Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

LEX REGIA. LEX RUBRIA. 697
taken away. If Patres means the Senate, then ment of the Lex De Imperio Vespasiani is still
the purport of the Lex is this, that no inca- preserved at Rome. (Haubold, Spangenberg, AlIosure must be proposed at the Centuriata Comitia, num. Legal. p. 2'21.) It is sometimes incorrectly
without a SCtum first authorising it. (Comp. Liv. called a Senatusconsultum, but on the fragment
xlv. 21.) itself it is called a Lex. It is true that a SenatusThe meaning of the third Lex is plain enough. consultumn preceded the Lex, and the enactment
Putchta shows or tries to show that the first Lex of the Lex was a mere form. This Lex empowers
Publilia simply rendered unnecessary the con- Vespasian to make treaties, to originate Senatusfirmgtion of a Plebiscitum by the Comitia Centu- consulta, to propose persons to the people and the
riata; and therefore there remained only the con- Senate to be elected to magistracies, to extend the
firmation of the Senate. Accordingly, the effect Pomoerium, to make constitutions or edicts which
of the first Lex was to make the Comitia Tributa should have the force of law, and to be released
cease to have merely the initiative in legislation; from the same laws from which Augustus, Tibehenceforth, Plebiscita did not require the confirm- rius, and Claudius were released; and all that he
ation of a Lex Centuriata, but only that of the had done before the enactment of this lex (ante
Senate; and we may, probably, from this time date legem rogatam) was to have the same effect as if
the use of the expression: "Lex sive id Plebiscitum it had been done by the command of the people.
est." This Lex de Imperio Principis is several times
I-e considers the second Lex to have simply named Lex Regia in the Corpus Juris (Inst. 1.
declared the old practice, that the Comitia Centu- tit. 2. s. 6.; Dig. 1. tit. 4. s. 1.; Cod. 1. tit. 17.
riata should pass no Rogation without the authority 187). There is no evidence that the Lex de Imof a previous Senatusconsultum. The two Leges perio Principis was ever called Lex Regia under
then had this relation to one another: the first the early emperors. Under the later emperors
Lex provided, that a Lex passed at the Comitia there is nothing surprising in the name Regia
Tributa, which before this time was confirmed by being adopted as a common expression. When
at Senatusconsultum, and finally ratified by the the emperor was called Dominus, a title which was
Comitia Centuriata, should not require the ratifi- given even to Trajan, the Lex de Imperio might
cation of the Comitia Centuriata; the second Lex well be called Regia. To deny the existence of
declared that the old practice as to the Comitia a Lex de Imperio would show a very imperfect
Centuriata should be maintained, that the Leges knowledge of the history and constitutionof Rome,
passed there should have the previous authorisa- and a want of critical judgment. (Puclta, Inst. 1.
tioni (atictoritas) of the Senate. ~ 88.)
On the subject of these Leges, see Zachariae RE'GIAE. [Jrus CIVILE PAPIRIANvoI.],Slla, i. p. 26, note; Puchta, Inst. i. ~ 59; and RE'MMIA. [CArUMNINA.]
Niebuhr, vol. iii. p. 147, &c. Engl. Tr.: and see REPETUNDA'RUM. [REPETUNDAE.]
VAtLERIAE LEGES. RHO'DIA. The Rhodians had a maritime
Pi'/PIA, mentioned by Cicero (ad Quint. ii. code which was highly esteemed. Some of its
13, ad PFao. i. 4) seems to have enacted that the provisions were adopted by the Romans, and have
senate could not meet on Comitiales Dies. thus been incorporated into the maritime law of
QUI'NTIA was a lex proposed by T. Quintius European states. Strabo (p. 652. Casaub.) speaks
Crispinus, consul B. c. 9, and enacted by the Populuas of the wise laws of Rhodes and their admirable
for the preservation of the Aquaeductus. The Lex policy, especially in naval matters; and Cicero
is preserved by Frontinus (de Aqtzaeduct Roman.). (pro Leg. iltanil. c. 18) to the same effect. The
RE'GIA,' properly LEX DE IMPE'RIO Digest (14. tit. 2) contains so much of the Lex
PI/'NCIPIS. The nature of the Imperium and Rhodiorum as relates to jactus or the throwing
the mode of conferring it have been explained overboard of goods in order to save the vessel or
under IMpERaiuMr. Augustus, by virtue of uniting remainder of the cargo. This Lex Rhodiorum do
in his own person the Imnperium, the Tribunitia Jactu, is not a Lex in the proper sense of the term.
Potestas, the Censorian power, and the office of RO/SCIA THEATRA'LIS, proposed by the
Pontitfex, was in fact many magistrates in one; tribune L. Roscius Otho, B.C. 67, which gave tile
and his title was Princeps. These various powers Equites a special place at the public spectacles in
were conferred on the earliest Principes (em- fourteen rows or seats (in quatuordecit gradibls
perors) by various leges; but finally the whole sive ordinibus) next to the place of the senators,
of this combined authority was conferred by a which was in the orchestra. This Lex also assigned
Lex Imperii or Lex de Imperio. (Dion Cassius, a certain place to spendthrifts (decoctores, Cic.
liii. 18; his remarks on the power of Augustus, Phil. ii. 18). The phrase " sedere in quatuorand the notes of Reimarus.) By this Lex the Im- decim ordinibus," is equivalent to having the
perial authority, as we may call it, was conferred proper Census Equestris which was required by
on the Princeps (cum ipse Imperator per legem the Lex. There are numerous allusions to this Lex
Ilmperium accipiat, Gaius, i. 5), and legislative (Dion. xxxvi. 25; Vell. Pat. ii. 32; Liv. Epit. 99;
power. By this Lex the Princeps was also made Cic. pro Murena, 19), which is sometimes simply
"' solutus legibus," that is, many restrictive enact- called the Lex of Otho (Juv. xiv. 324), or referred
ments were declared not to apply to him, either to by his name. (Hor. Eptod. iv. 16.) This law
in his private or his magisterial capacity (Dion caused some popular disturbance in the consulship
Cass. liii. 18, 28): for instance, Caligula was re- of Cicero, n. c. 63, which he checked by a speech.
leased by a Senatusconsultum, which was pro- (Cic. ad Alt. ii. I; Plut. Cice. c. 13.) [Juvi1a
bably followed by a Lex as a matter of form, THEATRALIS.]
from the Lex Julia et Papia. (Dion Cass. lix. 15; RU'BRIA. The province of Gallia Cisalpina
compare Ulpian, Dig. 1. tit. 3. s. 31.) This Lex ceased to be a Provincia, and became a part of
De Imperio was preceded by a Senatusconsultum. Italia about the year B.c. 43. When this change
(Tacit. [list. i. 47, iv. 3, 6.) A considerable frag- took place, it was necessary to provide for the