Legal Definitions - lex Junia Norbana

Definition: Lex Junia Norbana is a law in Roman law that created the status of Junian Latin for informally manumitted slaves. It is often shortened to lex Junia. This law created a new class of people called Latini Juniani, who were ex-slaves that, due to some defect in their manumission, did not become full citizens.

For example, after the lex Junia Norbana, there were five classes of people under the division of the law of persons into free men or slaves:

• Ingenui, or persons born free
• Libertini, ex-slaves who, on gaining their freedom, became cives
• Latini Juniani, ex-slaves who, on manumission and by reason of some defect therein, became something short of full citizens
• Dediticii
• Slaves proper

This law shows how the Roman legal system created different classes of people based on their status as free or enslaved, and how even those who were freed from slavery were not always granted full citizenship rights.