130 The Imperial Government
Theremaywellbeasignificantevolutionhere,buttheambiguityofthe
scatteredevidencemakesitimpossibletoprove.Whatisclear,however,is
that theprinciplewas maintained that prisons were not intended for long-
termsentencesbutonlyasplacesofshort-termdetentionfordefendants,or
personsawaitingexecution.Itis,however,obvious,fromtheverypassage
whichprovidestheclearestexpressionofthisprinciple,thatitwasnotalways
observedinpractice:‘‘Governorsareinthehabitofcondemningmentobe
detainedinprisonorkeptinvincula[shackles];butitisnotrightforthemto
doso.Forpenaltiesofthistypeareforbidden.Prisonoughttoberegarded
as being for the detention of men, not for their punishment’’ (Dig. 48, 19,
8,9,Ulpian).Evensuchtemporarydetentionnormallyinvolvedthedefen-
dantorconvictbeingchained,andhencewasregardedasinflictinginfamia
(disgrace).SeverusandCaracallahadtoreassureamanthatif hehadbeen
thrownintoprisonper iniuriam(unjustifiably),withoutasentencecarrying
infamiahavingbeenpassed,heneednotfearthathisexistimatio(reputation)
hadbeendamaged(App. Leg. Rom.Wis.1,2).Theseverityoftheconditions
canbejudgedfromConstantine’swell-knowninstructionsontheproduc-
tionofprisonersawaitingtrial:^14
Meanwhilethemanwhohasbeenproducedincourtshallnotbeput
inmanaclesmadeofironthatcleavetothebones,butinlooserchains,
sothattheremaybenotortureandyetthecustodymayremainsecure.
Whenincarceratedhemustnotsufferthedarknessofaninnerprison,
but he must be kept in good health by the enjoyment of light, and
whennightdoublesthenecessityforhisguard,heshallbetakenback
intothevestibulesoftheprisonsandintohealthfulplaces.Whenday
returns,atearlysunrise,heshallforthwithbeledoutintothecommon
lightofdaythathemaynotperishfromthetormentsofprison,afate
which is considered pitiable for the innocent but not severe enough
fortheguilty.Constantine’swordsimplyboththatamorepositivepunishmentthanmere
imprisonment was thought appropriate forconvicts, and (once again) that
therewasnoacceptedconceptofaprolongedprisonsentencewithanypur-
pose,whether retributive, economic,or reformative. None the less,when
Galerius’edictoftolerationwasissuedin311,Donatus,theaddresseeofLac-
tantius’De Mortibus Persecutorum,hadbeeninacarcerforsixyears(35,1–2;cf.
Eus.,HE9,1,7).
14.CTh9,3,1,trans.C.Pharr;somevariantsinCJ9,4,1.