Donne medievali tra fama e infamia: leges e narrationes

Abstract

This paper stresses the shift occurred at the beginning of the 13rd century, in judicial proceedings, from the accusatio of Roman legal tradition to the inquisitio. Due to this upset, trials were instituted per publica vox et fama, i.e. on the grounds of the bad reputation one had in his/her community. As far as women and their history are concerned, the focus is centered on adultery, which is the slanderous crime-sin accusation considered by both laws and public opinion, by writers and other makers of male discourse on women’s good-bad reputation.