Caracalla - the Constitutio Antoniniana

The Constitutio Antoniniana

Caracalla's edict known as the Constitutio Antoniniana is preserved on a papyrus in Giessen, Germany. It was acquired in the early 20th century. The precise provenance of the papyrus, in Egypt, is unknown.

On the papyrus are several Greek texts, the Constitutio is on the much damaged top left part. The stylistic features of the writing on the papyrus suggest a date in the early third century. The original edict must have been in Latin. There is consensus that it was issued in 212 AD, perhaps on July 11 (it was known in Asia Minor in March 213).

Papyrus Giessen 40. Image: constitutio.de.

Edict of the [Emperor Caesar] M. Aurelius [Severus] Antoninus Augustus. [It is everywhere] necessary to attribute the main causes and reasons of events [to the divinity. I too myself have to be justly] grateful to the immortal gods, because they [safely] protected me, after such an [assault, as that of Geta, was attempted]. I believe, therefore, in the following manner to be able, magnificently and marvellously to do something equal to their greatness, if I lead, [as Romans, as many myriads] as happen to be my subjects to the [temples] of the gods.

I grant, therefore, to all [free persons throughout the Roman] world the citizenship of the Romans, [no other legal status remaining] except that of the dediticians; for it seems fair, [that the masses not only] should bear all the burdens, but participate in the victory as well. [This my own] edict is to reveal the majesty of the Roman people. [For this majesty happens] to be superior to that of the other [nations], the [honour] in which [the Romans have excelled from the beginning], after no inhabitant of any country [in the world has been left without citizenship and] honour. [Referring to the] taxes [which exist at present, all are to pay what has been] imposed [on Romans, from the beginning of the 21st(?) year, as it is law according to the edicts and letters, issued by us and our ancestors. Displayed publicly....]. The Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Pius decrees: It is altogether necessary to attribute the causes and reasons [of recent events] to the divine. I, personally, would rightly thank the immortal gods, since although such a conspiracy [as that of Geta] has occurred, they have watched over me and protected me. I think that I am able, both magnificently and piously, to do something fitting to the gods' majesty, if I manage to bring [all] those in the empire, who constitute my people, to the temples of the gods as Romans.

I therefore give everyone in the Roman world the Roman citizenship: preserving customary law, without additional privileges. It is necessary for the masses not only to share in our burden, but also to be included in victory. This decree will spread the magnificence of the Roman people. For it now happens that the same greatness has occurred for everyone, by the honour in which the Romans have been preeminent since time immemorial, with no-one from any country in the world being left stateless or without honour. Referring to the taxes that exist at present, all are due to pay those that have been imposed upon the Romans from the beginning of their twenty-first year [of age], as it is the law, according to the edicts and rescripts issued by us and our ancestors. Displayed publically ...

Translation Fritz Moritz Heichelheim, 1941. Translation Alex Imrie, 2018.

The effect of the constitution is found in some papyri. The beneficiaries received the nomen gentile Aurelius from Caracalla, for example "Aurelius Zosimos, who before the divine gift was called Zosimos son of Leonides" (Berliner griechische Urkunden 2, 655; 215 AD).

The Constitutio is referred to in other literary and legal texts, but not many.

Cassius Dio 78.9.5

He made all the people in his empire Roman citizens; nominally he was honouring them, but his real purpose was to increase his revenues by this means, inasmuch as aliens did not have to pay most of these taxes.

Historia Augusta, Septimius Severus 1.2

Cui civitas Lepti, pater Geta, maiores equites Romani ante civitatem omnibus datam. Septimius Severus' native city was Leptis, his father was Geta; his ancestors were Roman knights before citizenship was made universal.

Aurelius Victor, Liber de Caesaribus 16.12 (assigning to Marcus Aurelius)

Data cunctis promiscue civitas Romana. The right of citizenship was given to everyone without distinction.

Augustinus, De Civitate Dei 5.17

Praesertim si mox fieret quod postea gratissime atque humanissime factum est, ut omnes ad Romanum imperium pertinentes societatem acciperent civitatis et Romani cives essent. Especially if that had been done at once which afterwards was done most humanely and most acceptably, namely, the admission of all to the rights of Roman citizens who belonged to the Roman empire.

Sidonius Apollinaris, Epistulae 1.6.2

Urbem, domicilium legum, gymnasium litterarum, curiam dignitatum, verticem mundi, patriam libertatis, in qua unica totius urbis civitate soli barbari et servi peregrinantur. Rome, the abode of law, the training-school of letters, the fount of honours, the head of the world, the motherland of freedom, the city unique upon earth, where none but the barbarian and the slave is foreign.

Digesta 1.5.17

Ulpianus libro 22 ad edictum. In orbe Romano qui sunt ex constitutione imperatoris Antonini cives Romani effecti sunt. Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book XXII. According to a Constitution of the Emperor Antoninus, all those who were living in the Roman world were made Roman citizens.

Digesta 50.1.33

Modestinus libro singulari de manumissionibus. Roma communis nostra patria est. Modestinus, On Manumissions. Rome is our common fatherland.

Justinianus Novellae 78.5 (assigning to Antoninus Pius)

Sicut enim Antoninus Pius cognominatus, ex quo etiam ad nos appellatio haec pervenit, ius Romanae civitatis prius ab unoquoque subiectorum petitus et taliter ex eis qui vocantur peregrini ad Romanam ingenuitatem deducens ille hoc omnibus in commune subiectis donavit ... For as Antoninus, surnamed Pius (from whom this title has descended to Our times), having been petitioned by each of his subjects, and afterwards by those designated strangers, to give them the right of citizenship by making them freeborn Romans, conferred this privilege upon all his subjects ...

On the remaining part of the papyrus are three more edicts of Caracalla.

[Another edict: Edict of the] Emperor [Caesar M. Aurelius Severus Antoninus Augustus. Listen to a great] action [of mine, that the whole world may rejoice and the anxieties of] all come to an end, [let all the exiles who have been condemned, on whatever charge] or blame [and in whatever manner, be restored. All are to] return [to their own native countries as soon as this edict has been displayed publicly, with the exception of men banished by my] lord [and divus, your father Severus for] any [reason. They are to be free everywhere, wherever our officials] have let them go; [and all the men whom I have reinstated are to live for the future, as is right,] according to the edicts [and letters, issued by us and our ancestors].

[Another edict: Edict of the Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus] Augustus [........ ]. I command that to the men whom I have reinstated there must be attributed [what is due] to them, [and] I give the knight's horse back to those who had it before, and a [new] verification of the properties [which are required for qualification to municipal offices] will be necessary [or, in addition,] a notification(?) of a decision [has to be made] referring to such [persons as are not] to hold or to occupy the municipal offices. And then the following: Hereafter, for persons to whom the membership of a certain class of the community of lawyers has been forbidden for a certain time, this annotation of infamy is not to be prolonged after the time has expired. And if it is clear how fully I have shown my grace, nevertheless my grace is not to be interpreted too narrowly in accordance with the regulations of the earlier decree, in which I decided as follows: "All are to return to their own native countries". It was my clear intention that the way should be free hereby for all these to the whole Empire as well as to my capital, Rome, that no cause for ignominy or a new beginning of insulting treatment from malicious persons should be left. Published in Rome, the fifth day before the Ides of July under the consulate of the two Aspri, i.e. 16th Epeiph of year 20; and (published) in Alexandria by the procurator usiacus in the 21st year, 16th Mecheir, and entered into the official book of documents by his excellency the prefect Baebius Juncinus on the fourth of (the) same month Mecheir.

Another [epistle]: All Egyptians who are in Alexandria, and especially country-folk, who have fled from other parts of Egypt and can easily be detected, are by all manner of means to be expelled, with the exception, however, of pig-dealers and riverboatmen and the men who bring down reeds for heating the baths. But expel all the others, as by the numbers of their kind and their uselessness they are disturbing the city. I am informed, that on the day of the festival of Sarapis and on certain other festal days Egyptians are accustomed to bring down bulls and other animals for sacrifice, or even on other days; they are not to be prohibited [from doing] this. The persons who ought to be prohibited are those who [flee] from their own districts to escape rustic toil, not [those], however, who congregate here with the object of viewing the glorious city of Alexandria or come down for the sake of enjoying a more civilized life [or] for incidental business.

A further extract: For genuine Egyptians can easily be recognized among the linen-weavers by their speech, which proves them to have assumed the appearance and dress of another class; moreover, their mode of life, their far from civilized manners reveal them to be Egyptian country-folk.

Other texts on P.Giss. 40. Translation Fritz Moritz Heichelheim, 1941.

Cassius Dio 78.9.5
He made all the people in his empire Roman citizens; nominally he was honouring them, but his real purpose was to increase his revenues by this means, inasmuch as aliens did not have to pay most of these taxes.
Historia Augusta, Septimius Severus 1.2
Cui civitas Lepti, pater Geta, maiores equites Romani ante civitatem omnibus datam.	Septimius Severus' native city was Leptis, his father was Geta; his ancestors were Roman knights before citizenship was made universal.
Aurelius Victor, Liber de Caesaribus 16.12 (assigning to Marcus Aurelius)
Data cunctis promiscue civitas Romana.	The right of citizenship was given to everyone without distinction.
Augustinus, De Civitate Dei 5.17
Praesertim si mox fieret quod postea gratissime atque humanissime factum est, ut omnes ad Romanum imperium pertinentes societatem acciperent civitatis et Romani cives essent.	Especially if that had been done at once which afterwards was done most humanely and most acceptably, namely, the admission of all to the rights of Roman citizens who belonged to the Roman empire.
Sidonius Apollinaris, Epistulae 1.6.2
Urbem, domicilium legum, gymnasium litterarum, curiam dignitatum, verticem mundi, patriam libertatis, in qua unica totius urbis civitate soli barbari et servi peregrinantur.	Rome, the abode of law, the training-school of letters, the fount of honours, the head of the world, the motherland of freedom, the city unique upon earth, where none but the barbarian and the slave is foreign.
Digesta 1.5.17
Ulpianus libro 22 ad edictum. In orbe Romano qui sunt ex constitutione imperatoris Antonini cives Romani effecti sunt.	Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book XXII. According to a Constitution of the Emperor Antoninus, all those who were living in the Roman world were made Roman citizens.
Digesta 50.1.33
Modestinus libro singulari de manumissionibus. Roma communis nostra patria est.	Modestinus, On Manumissions. Rome is our common fatherland.
Justinianus Novellae 78.5 (assigning to Antoninus Pius)
Sicut enim Antoninus Pius cognominatus, ex quo etiam ad nos appellatio haec pervenit, ius Romanae civitatis prius ab unoquoque subiectorum petitus et taliter ex eis qui vocantur peregrini ad Romanam ingenuitatem deducens ille hoc omnibus in commune subiectis donavit ...	For as Antoninus, surnamed Pius (from whom this title has descended to Our times), having been petitioned by each of his subjects, and afterwards by those designated strangers, to give them the right of citizenship by making them freeborn Romans, conferred this privilege upon all his subjects ...