Tendenzen in der Gesetzgebung Marc Aurels am Beispiel des Erb- und Familienrechts. Zum Kontext des Senatusconsultum Orfitianum

2017

Koehn, Clemens

Editor(s): Volker Grieb

Clemens Koehn assisted in the early stages of editing this book.
More information about the book can be found at: https://www.computus-druck.com/press/neuerscheinungen/marc-aurel-wege-zu-seiner-herrschaft/

Book Chapter

de

Publication

Computus Druck Satz & Verlag

Gutenberg, Germany

1

une:1959.11/27012

Ob die Kindesangelegenheiten betreffende Gesetzgebung Marc Aurels primar mit seiner philosophischen Bildung in Verbindung zu bringen ist, mag dahingestellt bleiben. Zumindest kann festgehalten werden, dass Marc Aurel die Rechte von Kindern in besonderer Weise gestarkt hat. Auch wenn er letztlich in seiner Erbrechtsgesetzgebung dem generellen Trend der Antoninenzeit folgte, namlich das cognatische Prinzip gegenuber dem agnatischen zu starken und vor allem die patria potestas aufzuweichen, so ist er doch derjenige, der diesen Trend durch eine Reihe von gesetzgeberischen MaBnahmen noch einmal erheblich forciert hat, wie die vorliegenden Ausfuhrungen uber das bei Johannes Malalas uberlieferte Erbrechtsgesetz Marc Aurels, das in den Digesten erwahnte edictum de bonorum possessione liberis danda und das SC Orfitianum deutlich machen sollten. Obgleich letzteres als das bekannteste Gesetz Marc Aurels in Erbrechtsfragen gilt, stellt es nur eine logische Erganzung zu einer umfangreicheren gesetzlichen Regelung in Form des Edikts von 176 dar, mit welcher der Kaiser insgesamt Kindern den Zugriff auf das Erbe ihrer testamentslos verstorbenen Eltern zu erleichtern suchte.

Though Polybius wrote his Histories in a style, which at expense of readability was rather complex and acribic, he kept himself within the boundaries of the Hellenistic literary style, therefore the idea of a special ‘chancellery’ style must be abandoned. Yet since the epigraphical prose style developed distinctive features in Hellenistic times, as shown by Jonas Palm, one cannot exclude the possibility that those features had a certain influence on contemporary historiography. Direct influence can be shown in the way the word ‘stele’ is used, which plays a prominent role in Polybius’ narrative on the Achaean policy of unifying the Peloponnesus in the 2nd century BCE. This term he borrowed directly from the official use of the Achaean political language. As demonstrated by comparison with the only epigraphically preserved document of sympoliteia from the Achaean league (SIG³ 490), the term ‘stele’ was used to officially designate the treaties (homologia), with which new members were accepted to the league.In his legislation regarding children, Marcus Aurelius might have been less influenced by his philosophical edification than previously thought by scholars. Yet it is obvious, that he strengthened the rights of children in issues of inheritance law. Even if we admit that he followed the usual trend of the Antonine period to boost the principle of cognate relations at expense of the agnate ones and to soften the institution of patria potestas, he can be regarded as the emperor who has forced this trend by a multitude of legislative actions. As shown by the analysis given in this paper, the inheritance law preserved in John Malalas, the edictum de bonorum possessione liberis danda as preserved in the Digests and the Senatusconsultum Orfitianum are all part of this package. Although the latter is the most famous of Marcus Aurelius’ laws in regard of matters of inheritance law, it is just a complementary law to his large legislation in form of the edict of 176 CE, in which he facilitated the access of children to the property of parents who had died without leaving a will.

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Marc Aure l- Wege zu seiner Herrschaft, p. 307-323

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