peculium castrense

In Roman law, peculium castrense referred to the property that a son could legally hold as his own, separate from his father's control. This was a significant exception to the broader concept of patria potestas, the absolute power a father held over his children and their possessions.1

Normally, anything a child acquired belonged to the father. However, sons serving as soldiers were allowed to keep their earnings and property, known as peculium castrense, as their own private possession. This concept was later expanded to include other professional earnings. While the father's rights over his children's property were generally extensive, peculium castrense granted sons a degree of financial autonomy.12