Legal Definitions - manus

Manus (may-nəs) is a Latin word that means "hand". In Roman law, it referred to the power that the head of a family had over all its members and slaves. This power included a husband's control over his wife, which was common in early Rome.

Manus was also used historically to refer to a compurgator, which was a person who appeared in court and made an oath in support of a civil or criminal defendant. This oath was sometimes taken by placing a hand on the Bible.

• Ancient Roman husbands had manus over their wives, which meant they had complete control over them.
• In medieval times, a compurgator would swear an oath to support a defendant in court.

These examples illustrate how manus was used in different contexts throughout history. In ancient Rome, manus referred to the power that husbands had over their wives. In medieval times, it referred to the oath taken by a compurgator in court.