Constitutio Antoniniana
From Open Encyclopedia
The Constitutio Antoniniana (Latin: "Constitution [or Edict] of Antoninus") was an edict declared in 212 AD by the Roman Emperor Caracalla (whose real name was Marcus Aurelius Antoninus). The law declared that all free-born men of the Roman Empire were to be given full Roman citizenship and all free-born women of the Empire were given the same rights as Roman women were.
Before 212, for the most part only inhabitants of the Italian peninsula (then a multi-ethnic region) held full Roman citizenship. Colonies of Romans established in other provinces, Romans (or their descendants) living in provinces, the inhabitants of various cities throughout the Empire, and small numbers of local nobles (such as client-kings) held full citizenship also. Whereas, at most, the majority of provincials merely held limited Roman citizenship rights (if that at all).
The reasons Caracalla passed this law were mainly to increase the number of people available to tax and to serve in the legions (only full citizens could serve as legionaries in the Roman Army).de:Constitutio Antoniniana fr:Édit de Caracalla zh:安扥尼努斯敕令
