[Iustiniani Institutiones]

... [Technical marginalia discussing the "dediticians," the Aelian Sentian law, and the later removal of these status distinctions by the Emperor Justinian].

many-fold, and it had fallen into disuse. However, the name of the Latins was not frequent. Therefore, our piety, wishing to improve everything and reduce it to a better state, has amended it with two constitutions and reduced it to the pristine state.

Because from the cradles of the city of Rome, one and simple liberty was fitting, that is, the one which the manumissor had, unless indeed it is a libertine who is being manumitted, even if the manumissor is free-born.

And those dediticians, whom we have expelled through our constitution which we promulgated among our decisions, through which, at the suggestion of Tribonian, a man of excellence, we have calmed the intricacies of ancient law by our own voice.

And all those concerning the Latins, or Julians, and everything which had been observed concerning them, we have corrected through another constitution by the suggestion of the same quaestor, which radiates among the imperial sanctions.

And we have adorned all freedmen with Roman citizenship, with no distinction of the age of the manumitted, nor of the manumitting master, nor of the method of manumission, as was previously observed. Many ways have been added through which liberty can be provided to slaves with Roman citizenship, which is the only one at present.

On those by whom and for what causes slaves cannot be manumitted.

It is not, however, permitted to everyone who wishes to manumit. For he who manumits in fraud of creditors does nothing, because the Aelian Sentian law hinders the liberty. Although it is allowed to a master who is not solvent to institute his slave with liberty in a testament, so that he may be made a necessary heir, if no other heir appears from that testament, or if he who was written as heir did not appear for any reason. This, which was provided by the same Aelian Sentian law, was very rightly to be provided, so that needy men, to whom no other heir would appear, or at least a slave...