1.
The Emperor Antoninus to Claudius Triphoninus.
What Cornelia Salvia bequeathed to
all the Jews of the City of Antioch cannot be recovered.
Given on the day before the
Kalends of July, during the Consulate of Antoninus, Consul for
the fourth time, and Balbinus, 214.
2. The
Emperor Constantine to Evagrius, Praetorian Prefect.
We
desire all Jews and worshippers of the heavens, and their heads and
patriarchs, to be notified that, if anyone, after the promulgation of
this law, should dare to attack a person who has abandoned his odius
sect and betake himself to the worship of God, with stones or with any
other manifestation of rage (which We have ascertained has been done),
he shall at once be given to the flames, and burned with all his accomplices.
Given on the fifteenth of
the Kalends of November, during the Consulate of the Emperor
Constantine, Consul for the eighth time, and Constantine-Caesar, Consul
for the sixth time, 316.
3. The
Emperors Valentinian and Valens to Remigius, Master of the Offices.
It
is proper for you to order that soldiers who are lodged in the synagogue
of the Jews, as in the house of a private person, shall leave it, for
it is not reasonable that they should be quartered in religious places.
Given on the day before the
Nones of March, during the Consulate of the Emperors Valentinian
and Valens, 365.
4. The
Emperors Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodosius to Hypatius, Praetorian
Prefect.
Let the order, on account of which
persons attached to the Jewish faith were gratified, and by which immunity
was granted them from curial charges, be rescinded.
Given at Milan, on the eighteenth
of the Kalends of May, during the Consulate of Merobaudus, Consul
for the second time, and Saturninus, 383.
5. The
Emperors Valentinian, Theodosius, and Arcadius to Cynegius, Praetorian
Prefect.
No
Jew shall marry a Christian woman, nor shall any Christian man marry
a Jewess; for if anyone should be guilty of an act of this
kind, he will be liable for having committed the crime of adultery,
and permission is hereby granted to all persons to accuse him.
Given at Thessalonica, on
the day before the Ides of March, during the Consulate of the
Emperor Theodosius, Consul for the second time, and Cynegius, 388.
6. The
Emperors Theodosius, Arcadius, and Honorius to Infantius, Count of the
East.
No Jew shall retain the customs of
his race relating to marriage; nor shall he marry in accordance with
his religion; nor shall he contract several marriages at the same time.
Given on the third of the
Kalends of January, during the Consulate of the Emperor Theodosius,
Consul for the third time, and Habundantius, 393.
7. The
Emperors Arcadius and Honorius to Eutychianus.
Jews who live under the common Roman
law shall appear in court according to the usual custom, not only in
those cases which relate to their own superstition, but also in such
as have reference to the bar, the laws, and the rights of the people,
and they shall bring and defend all actions in accordance with the Roman
laws. If, however, any of them should, by common consent, prefer to
have a case heard by Jews as arbiters, provided the action is a civil
one, they are not forbidden by the public law to avail themselves of
their award. The judges shall cause their decisions to be executed,
just as if they had been rendered by arbiters having jurisdiction.
Given on the sixth of the Nones of
February, during the Consulate of the Emperor Honorius, Consul for the
fourth time, and Eutychianus, 298.
8. The Same Emperors to the Jews.
No
person who does not acknowledge the religion of the Jews shall establish
a price at which they shall sell their merchandise, for it is but just
that this should be left to each one of them; therefore the Governors
of provinces shall not permit any of you to fix or regulate the price
at which your goods shall be sold. If anyone, except your chiefs, should
venture to take upon himself to do this, let them hasten to punish him
as one desirous of appropriating the property of others.
Given at Constantinople,
on the third of the Kalends of March, during the Consulate of
the Emperors Arcadius, Consul for the fourth time, and Honorius, Consul
for the third time, 396.
9. The
Same Emperors and the Emperor Theodosius, to Eutychianus, Praetorian
Prefect.
Any
Jews who are proved to be subject to a curia can be delivered
up to the latter.
Given on the third of the
Kalends of January, during the Consulate of the Emperor Theodosius
and Rumoridius, 403.
10.
The Emperors Honorius and Theodosius to Anthemius, Praetorian Prefect.
The
Governors of provinces shall prohibit Jews from burning or exhibiting
the representation of the Holy Cross, with the sacrilegious intention
of bringing it into contempt, on the festival day when they celebrate
the punishment of Haman; nor shall they place the emblem of our faith
upon their own houses, but they can retain their rites without manifesting
any scorn for the Christian religion; and unless they abstain from what
was unlawful, they shall undoubtedly lose the privileges which they
have hitherto enjoyed.
Given
at Constantinople, on the fourth of the Kalends of June, during
the Consulate of Bassus and Philip, 408.
12. The Same Emperors to Jovius, Praetorian Prefect.
We
order that, upon the Sabbath day, and at other times when the Jews observe
the ceremonies of their worship, no one shall either do anything to
them, or, under any circumstances, compel them to appear in court; and
they themselves shall not be given permission to sue orthodox Christians
upon those days, so that Christians may not suffer any inconvenience
from being summoned by the officials upon the days aforesaid; for it
is evident that the remaining days will be sufficient for the purposes
of the Treasury, and the suits of private individuals.
Given at Ravenna, on the
eighth of the Kalends of August, during the Consulate of the
Emperors Honorius, Consul for the eighth time, and Theodosius, Consul
for the third time, 409.
13.
The Same Emperors to Philip, Praetorian Prefect for Illyria.
No
Jew who is innocent shall be oppressed, nor shall any person of any
creed cause him to be exposed to insult; nor shall their synagogues
or habitations be burned; nor shall they be maliciously injured without
reason; for when any one of them is implicated in crime, the authority
of the judges and the protection afforded by the public law has been
established to preclude anyone from taking vengeance for himself. But,
as We desire that provision be made for the personal safety of the Jews,
so We think that notice ought to be given to prevent them from becoming
arrogant, and, elated by their security, rashly commit some act against
the Christian religion, by way of revenge.
Given at Constantinople,
on the eighth of the Ides of August, during the Consulate of
the Emperors Honorius, Consul for the ninth time, and Theodosius, Consul
for the fifth time, 412.
14.
The Same Emperors to Aurelian, Praetorian Prefect.
When
any dispute arises between Christians and Jews, it shall not be decided
by the chiefs of the Jews, but by the ordinary judges.
Given on the thirteenth of
the Kalends of November, during the Consulate of the Emperors
Honorius, Consul for the twelfth time, and Theodosius, Consul for the
eighth time, 418.
15.
The Same Emperors to Asclepiodotus, Praetorian Prefect.
Jews
who are proved to have circumcised any man belonging to our religion,
or to have directed this to be done, shall be condemned to the confiscation
of their property, and to perpetual exile.
Given on the day before the
Kalends of February, during the Consulate of the Emperor Theodosius,
Consul for the seventeenth time, and Festus, 439.
16.
The Emperors Theodosius and Valentinian to John, Count of the Imperial
Largesses.
The
chiefs of the Jews, who govern the Sanhedrim in both Palestines, or
those who reside in other provinces, shall, at their own risk, be compelled
by the officers of the palace to collect the annual tax due from all
the synagogues, in the same manner as the patriarchs formerly collected
tribute, under the name of "coronary gold," and what was accustomed
to be paid to the western patriarchs shall be deposited in the Treasury
of Our Largesses.
Given at Constantinople,
on the third of the Kalends of June, during the Consulate of
Florentius and Dionysius, 429.
17.
The Same Emperors to Florentius, Praetorian Prefect.
We
order by this law, which shall be valid for all time, that none of the
Jews (to whom all administrations and dignities are forbidden), shall
perform the duties of municipal defender, nor do We permit them to assume
the honor of father of the city, lest, strengthened by the authority
of the office which they have obtained, they may have the power of judging,
or of promulgating decrees against Christians, as well as frequently
against the bishops of our holy religion themselves, and, by so doing,
insult our faith.
(1) We also, for the same
reason, direct that no Jewish synagogue shall be constructed of new
materials, but permission is given to repair such old ones as are threatened
with ruin.
(2) Hence, any Jew who may
have received an office cannot enjoy the dignity which he has acquired;
or if he has surreptitiously obtained a public employment which is forbidden,
he shall, by all means, be
deprived of it; or if he should build a synagogue, he is hereby notified
that he has labored for the benefit of the Catholic Church; and those
who have, by craft, obtained honors and dignities, shall be considered
to remain in the same condition in which they previously were, even
though they may have been unlawfully promoted to an honorable rank.
He who has begun the construction of a
new synagogue, not with the intention of repairing an old one, shall
be condemned to pay fifty pounds of gold, and be deprived of the work
which he is already presumed to do; and, moreover, it is hereby decreed
that his property shall be confiscated, and that he shall be condemned
to the penalty of death, as one who, by his false doctrine, has attacked
the faith of others.
Given the day before the
Kalends of February, during the Consulate of the Emperor Theodosius,
Consul for the seventeenth time, and Festus. |