Lex Oppia was promulgated in 215 BC, during the Second Punic War. It was a suntuaria law, that is, it meant limiting luxury, in this case female. Proposed by the tribe of the Gaio Oppio tribes, the name of which he made the name, contained the following limitations for women: they could not have more than a half an ounce of gold, nor wear a dress with too bright colors, nor go to a carriage in Rome or in another city, except to attend a religious ceremony.
The law had been approved at a time of particular difficulty for the Romans shortly after the Battle of Canne, and its intent was both moralistic, that is to disadvantage the tendency - female species - to change mentality, the habits of life and habits, both economically and economically, since the Roman state had more than ever needed funds to fight the war and could not afford family assets to be depleted by uncontrolled expenses or voluntaries.
After the end of the war, the Roman victory and the enlargement of the borders, Rome did not only have the financial instruments to revive the crisis, but also a new world to emerge, that of continental Greece and the East . In the capital of the empire came constantly goods of all kinds, new ideas, more refined and elegant ways of life, and lex Oppia seemed to be a useless remnant of the past, two tribal tribes, Marco Fundanio and Lucio Valerio they proposed repeal.
Among the opposing abrogations there were two other tribunes of the plebs: Marco Giunio Bruto and Publio Giunio Bruto, as well as the consul Marco Porcio Catone, who argued that the law had had positive effects, since all the women were now wearing similar clothes and the poor had no reason to be ashamed of meeting the rich, and the natural desire of women to spend, a real sickness from which women could not be cured had finally been mitigated by law. On the contrary, repealing the law would not put limits on female consumerism.
During the Senate debate, women poured into the street to ask their men to discuss the proposal in the forum, where they would also be able to attend the discussion. The day after the discussion, more women went home to the two tribunes opposed to abrogation and stayed there until the two welcomed their requests.
The law was thus abolished in 195 aC. Notemodify wikitesto Links externalize the wikitesto
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