Auteur: Pierzak, Damian
Titre: Summoning the Dead to the Roman Court. Cicero’s Unorthodox Use of the so-called simulacri fictio
Revue/Collection: in Guzmán Almagro, Alejandra, Tantimonaco, Silvia (eds.), Between fearing and worshipping: Household spirits in the Greco Roman World
Lieu èdition: Sevilla
Éditeur: Editorial Universidad de Sevilla
Annèe edition: 2024
Pages: 265-282
Mots-clès: Droit - Diritto - Law, Éloquence - Eloquenza - Eloquence, Rhétorique - Retorica - Rhetorics
Description: Cicero's Summoning the Dead to the Roman Court explores the Roman practice of "simulacri fictio," a legal fiction where the deceased could be called upon to witness or influence legal proceedings. This was not a literal summoning of ghosts, but rather a symbolic representation of their presence, used to invoke their authority or ensure justice in a particular case. Cicero's unorthodox use of this practice, as described in the study by Pierzak, deviated from the established norms. He may have employed it to strengthen his arguments, appeal to a sense of justice that went beyond the strictly legal, or even to create a dramatic effect in his rhetorical presentations. The "simulacri fictio" was a way for the Romans to engage with their ancestors, who were seen as figures of authority and wisdom, even in the afterlife. By invoking their presence in legal contexts, they hoped to align their actions with their ancestral values and ensure that the court proceedings reflected the just and righteous principles upheld by their forebears. [SR]
Sigle auteur: Pierzak 2024
Titre: Summoning the Dead to the Roman Court. Cicero’s Unorthodox Use of the so-called simulacri fictio
Revue/Collection: in Guzmán Almagro, Alejandra, Tantimonaco, Silvia (eds.), Between fearing and worshipping: Household spirits in the Greco Roman World
Lieu èdition: Sevilla
Éditeur: Editorial Universidad de Sevilla
Annèe edition: 2024
Pages: 265-282
Mots-clès: Droit - Diritto - Law, Éloquence - Eloquenza - Eloquence, Rhétorique - Retorica - Rhetorics
Description: Cicero's Summoning the Dead to the Roman Court explores the Roman practice of "simulacri fictio," a legal fiction where the deceased could be called upon to witness or influence legal proceedings. This was not a literal summoning of ghosts, but rather a symbolic representation of their presence, used to invoke their authority or ensure justice in a particular case. Cicero's unorthodox use of this practice, as described in the study by Pierzak, deviated from the established norms. He may have employed it to strengthen his arguments, appeal to a sense of justice that went beyond the strictly legal, or even to create a dramatic effect in his rhetorical presentations. The "simulacri fictio" was a way for the Romans to engage with their ancestors, who were seen as figures of authority and wisdom, even in the afterlife. By invoking their presence in legal contexts, they hoped to align their actions with their ancestral values and ensure that the court proceedings reflected the just and righteous principles upheld by their forebears. [SR]
Sigle auteur: Pierzak 2024
