Donʼt Ask Us for Lex. Body Exhibition and Forms of Exclusion

The essay deals with the many boundaries set and exceeded by Roman Law when human corporeality is involved. In particular, the focus is on the strict correlation between body expression and socio-juridical marginalization, clearly visible in the case of prostitution in ancient Rome, but also in acting and in fighting in the arenas, activities sharing the same goal as prostitution: they were designed to bring pleasure to the senses. These forms of marginalization differ from the inexorable limit, already decrypted by Roman Law, set by humankindʼs bodily nature to the action of Law: Law is not in the position to “have the last word” on matters concerning human life, on which nature alone can “lay down Law.”