Legal Definitions - impubes

Definition: Impubes (im-pyoo-beez) is a Latin term used in Roman law to refer to a child who has not yet reached puberty. According to Roman law, impubes referred to a male under the age of 14 and a female under the age of 12. The plural form of impubes is impuberes (im-pyoo-bə-reez). This term is often compared to the term "infans," which refers to a child who is too young to speak.

• A 10-year-old girl would be considered impubes under Roman law.
• A 13-year-old boy would also be considered impubes.

These examples illustrate how impubes was used in Roman law to define the age at which a child was considered too young to make certain decisions or be held responsible for certain actions. It was important to establish these age limits in order to protect children and ensure that they were not subjected to adult responsibilities or punishments before they were ready.