The leges regiae in Livy: Narratological and Stylistic Strategies

Abstract

This chapter discusses how Livy in his first book presents the leges regiae (some of which can be found exclusively in Ab Urbe condita) in light of the following categories: religious life; civitas’ fundamental institutions; political life; war and army; agrarian laws; granting of citizenship. It appears that in Livy the leges are straightforward and detailed when they are related to the religious sphere, while they appear more concise and vague when they are measures of a heterogeneous nature. Livy also systematically adjusts his narrative technique on the basis of the function assigned to a law. He shows particular care in reporting technical formulas when he wishes to emphasize the sacredness and longevity of laws concerning founding traditions and “constitutional norms”; on the other hand, Livy emphasizes those aspects of the laws that would appear in line with the characteristics that he wants to attribute to the kings.