Commercium (Roman)

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Commercium (Roman)

In ancient Rome, commercium, or ius commercii, was a legal right that let non-citizens like peregrini and some Latin-right holders acquire property, make contracts, and trade like Roman citizens. The jurist Ulpian described commercium as "the right of buying and selling reciprocally."

The exclusive right to own and transfer certain forms of property, known as mancipa­tio, was a key part of early citizenship. By about 493 BCE, the Latin League and some peregrini were granted a right of commerce. This allowed Latins and eligible peregrini to trade in res mancipi—property important to the rural economy, including slaves, certain farmland in Latium, and livestock. Regular trade that did not involve res mancipi did not require a special commercium grant.

See also: res extra commercium (things excluded from trade).