Inconvenient Witnesses: Testimonies of Slaves in a Criminal Trial During the Republic and the Principate
Inconvenient Witnesses: Testimonies of Slaves in a Criminal Trial During the Republic and the Principate

Summary/Abstract: In ancient Rome, slaves performed many different tasks. The fact that they often enjoyed the trust of their owners and knew their secrets made them very desirable witnesses in a criminal trial. The aim of the article is to show examples of situations in which the testimony of slaves in a criminal trial could be dangerous for their owners. Slaves were subject to obligatory torture, so they could reveal some secrets against their will. However, there was a ban on the use of slaves’ testimonies against their owners. Roman law, still, knew a few exceptions to this, in matters justified by the interests of Rome. The article shows also the changes made during the Principate, when the statutory law regulating this issue appeared.

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