“Murder was not a Crime: Homicide and Po…
“Murder was not a Crime: Homicide and Power in the Roman Republic, aims right from the start to demonstrate that the word ‘murder’ is problematic and out of place in modern discourses on republican law. Gaughan argues that at no point in this period did the government concern itself with private acts of violence that did not threaten the stability of the res publica. This attitude was shaped by the nature and focus of power (particularly the right to kill) in Roman society before, during, and after the republic. The argument is not without its potential stumbling blocks, yet the author is careful to highlight and answer them throughout. The result is an interesting reinterpretation of the various republican laws and magistracies that may be thought to deal with the crime of ‘murder’. While Gaughan acknowledges that much of the book focuses on Roman law, the wider implications of her arguments mean that it will be useful for scholars interested in the changing nature of political power and social relations across the republic, as well as those concerned with issues in ancient law. [...]“
