Lesson 13, held on November 10, 2022:

Different contexts for the word promissio: legislation, criminal matters, promissio ducis. Transition from Ducatus (direct democracy) to Comune (representative democracy) in order to guarantee a wide enough, consistently engaged base of discussion and deliberation, given that the placitum is now less efficient. Tests conducted in the second half of the XII century: iudices, sapientes, early magistrates. Magistrates are colleges of officers, endowed with iurisdictio on specific matters not in need of major discussion and decision. They are elected for short terms of office and responsible of their public acts, taken by majority vote. Early instances are Advocatores Communis, Camerarii Communis, Procuratores Sancti Marci. Penalties for failing to take the appointment. Appearance of a Minor and Major Council after 1185; an electoral law in 1207 specifies their members, attributions and procedure for election, based on an annual turn among the trentacìe. Potestas distributiva and aggregations.