The Concept of “palatium” in the Language of Hispanic Law from the 4th to the Beginning of the 8th Centuries

Abstract

The article is devoted to the evolution of the meaning of the Latin concept palatium and its derivatives in legal texts of the 4th – early 8th centuries. In the 4th – 5th centuries these concepts were used to designate three main groups of realities. First, the actual premises of the imperial palace, both in the capitals (Rome and Constantinople) and in the provinces (including Spain). Second, the system of institutions that ensured the administration of the Empire. Third, the hierarchically organized corps of palace officials. In the Visigothic epoch changes emerged in the language of royal and church legislation, starting from the 7th century. The architectural model of the Roman palace complex was preserved and continued to be reproduced (in particular in Recopolis and Toledo), however, the scale of the buildings was reduced. The system of palace institutions, although it retained its Roman appearance, was significantly simplified. Services that provided for the personal needs of the king and his family came to the fore. Among the palace employees, increasingly important positions were occupied by royal slaves, freedmen and clients, who formed the backbone of the new emerging political elite.