In ancient Rome, it was common for citizens to return to their ancestral villages to be counted for censuses. Imagine that you are a young woman in Ancient Rome planning this journey back to your native town. Why might you be fearful to take this trip? The Roman military might assume a traveler like you was an escaped criminal and may arrest you.

You would generally be safer in the city of Rome, as most violent criminals lived on the outskirts.

The Roman military could likely not patrol the thousands of miles of roads connecting major cities, so you may be kidnapped.

Judges would only hold trials for citizens’ crimes that occurred inside the city limits of Rome itself.