Sovereignty and empire under Rome

Clifford Ando

Chapter 2 in Research Handbook on the Law and Politics of Sovereignty, 2026, pp 29-39 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter deals with the intricate and sometimes contradictory character of sovereignty in the Roman Empire, showing how Roman legal thought shaped later understandings of sovereignty even as it revealed internal inconsistencies. It explains that Rome, though presenting itself as an empire dividing the world into “conquered” and “not yet conquered,” lacked both a coherent, unified theory of sovereignty and the administrative machinery to apply its laws consistently across its territories. The chapter explores the development of imperium as territorial control and the doctrine of maiestas, which proclaimed Roman preeminence in foreign affairs. Yet, despite its claims to supremacy, Rome frequently permitted subject peoples to maintain their own laws and institutions—a pragmatic accommodation born of necessity rather than genuine recognition of their sovereignty.

Keywords: Roman Empire; Maiestas; Roman legal thought (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781803926346
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