Colonia, Ius Italicum

[Jona Lendering]

Simple questions may be the hardest to answer. At least, I can not find an answer to this question: did Roman coloniae outside Italy always have the Ius Italicum?

[Lupianus]

I don't think so. The article "Coloniae" from The New Pauly mentions differences in rank between colonies caused by some(!) of them getting the immunitas/ius Italicum. Furthermore, in the article "Ius" there's a section about the ius Italicum as well. It refers to Digest 50,15, which contains a list of colonies and other cities awarded with these rights. Check this link to the Latin Library for full reference.

[Jona Lendering]

Thanks!

[Epictetus]

I agree with Til – it doesn’t look like it. Sherwin-White says that the ius Italicum was more rare because of financial considerations.

It is true that the ius Italicum brought with it a great practical advantage, freedom from the land-tax, tributum soli, and apparently also from the poll-tax, tributum capitis. Undoubtedly the fact that ius Italicum could not be granted without this immunity accounts for the rarity of the grant. Cities had to fulfil a double condition before they were given it, whereas the title of colonia cost the imperial government nothing. But there is more yet in the desire for ius Italicum that needs explanation. Of the earlier examples of coloniae iuris Italici part are the largest cities of the province concerned, the rest being eastern foundations of Caesar or Augustus, where it was perhaps desirable to emphasize the non-Greek character of the community. C. Jullian has already suggested that the importance of this status to the Gallic cities at Cologne, Vienne, and Lyons was one of sentiment rather than of finance. As the title of colonia began to spread among the civitates of the Gallic provinces, these three desired to ‘go one better.’ The rivalry of Vienne and Lugdunum at least is notorius. There is a parallel in competition among the Asiatic cities for titles like ‘First City’ or ‘Temple-Holder.’ A similar explanation is possible for the grant of ius Italicum to the three African cites, to which Severus and Antoninus gave it. Carthage was the capital of the province; Utica had eagerly sought the title of colonia from Hadrian for purely sentimental reasons; Leptis Magna would score off her ancient rival Oca. The close connection between this title and that of colonia supports the view that a sentimental value was attached to the ius Italicum, in addition to its practical advantages, which could be given separately, although they could not be withheld once ius Italicum was granted. But the rarity of the grant suggest that the fiscal benefits which it conferred were always the first consideration. Because of them ius Italicum could not be given away lightly by the central government, and hence could only become a reasonable object of municipal ambition in exceptional circumstances.

Sherwin-White, The Roman Citizenship

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

If you can read spanish, here are a study about coloniae romanae in the east of Hispania, by the great Geza Alföldy:

http://descargas.cervantesvirtual.com/s ... pdf?incr=1

Or the situation of coloniae in Lusitania (Portugal):

http://descargas.cervantesvirtual.com/s ... pdf?incr=1

Or an study about citizenship in Julio-Claudian times, including some reflexions about the matter you have asked:

http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S07 ... ci_arttext

In Spain, there were 18 coloniae with Ius italicum, following a Pliny's list.
Some autors think that there are no diferences between colonia with ius italicum and colonia inmunis (without taxes). Judging by the papers i have read, there are a lot of controversy in that matter, nothing clear... :wink: