Lex Gabinia

Lex Gabinia

The "Lex Gabinia" (Gabinius's Law) was a law established in ancient Rome in 67 BC. It's establishment was a result of the reforms made by Pompey and Crassus during their joint consulship in 70 BC.

It was passed by the Tribune Aulus Gabinius in 67 BC. Pompey was granted proconsular powers in any province within 50 miles of the Mediterranean Sea with a fleet of 500 warships, 120,000 infantry and around 5,000 cavalry to fight the growing problems of pirates disrupting trade in the Mediterranean Sea.

Pompey enjoyed huge popularity amongst the plebeians of Rome, but the Roman Senate was wary of him and his growing power. The Senate were reluctant to give massive powers to any one man, fearing it would allow another Dictator to seize power as Sulla had done just fifteen years before. The Tribunes though, were able to pass a law conferring huge powers on Pompey to deal with the pirates. The law was proposed by the Tribune Gabinius and therefore was named the "Lex Gabinia" or Gabinius's Law.

Because most Roman territory was within the 50-mile limit around the Mediterranean, the law gave Pompey, who was then just 39, power over almost every province. This kind of power could easily be exploited, and in fact led to the legions being loyal to him personally, strengthening his position in the state.

Significance of the Lex Gabinia

Though the Senate was theoretically answerable to the "populus", it was very rare for the people to pass such laws contrary to the wishes of the Senate.

The laws set down by Sulla during his dictatorship had been intended to strengthen the Senate and take power away from the plebeians. The passing of the "Lex Gabinia", followed by the Lex Manilia, proved that Sulla's intended new constitution, designed to stop any one man from gaining immense power, was not working; in fact, it produced men who followed Sulla's example rather than his precepts. The passing of the "Lex Gabinia" was a key development in the collapse of the Senate as the ruling power in Rome. The Senate proved unable to halt the concentration of power into the hands of the popular tribunes like Clodius and successful generals like Gaius Julius Caesar, who led his forces in the Civil War which was a key factor in the collapse of the Roman Republic.

Relevant articles

*Roman Law
*List of Roman laws

External links

* [http://web.upmf-grenoble.fr/Haiti/Cours/Ak The Roman Law Library, incl. "Leges"]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/30/opinion/30harris.html?ex=1159848000&en=7b5321a993a151e4&ei=5087 Pirates of the Mediterranean] NYT article on the correlation of the Lex Gabinia and a possible post-9/11 US dictatorship.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Lex Gabinia — Die Lex Gabinia war ein Gesetz, das im Jahr 67 v. Chr. in der späten römischen Republik auf Antrag des Volkstribunen Aulus Gabinius von der Volksversammlung erlassen wurde. Es ermächtigte Pompeius in Form eines imperium extraordinarium, die… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lex Gabinia — La loi de Gabinius ou Lex Gabinia fut proposée par le tribun de la plèbe Aulus Gabinius pour donner un pouvoir militaire étendu sur toute la Méditerranée à un général romain, afin de se débarrasser des pirates qui infestaient cette mer. Pour la… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • lex Gabinia — /leks gabiniya/ A law introducing the ballot in elections …   Black's law dictionary

  • lex Gabinia — /leks gabiniya/ A law introducing the ballot in elections …   Black's law dictionary

  • Lex — f. (Plural Leges, lateinisch für „Gesetz“) ist ein Begriff aus dem Römischen Reich, der im weiteren Sinne jede Rechtsvorschrift bezeichnet, im engeren Sinne jedoch nur die Rechtsvorschriften, die einen bestimmten Weg durchlaufen hatten. Ursprung… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lex Manilia — The Lex Manilia (Law of Manilius) was a law established in 66 BC.Instituted by the Tribune Gaius Manilius one year after the passage of the Lex Gabinia, it gave Pompey supreme command in the war against Mithridates, in place of Lucius Licinius… …   Wikipedia

  • Lex Manilia — Die Lex Manilia war ein Gesetz, das auf den Antrag des Volkstribunen Gaius Manilius hin im Jahre 66 v. Chr. von der Volksversammlung beschlossen wurde. Es betraute Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus mit einem imperium extraordinarium (außerordentlichen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • GABINIA lex — inter leges de Maiestate post XII. Tabb. rogatas prima. Ne quis coitiones clandestinas conflaret: qui fecisset, capitali supplicio plecteretur, sanxit Sallustius in Declam. Porcii Latronis. Alia lata est ab A. Gabinio Trib. pl. A. U. C. 685. L.… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • CAECILIA Gabinia lex — ab Aul. Gabinio Tribuno Plebis L. Metellô, Q. Martiô R. Consulib. an. Urb. Cond. 685. lata, fuit: Ne ius diceretur de iis pecuniis, quae versurâ facta essent sumptae: Ne scil. provinciales homines a Romaenis exhaurirentur: Ne gravior usura, quam… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Loi de Gabinius — Lex Gabinia La loi de Gabinius ou Lex Gabinia fut proposée par le tribun de la plèbe Aulus Gabinius pour donner un pouvoir militaire étendu sur toute la Méditerranée à un général romain, afin de se débarrasser des pirates qui infestaient cette… …   Wikipédia en Français

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