Lesbos in the Roman Empire

This chapter presents a synthesis of the information available on law in Roman Lesbos, starting with the integration of the island into the Roman Empire through a combination of war and/or alliance treaties between Rome and the cities of Mytilene and Methymna. The terms of these treaties that are related to the legal realm will be examined, as well as senatus consulta, edicts, and letters by Pompey, Julius Caesar, and Augustus granting or confirming legal privileges, as preserved on inscriptions from Lesbos. Other issues that this chapter considers include: the role of local elites as carriers of ideas and innovations related to law and as ambassadors of local interests before the Roman administrators; the cursus honorum of descendants of the Romanized local elite; the strong presence of Roman negotiatores in local communities and gymnasia; the integration of the cities of Lesbos in conventa iuridicii of Asia Minor; the growth of imperial cult, the importance of priesthood in Roman Lesbos and related local legislation; the competence of local institutions; information on the operation of associations, familiae and cives romani; and finally the collection of Roman taxes under Diocletian.