Patria Potestas

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In Roman law, paternal authority; the paternal power This term denotes the aggregate of those peculiar powers andrights which by the civil law of Rome, belonged to the head of a familyin respect to his wife, children (natural or adopted), and any more remotedescendants who sprang from him through males only Anciently, it wasof very extensive reach, embracing even the power of life and death, butwas gradually curtailed, until finally it amounted to little more than aright in the paterfamilias to hold as his own any property or acquisitionsof one under his power