Legal Definitions - proletarius

Definition: Proletarius (proh-luh-tair-ee-uhs) is a Latin term used in Roman law to refer to a member of the lower class who owned little or no property.

Example: In ancient Rome, the proletarii were the lowest class of citizens who had no property and were only able to contribute to the state by having children.

Explanation: The example illustrates how the term proletarius was used in ancient Rome to describe a specific group of people who were considered to be of lower status due to their lack of property ownership. The proletarii were not able to contribute to the state in the same way as those who owned property, and were instead only able to contribute by having children. This example helps to clarify the meaning of the term and how it was used in a specific historical context.