Prescription
There was under the Jus Civile no limitation of actions by prescription. Rights of action were perpetual and not barred by lapse of time. The principle of limitation was introduced by the praetor, who in granting a right of action would frequently limit it by granting it only for a prescribed period, as for one year. And a general statute of limitations was enacted by the Emperors Honorius and Theodosius II, in 424 A. D., fixing the period of limitations for all actions, with some exceptions, whether in rem or in personam , at thirty years. The excepted cases were barred after forty years (Hunter, 645-649).