The tollere liberum (from tollere, to raise; liberus, child) was an ancient Roman tradition in which a man picked up a newly born infant from the ground and lifted them in the air to display his acceptance of them as part of his household. It was commonly the father, or in some cases the chief of the house, who performed the task. In some variations of the tradition the man would carry them around a portion of earth (similar to the Greek amphidromia).[1][2]
By the 2nd century AD the practice was out of fashion and almost forgotten about, but a seemingly similar practice called suscipere liberum appears in legal documents.[3] It was also sometimes simply called suscipio.[4]
Importanceedit
The tollere liberum had no legal importance and did not imply that the father legally accepted paternity or confirmed legitimacy of the child. It was largely regarded as a symbolic gesture and its omission (if for example the father was not at home) did not affect the child's position in the family in any way.[5] The legal initiation of a child into the familia occurred on the dies lustricus when they were given their personal name.[6] In the past it was thought by historians that the event did have a bearing and meant that the man acknowledged paternity of the baby, but this has been rejected in the 20th century.[7] It was believed that if the father did not perform the act that it was an implication that the infant should be exposed.[8]
Cultural depictionsedit
In modern popular culture, scenes have been shown in which Roman dictator Julius Caesar picks up his son Caesarion and shows him to onlookers. Examples are in the 1963 film Cleopatra in which it is anachronistically stated that it is law that a man declares paternity if he picks up a child from the ground; the 1999 miniseries Cleopatra where Cleopatra VII places the child in front of him and demands that he accept the boy in front of the Roman imperial court; and the HBO television series Rome where Caesar proudly displays the boy for his legionaries.
^Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony; Eidinow, Esther (2014). The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization. OUP Oxford. pp. ?. ISBN9780191016769.
^The Journal of Juristic Papyrology. Vol. 1. Warsaw Society of Sciences and Letters. 1952. p. 30.
^Bullettino dell'Istituto di diritto romano. Vol. 55–56. UC Southern Regional Library Facility: Giuffrè. 1951. p. 115.
^of Rievaulx, Aelred (2016). Pezzini, Domenico (ed.). The Liturgical Sermons: The Second Clairvaux Collection; Christmas through All Saints. Cistercian Fathers. Vol. 77. Translated by Mayeski, Marie Anne. Liturgical Press. p. 94. ISBN9780879076917.
^The Journal of Juristic Papyrology. Vol. 1. Warsaw Society of Sciences and Letters. 1952. p. 31.
^Dixon, Suzanne (2005). Childhood, Class and Kin in the Roman World. Routledge. p. 78. ISBN9781134563197.
^Yoshida, Sarah Elise (2001). The Marriage of Roman soldiers (13 BC-AD 235), Law and Order in the Imperial Army. W Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition. Vol. 24. Brill. p. 315. ISBN9789004121553.
^Wium Westrup, Carl (1944). Introduction to Early Roman Law: The house community. v.1. sect.1. Community of cult. University of Michigan: Levin & Munksgaard. p. 260.
Further readingedit
Shaw, Brent D. (February 2001). "Raising and Killing Children: Two Roman Myths". Mnemosyne: A Journal of Classical Studies. Fourth Series. 54 (1). Brill: 31-77 (47). JSTOR 4433183.
April 11, 2024
tollere, liberum, tollere, liberum, from, tollere, raise, liberus, child, ancient, roman, tradition, which, picked, newly, born, infant, from, ground, lifted, them, display, acceptance, them, part, household, commonly, father, some, cases, chief, house, perfor. The tollere liberum from tollere to raise liberus child was an ancient Roman tradition in which a man picked up a newly born infant from the ground and lifted them in the air to display his acceptance of them as part of his household It was commonly the father or in some cases the chief of the house who performed the task In some variations of the tradition the man would carry them around a portion of earth similar to the Greek amphidromia 1 2 Contents 1 History 2 Importance 3 Cultural depictions 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingHistory editBy the 2nd century AD the practice was out of fashion and almost forgotten about but a seemingly similar practice called suscipere liberum appears in legal documents 3 It was also sometimes simply called suscipio 4 Importance editThe tollere liberum had no legal importance and did not imply that the father legally accepted paternity or confirmed legitimacy of the child It was largely regarded as a symbolic gesture and its omission if for example the father was not at home did not affect the child s position in the family in any way 5 The legal initiation of a child into the familia occurred on the dies lustricus when they were given their personal name 6 In the past it was thought by historians that the event did have a bearing and meant that the man acknowledged paternity of the baby but this has been rejected in the 20th century 7 It was believed that if the father did not perform the act that it was an implication that the infant should be exposed 8 Cultural depictions editIn modern popular culture scenes have been shown in which Roman dictator Julius Caesar picks up his son Caesarion and shows him to onlookers Examples are in the 1963 film Cleopatra in which it is anachronistically stated that it is law that a man declares paternity if he picks up a child from the ground the 1999 miniseries Cleopatra where Cleopatra VII places the child in front of him and demands that he accept the boy in front of the Roman imperial court and the HBO television series Rome where Caesar proudly displays the boy for his legionaries See also editFamily in ancient Rome Childhood in ancient Rome List of Roman birth and childhood deitiesReferences edit Hornblower Simon Spawforth Antony Eidinow Esther 2014 The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization OUP Oxford pp ISBN 9780191016769 The Journal of Juristic Papyrology Vol 1 Warsaw Society of Sciences and Letters 1952 p 30 Bullettino dell Istituto di diritto romano Vol 55 56 UC Southern Regional Library Facility Giuffre 1951 p 115 of Rievaulx Aelred 2016 Pezzini Domenico ed The Liturgical Sermons The Second Clairvaux Collection Christmas through All Saints Cistercian Fathers Vol 77 Translated by Mayeski Marie Anne Liturgical Press p 94 ISBN 9780879076917 The Journal of Juristic Papyrology Vol 1 Warsaw Society of Sciences and Letters 1952 p 31 Dixon Suzanne 2005 Childhood Class and Kin in the Roman World Routledge p 78 ISBN 9781134563197 Yoshida Sarah Elise 2001 The Marriage of Roman soldiers 13 BC AD 235 Law and Order in the Imperial Army W Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition Vol 24 Brill p 315 ISBN 9789004121553 Wium Westrup Carl 1944 Introduction to Early Roman Law The house community v 1 sect 1 Community of cult University of Michigan Levin amp Munksgaard p 260 Further reading editShaw Brent D February 2001 Raising and Killing Children Two Roman Myths Mnemosyne A Journal of Classical Studies Fourth Series 54 1 Brill 31 77 47 JSTOR 4433183 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tollere liberum amp oldid 1161065417, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
