Legal Definitions - spolium

Spolium

Spolium is a Latin word that means "booty". In Roman law, it refers to something that was taken from an enemy during a war or stolen from a fellow citizen. The plural form of spolium is spolia.

• After defeating their enemy, the Roman soldiers took spolia, including weapons and armor, as their reward.
• During times of civil unrest, some citizens would take spolia from their fellow citizens' homes.

The examples illustrate how spolium was used in Roman times to refer to items that were taken as a reward or through theft. The first example shows how soldiers would take spolia from their enemies as a way to celebrate their victory. The second example shows how spolia could also be taken from fellow citizens during times of chaos and unrest.