L’enigma del ‘dardanariato’ e una discussione parlamentare d’altri tempi

During a debate in the House of Deputies of the Kingdom of Italy in the summer of 1920, on the subject of provisions relating to trade and against excessive price increases, the ‘mysterious’ case of the ‘Dardanariatus’ and its regulation in classical Roman law was mentioned. After analysing the problems concerning the disputed origin of the term, the relevant sources are monitored (especially, Ulp. 8 ‘de off. proc.’ D. 47.11.6 pr.-2 and Paul. 1 sent. D. 48.19.37) in order to identify the punishable conducts committed by the ‘dardanarii’ exactly to endanger the food supply and the corresponding system of penalties, which is connoted by clear distinctions between ‘humiliores’ and ‘honestiores’. Namely, the question arises whether the offences attributed to the dardanarii were merely aggravating circumstances of the crimen annonae of Augustan origin or an independent ‘crimen extraordinarium’, whose introduction does not seem to be much earlier than the time when Ulpian reported it.