A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

A person of this name was entrusted by Pliny the Younger with the task of informing the decuriones of Comum that Pliny was willing, as a matter of bounty, not of right, to effectuate the intention of one Saturninus, who, after leaving 400,000 sesterces to the respublica Comensium (a legacy which was legally void), gave the residue of his property to Pliny. (Ep. 5.7.) Hence Guil. Grotius (Vitae JCtorum, 2.5.16) has classed Calvisius among the jurists, although his duties might have been undertaken by any one of moderate discretion and delicacy of feeling. Upon the same slight ground, Guil. Grotius builds the supposition, that the Calvisius mentioned by Pliny was the author of the Actio Calvisiana. This action was introduced, probably in the time of the republic, by some praetor of the name Calvisius (Hugo, R. R. G. p. 335), to protect the patron's rights of succession to a portion of his freedman's property against fraudulent alienations made in the lifetime of the freedman. (Dig, 38, tit. 5, s. 3.3; Heineccius, Hist. Jur. Rom. § 264.)

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