Warning
Info
Warning
Info
Simple English definitions for legal terms
nothus
Read a random definition: nation-state
A quick definition of nothus:
Nothus (pronounced noh-thuhs) is a word from ancient Roman law that means an illegitimate child. This means that the child was born to parents who were not married or were not married at the time of the child's birth. If the child's mother was a Roman citizen, then the child was also considered a Roman citizen. Another word for nothus is spurius.
A more thorough explanation:
Nothus
Nothus is a term used in Roman law to refer to a child who is born out of wedlock or to parents who are not married. This means that the child is considered illegitimate and of base birth. If the child's mother was a Roman citizen, the child would also be considered a Roman citizen. Another term used to describe such a child is spurius.
One example of a nothus is Octavian, who was the son of Julius Caesar's niece and a Roman senator. Octavian was born out of wedlock and was therefore considered a nothus. However, he later became the first Roman emperor, Augustus.
Another example is Tiberius, who was the second Roman emperor. He was born to a noble family, but his parents were not married, making him a nothus.
These examples illustrate how being a nothus did not necessarily prevent someone from achieving great things in Roman society. However, it did carry a social stigma and could limit a person's opportunities.