Legal Definitions - lex Cincia

Definition: Lex Cincia is a law in Roman law that was established in 204 B.C. This law prohibits certain types of gifts and all gifts or donations of property beyond a certain measure, except to a near relative.

Example: For instance, if a wealthy Roman citizen wanted to give a gift to someone who was not a close relative, they were limited in what they could give. They could not give anything that was considered too valuable or extravagant. This law was put in place to prevent bribery and corruption.

Explanation: The law was designed to prevent wealthy citizens from using gifts to influence or bribe government officials. The law only allowed gifts to be given to close relatives, and even then, there were limits on the value of the gift. This helped to ensure that government officials were not swayed by gifts and that the government remained fair and impartial.