patria potestas

American  

[pey-tree-uh poh-tes-tuhs, pah-, pa-, pah-tri-ah poh-tes-tahs] / ˈpeɪ tri ə poʊˈtɛs təs, ˈpɑ-, ˈpæ-, ˈpɑ trɪˌɑ poʊˈtɛs tɑs /

noun

Roman Law.

1. the power vested in the paterfamilias or head of the Roman family with respect to his wife, natural or adopted children, and agnatic descendants: title to family property is vested exclusively in the paterfamilias, property acquired by a family member becomes family property, and no family member can enter into a transaction in their own right.

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Etymology

Origin of patria potestas

From Latin: literally, “paternal power”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

patria potestas

Some enslaved people were sold into bondage through patria potestas.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023

The patria potestas, the authority of the father, was absolute.

From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2022

Agnation was founded on the idea of the family held together by the patria potestas; cognatio involves simply the modern idea of kindred.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg

Appius for his own purposes, in interpreting his own law, introduces a distinction betwixt those who were sui juris, entirely free, and those who were subject to the patria potestas.

From The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08 by Livius, Titus

An ill-knit nation which does not recognise paternity as a legal relation, would be conquered like a mob by any other nation which had a vestige or a beginning of the patria potestas.

From Physics and Politics, or, Thoughts on the application of the principles of "natural selection" and "inheritance" to political society by Bagehot, Walter