Ius Italicum

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Ius Italicum was a special Roman law that treated some cities outside Italy as if they were on Italian soil. This meant they were governed under Roman law, enjoyed greater autonomy from provincial governors, and their people were protected like Roman citizens.

Key ideas
- Rights and status: Inhabitants could own property, were exempt from land tax and the poll tax, and had protection under Roman law. It was the highest level of freedom a city or province could gain.
- Purpose: It helped the empire govern distant areas more effectively, rewarding loyalty and stabilizing newly settled colonies.

Who used it and why
- Augustus (the first emperor) used Ius Italicum to reward veterans after civil wars. He created colonies to house these veterans and to settle civilians who had lost property.
- Septimius Severus granted Ius Italicum to several African municipalities, including Carthage, to strengthen control in Africa.

Examples and lists
- Augustus-founded colonies with Ius Italicum (as listed in ancient sources): Berytus, Apamea, Sinope, Philippi, Alexandria Troas, Dyrrhacium, Pax Julia, Emerita, Valentia, Ilici, Lugdunum, Vienna, Cassandrea, Dium, Parium, Antioch of Pisidia.
- Cities established to house legions under Augustus: Arausio, Baeterrae, Barcino, Caesaraugusta, Cartenna, Corduba, Forum Julii, Gunugu, Narbo, Patrae, Rusazu, Rusguinae, Saldae, Thermae Himeraeae, Thuburbo Minus, Thuburnica, Tubusuctu, Uthina.
- Other notes: The law also applied to territories around places like Carthage and later saw colonies on the Danube (for example Colonia Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa under Trajan). Pliny mentions Acci and Libisosa as Augustan cities with Ius Italicum.

Impact
- The law made distant areas more like Roman provinces in law and rights, but it was expensive for the empire because taxes from those cities were not collected.

In short, Ius Italicum granted many distant towns the full privileges of Roman-ruled areas, reinforcing loyalty and Roman control while offering notable freedoms to their inhabitants.