Legal Definitions - festuca

Definition: Festuca is a historical term that refers to a rod, staff, or stick used as a symbol of ownership or a pledge of good faith in a contract. In Roman law, it was a token of conveyance of land.

For example, among the Franks, the festuca was used as a symbol of physical power and a token of good faith in a contract. It could be a stout staff or a little stick with imprecatory runes cut on it. The festuca was given by one party to another to show that they were serious about their agreement.

The festuca illustrates how symbols can be used to represent something of value, even if the object itself is of little worth. It also shows how different cultures and religions can influence the meaning of symbols over time.