequence? Our current instructions are slightly unclear that is is you who are directly responsible for giving this order. Can you clarify?'

[longshotgene]

The best defense would have been cabbage! The Romans ate a lot of cabbage.

[Centurion-Macro]

Disobey, no. But proceed very slowly to the wrong address, while sending frequent messages back to their boss saying e.g. 'So you are sure you want us to invade the home of this powerful, well-connected individual who will probably ruin you and us in consequence? Our current instructions are slightly unclear that is is you who are directly responsible for giving this order. Can you clarify?'

Ah I see. So they would stall for as long as possible because their target may have 'contacts'.

[Ludovicus]

Disobey, no. But proceed very slowly to the wrong address, while sending frequent messages back to their boss saying e.g. 'So you are sure you want us to invade the home of this powerful, well-connected individual who will probably ruin you and us in consequence? Our current instructions are slightly unclear that is is you who are directly responsible for giving this order. Can you clarify?'

Ah I see. So they would stall for as long as possible because their target may have 'contacts'.

 

 

Before you kill anyone you'd want to do some research first. OK, who's this guy connected to? What would be the repercussions? We need to think in the way of a Roman, not as a 21st century individual who may see himself/herself as a fully powered lone actor. It wasn't just a Roman thing to belong to a self-defense/self-promotion network. In fact, I think it's the way most of the world works today--outside of affluent societies. I lived in Mexico and know Italian culture. You're only as safe as the amount of influence that your network can muster.

[Centurion-Macro]

Before you kill anyone you'd want to do some research first. OK, who's this guy connected to? What would be the repercussions? We need to think in the way of a Roman, not as a 21st century individual who may see himself/herself as a fully powered lone actor. It wasn't just a Roman thing to belong to a self-defense/self-promotion network. In fact, I think it's the way most of the world works today--outside of affluent societies. I lived in Mexico and know Italian culture. You're only as safe as the amount of influence that your network can muster.

But I was always under the assumption that the average soldier would keep out of politics, and just do the job. Or is it Praetorians we are talking about here? Because I doubt if the average legionary would care what happened if he invaded a rich mans property.