Lex Clavdia 218 BC and its Interpretations in the Historiography
Kvashnin V. A.
The article is devoted to the analysis of the various points of view on lex Claudia of 218 BC. The author investigates various concepts from T. Mommsen up to our days. Four historiographic lines are analyzed in the article. The first of them is a «political» explanation, assuming that lex Claudia was adopted in interests of a certain political group or social group. The «economic» explanation assumes that lex Claudia was caused by objective economic tendencies in the development of the roman civitas. Such explanation assumes that the law was not lobbied in interests of any political community. According to the «social» explanation (which also can be designated as «ideological»), lex Claudia was not brought to life by political struggle or economic development. The purpose of the law was to preserve or create the system of moral values of the senators as of the «public» ordo. Lastly, the «military» explanation assumes that lex Claudia had tactical character at the early stage of Hannibalic war.