Civis Romanus Sum

This single plea sufficed to arrest arbitrary condemnation, bonds, and scourging. Hence, when the centurion commanded Paul “to be examined by scourging,” he virtually pleaded “Civis Romānus sum”; and asked, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?” (1) No Roman citizen could be condemned unheard; (2) by the Valerian Law he could not be bound; (3) by the Sempronian Law it was forbidden to scourge him, or to beat him with rods. (See also Acts xvi. 37, etc.)

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.