The Application of the Lex Iulia de collegiis in the Early Imperial Context: Remarks for New Testament Exegesis

This article offers a critical reassessment of the prevailing scholarly view regarding the content of the lex Iulia de collegiis and its application in the early Roman Empire. Most scholars argue that this law established a general authorization system for the formation of associations and mandated the dissolution of those that failed to comply. This interpretation has been widely accepted, influencing the exegesis of certain New Testament texts and the reconstruction of the legal status of early Christian communities. This study examines the sources most frequently cited in support of this hypothesis, highlighting their inadequacy in substantiating this scholarly paradigm. It demonstrates that the repressive measures attested in these sources, do not reflect the enforcement of the supposed lex Iulia de collegiis, but rather the application of criminal law provisions, particularly the leges de vi.