The Twelve Tables
Before written law in Ancient Rome, the patricians made the rules. These "laws" could change whenever the patricians wanted them to change. Although there were no official laws, the rules that the patricians enforced were the closest thing the Romans had to real laws. The lower class, known as the plebeians, revolted and eventually got the patricians to write down the laws. The plebeians forced the creation of a written law code! Then, in 451 B.C., a group of ten officials began writing down Roman laws. The Twelve Tables were written. The Twelve Tables listed customary laws that the Romans had to follow, or else, there would be punishments. For example, there was information about punishments for grazing in someone else's field, and even information about the death penally just for singing a song about someone else! Originally, these laws were carved on wooden tablets up for public display in the Forum and eventually, they were written on bronze. These tables later became the basis for Roman law.
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