Roman Law and the Legal World of the Romans

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Both of these inscriptions offer restrictions on the sale of • the tomb. It appears that these should be redundant (since sacred land in general cannot be sold), but such restrictions are so common that many have suspected that we are miss ing some important technicality.

[23] FIRA 3.85c+f

[Person’s name lost from inscription] requested from the pon tiffs that they permit him to restore this monument on his own authority for his freedmen and women and himself and the descendants of these. The aediles give permission that a body be placed in this monument (or “tomb”). The pontiffs were the “priests” charged with interpreting • most of religious law, and especially that related to sacred land, so it is not surprising that they would be asked for permission in the first text. The intervention of secular authorities (the aediles) in the second text is perhaps more surprising. For the application of similar rules in the provinces, see • [27] .

[24] FIRA 3.106 a, c, f, i, and m

There is a right of passage on foot or driving into this shrine of Feronia from this grove on the (public) via Campana, at which point it is closest, for 1,210 feet.

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