LĂTĪNĬTAS

LĂTĬUM, JUS LĂTĬI. All these expre ions are used to signify a certain status intermediate between that of cives and peregrin i. Before the pa ing of the Lex Julia de Civitate ( B.C. 90) the above expre ions denoted a certain nationality, and as part of it a certain legal status with reference to Rome; but after the pa ing of that lex, these expre ions denoted only a certain status, and had no reference to any national distinction. About the year B.C. 89, a Lex Pompeia gave the jus Latii to all the Trans pad an i, and consequently the privilege of obtaining the Roman civitas by having filled a magi stratus in their own cities. To denote the status of these Trans pad an i, the word Latin it as was used, which since the pa ing of the Lex Julia had lost its proper signification; and this was the origin of that Latin it as which thenceforth existed to the time of Just in i an. This new Latin it as or jus Latii was given to whole towns and countries; as, for instance, by Vespas i an to the whole of Spain. It is not certain wherein this new Latin it as differed from that Latin it as which was the characteristic of the Latini before the pa ing of the Lex Julia. It is, however, clear that all the old Latini had not the same right with respect to Rome; and that they could acquire the civitas on easier terms than those by which the new Latin it as was acquired.