Legal Definitions - crimina extraordinaria

CRIMINA EXTRAORDINARIA

Crimina extraordinaria refers to extraordinary crimes in Roman law. These are crimes that were not brought before a quaestio perpetua, which means they did not have a fixed penalty. Instead, the punishment for these crimes was left to the discretion of the judge.

Examples of crimina extraordinaria include:

• Treason
• Conspiracy
• Parricide (killing one's own parent)

These crimes were considered particularly heinous and carried severe punishments. The punishment for these crimes was not fixed, so the judge had the power to decide the appropriate penalty based on the circumstances of the case.

For example, if someone was found guilty of treason, the judge could order them to be executed, banished, or have their property confiscated. The severity of the punishment would depend on the judge's discretion and the specific circumstances of the case.