Inter amicos manumittere : problemi di origine

Abstract

In this volume, the author examines the origins of inter amicos manumittere, engaging with the scant and disputed attestations available. The historiographical debate has so far focused on two aspects considered inseparable: the structure of the act and the scope of the expression inter amicos, in relation to manumissions commonly classified as praetorian. This study proposes a shift in perspective - more faithful to the textual evidence - that directs attention to the legal effects of the act. With a diachronic approach, and acknowledging the obscure, complex, and contradictory reality that emerges from the sources, the inquiry contributes to the ongoing debate on the history of the institution, which has never truly fallen silent.