Not true, unfortunately. The Chinese Imperial justice system, the Roman Imperial system, and the Egyptian system (which gets you back to around 2500BC) all aimed at having most/all "crimes" dealt with by the "imperial system". In the Egyptian system, village headmen were left to sort out domestic disputes and small disputes about field boundaries, water, straying animals etc. In the Chinese system, even this were supposed to be dealt with by the magistrate.
At the same time, Owen's terror at being thrown out is pretty much an exact rendition of mediaeval Icelandic society. Exile (outlawry) was the worst punishment that could be inflicted: the Grettisaga (which also contains probably the first ever description of post traumatic stress disorder) details the effects that outlawry has on the strong man, Grettir; and a great deal of the Saga of Burnt Niall is taken up with the efforts of the burners to regain access to their native land, having fled or been banished as a result of the burning.
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regna
(no subject)
Date: 2007-10-06 01:16 pm (UTC)At the same time, Owen's terror at being thrown out is pretty much an exact rendition of mediaeval Icelandic society. Exile (outlawry) was the worst punishment that could be inflicted: the Grettisaga (which also contains probably the first ever description of post traumatic stress disorder) details the effects that outlawry has on the strong man, Grettir; and a great deal of the Saga of Burnt Niall is taken up with the efforts of the burners to regain access to their native land, having fled or been banished as a result of the burning.