Meaning of patria potestas | Babel Free

Definitions

The legal power and rights of a Roman father over his children and descendants by virtue of his paternity.

historical, uncountable

Examples

“It was a condition of the patria potestas that the child should be born in marriage.”

“The Roman Vestals appear to have been under the patria potestas of the king, and, in repubmlican times, of the Pontifex Maximus, who succeeded to some of the king's functions. But if they were under the patria potestas of the king, they must have been either his wives or daughters.”

CEFR level