Who issued the Constitutio Antoniniana and when was it enacted?
The Roman emperor Caracalla issued the Constitutio Antoniniana in AD 212. This decree arrived during a period of intense political instability within the empire.
Questions about Constitutio Antoniniana
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What groups gained full Roman citizenship under the Constitutio Antoniniana?
The edict declared all free men in the Roman Empire to receive full Roman citizenship. Free women in the Empire simultaneously received the same rights as Roman women.
Why did Cassius Dio claim Caracalla issued the Constitutio Antoniniana?
Cassius Dio described the main reason for this law as a desire to increase tax revenue. He stated that aliens did not have to pay most taxes before this change.
Which people were excluded from citizenship despite being free under the Constitutio Antoniniana?
A vexed passage created an exclusion for dediticii who lacked either full Roman citizenship or Latin rights. These individuals included peregrini dediticii and former slaves designated as libertini qui dediticiorum numero sunt.
How did the Constitutio Antoniniana affect Roman military recruitment?
Another goal may have been increasing the number of men able to serve in the legions. Only full citizens could serve as legionaries in the Roman army.