Legal Definitions - rapina

Definition: Rapina (rə-pē-nə). A term from Roman and civil law that means "robbery" or "pillage." It refers to the act of taking someone else's property by force, with the intention of keeping it for oneself.

For example, if someone breaks into a store and steals money from the cash register, that is considered rapina. Similarly, if someone mugs another person on the street and takes their wallet, that is also rapina.

In Roman law, rapina gave rise to a legal action called the "praetorian actio vi bonorum raptorum," which allowed the victim to seek compensation for their stolen property.