The Edict of Rothari, drafted in 643, is a compilation of laws that reflect Lombard customary law, offering a valuable insight into the society, mindset, and even the language of the Lombard people. This edict emerged during a time when the Lombards were experiencing a cultural and religious transition: divided between Arianism and Catholicism, they retained some traces of paganism, such as the worship of the “walnut tree of Benevento” dedicated to Odin.

Certain articles in the edict stand out for their specificity. For instance, Article 16 stipulates that anyone who found a dead body in the countryside or by a river and robbed it, then hid the body, had to compensate the victim’s relatives with 80 solidi. It’s plausible that such a rule was introduced to address real-life cases. Article 26, on the other hand, mandates that anyone who insulted a free woman or maiden had to pay a fine of 900 solidi, the same amount prescribed for murder (Article 14); however, the compensation was directed not to the victim but to the king and the woman’s guardian, known as the mundio. Fines varied significantly depending on social class, gender, and the severity of the harm done.

The edict also includes a sort of fee schedule for injuries, detailing compensation for every broken bone and even specifying damages for gouged eyes or severed noses. This paints a picture of a society in which violence was an integral part of daily life.

One peculiar rule is the launegild in Article 175: the Lombards did not conceive of gifts as we do; every present required a counter-gift. Article 315 even mentions domesticated deer! Particularly intriguing is Article 326: in cases of attacks by domestic animals, the injured party had no right to private vengeance (*feud*) but was only entitled to compensation, as “the blame lies with an irrational being, not a conscious man.” Finally, Article 336 equates the act of inducing an abortion in a slave to other offenses against domestic animals like cows and mares.