Măsuri privind protecția animalelor cuprinse în legislația lui Constantinus I
Measures Regrading Animal Protection Contained in Constantine’s I Legislation

Summary/Abstract: A field that was found under Constantine’s reforms was the legislative one. Constantine didn’t stopped at legislate only with the purpose of limiting human abuse. The first Christian emperor also adopted some laws that should impose a humanitarian treatment towards animals. The emperor focused on domestic animals, especially those used in various labors and activities. On May 14th 316, to follow his goal, Constantine I was issuing an edict through which he banned animal abuse by violent beating with clubs or gnarled and resistant bats. Constantine’s edict also targeted the cart drivers that were racing. The emperor imposed them to use only a rod or a whip that could have in the top a small needle with which they could gently hit the animals on their legs. To make sure that the edict was respected and applied the emperor also foreseen a set of punishments. Those who were violating the edict could have been downgraded to an inferior social class as the one they were already part off or even exiled. The military with high ranks could have been degraded or downgraded and the small soldiers could even risk been deported.

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