Contubernium

Slaves could not marry, but they might enter into the relation of conhibernium, which was practically a marriage, though not legally recognized as such. The children of such a union were regarded as cognates and could not intermarry if they afterwards became free.

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Paterfamilias and Filiusfamilias

Every Roman citizen was either a paterfamilias or a filiusfamilias. that is, he was either independent or free from paternal power {homo sm juris), or dependent or subject to paternal power (homo alieni juris). The term paterfamilias does not necessarily mean the actual father or head of a family. It was simply the generic name for an independent person. The paterfamilias might be either a child or an adult, either married or unmarried. A female, however, could never occupy the position of paterfamilias, for she was never legally independent, at least under the old law. Correspond- ing to the term paterfamilias was filiusfamilias, or Uliafa- milias, which was the generic name for any person under paternal power whether son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter, etc. The distinction between paterfamilias and filiusfamilias belongs entirely to private law. It was not observed in public law. A filiusfamilias if otherwise qualified, was as capable of voting or holding offic...
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Manumission

A slave obtained his freedom by manumission. The forms of manumission varied at different times. During the period of the Republic the forms of manumission were strict and ceremonial, and they had the double effect of freeing the slave and making him a Roman citizen. During the period of the Empire informal manumission was also recognized, which had the effect to free the slave, but not to make him a citizen. The two kinds of manumission, the formal and the informal, co-existed until the time of Justinian, who enacted that a slave when manu- mitted, whether formally or informally, should be a citizen. The recognition of informal manumission was due largely to the przetor. Under the old law, unless the manumission was in proper form the slave remained a slave. An attempted manumission might be defeated by some technical flaw or defect. To prevent the injustice and wrong that might result 'from this, the prastor, in time, protected slaves imperfectly manumitt...
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Risk of Loss - Intermediate Profits

Although the title to the thing sold did not pass to the buyer until the thing was delivered to him and the price was paid (unless the sale was on credit), yet when his title became complete by the delivery and payment, it was held to date not from the time of delivery or payment, but from the time of the making of the contract. The buyer was considered the owner from the time the thing was sold and the price agreed upon. Hence the property was held to be at the risk of the buyer from the date of the sale although not yet delivered to him. If the property was lost or destroyed before delivery without any one's fault, the. loss fell on the buyer and he was required to pay the price although he never received the property (res perit domino). Conversely the buyer was entitled to all the products or increase of the thing, in the absence of a contrary agreement (cujus periculum, ejus et commodatum esse debet). The buyer was also required to pay the expenses of keeping the...
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