The activity of legati iuridici in Roman Britain

The legati iuridici were magistrates, which were not often nominated. Emperors used to nominate them only in few provinces e.g. Britain. The sources that survived till modern times certify the names of only five British legati iuridici. First two of them were distinguished lawyers – an advocate Gaius Salvius Liberalis and jurist Lucius Iavolenus Priscus. Three remaining legates were simple clerks without any unusual legal skills. The only aim of the legati iuridici activity was to help the governors in their judicial duties. Despite this, they were subordinate directly to the emperors. They served both in civil and criminal cases. There are only two certain evidences of their judicial activity in Britain. The first one is D. 36.1.48. In that passage Iavolenus Priscus described a court hearing concerning an inheritance law. Another case is preserved in D. 49.15.6. It concerns a financial liability of the state’s treasure. In 1986 British archaeologists found a wooden tablet in London containing a record of plaintiff’s testimony. It is possible that the testimony was given in court presided by the anonymous legati iuridici