INCŪNĀBŬLA or CŪNABŬLA (σπάργανον), swaddling-clothes, in which a new-born child was wrapped. It was one of the peculiarities of the Lacedaemonian education to dispense with the use of incunabula, and to allow children to enjoy the free use of their limbs.
Incunabula, swaddling-clothes. (From a Bas-relief at Rome.)
INDUTUS. [[Amictus].]
INFĀMĬA, was a consequence of condemnation for certain crimes, and also a direct consequence of certain acts, such as adultery, prostitution, appearing on the public stage as an actor, &c. A person who became infamis lost the suffragium and honores, and was degraded to the condition of an aerarian. Infamia should be distinguished from the Nota Censoria, the consequence of which was only ignominia. [[Censor].]
INFANS, INFANTIA. In the Roman law there were several distinctions of age which were made with reference to the capacity for doing legal acts:—1. The first period was from birth to the end of the seventh year, during which time persons were called Infantes, or Qui fari non possunt. 2. The second period was from the end of seven years to the end of fourteen or twelve years, according as the person was a male or a female, during which persons were defined as those Qui fari possunt. The persons included in these first two classes were Impuberes. 3. The third period was from the end of the twelfth or fourteenth to the end of the twenty-fifth year, during which period persons were Adolescentes, Adulti. The persons included in these three classes were minores xxv annis or annorum, and were often, for brevity’s sake, called minores only [[Curator]]; and the persons included in the third and fourth class were Puberes. 4. The fourth period was from the age of twenty-five, during which persons were Majores.
INFĔRĬAE. [[Funus].]
INFŬLA, a flock of white and red wool, which was slightly twisted, drawn into the form of a wreath or fillet, and used by the Romans for ornament on festive and solemn occasions. In sacrificing it was tied with a white band [[Vitta]] to the head of the victim and also of the priest.
INGĔNŬI, were those freemen who were born free. Consequently, freedmen (libertini) were not ingenui, though the sons of libertini were ingenui; nor could a libertinus by adoption become ingenuus. The words ingenuus and libertinus are often opposed to one another; and the title of freeman (liber), which would comprehend libertinus, is sometimes limited by the addition of ingenuus (liber et ingenuus.) Under the empire a person, not ingenuus by birth, could be made ingenuus by the emperor.
INJŪRĬA. Injuria, in the general sense, is opposed to Jus. In a special sense injuria was done by striking or beating a man either with the hand or with anything; by abusive words (convicium); by the proscriptio bonorum, when the claimant knew that the alleged debtor was not really indebted to him; by libellous writings or verses; by soliciting a materfamilias, &c. The Twelve Tables had various provisions on the subject of Injuria. Libellous songs or verses were followed by capital punishment. In the case of a limb being mutilated the punishment was Talio. In the case of a broken bone, the penalty was 300 asses if the injury was done to a freeman, and 150 if it was done to a slave. In other cases the Tables fixed the penalty at 25 asses. These penalties were afterwards considered to be insufficient; and the injured person was allowed by the praetor to claim such damages as he thought that he was entitled to, and the judex might give the full amount or less. Infamia was a consequence of condemnation in an actio Injuriarum.