Note 402 — Chapter VIII · THE UNFREE. THE SERF.
Reading edition
The Romans used to slay their infirm and useless serfs, or expose them in an island of the Tiber. Claudius made several regulations in their favour. “Cum quidam aegra et affecta mancipia in insulam Aesculapii taedio medendi exponerent, omnes, qui exponerentur, liberos esse sanxit, nec redire in ditionem domini, si convaluissent; quod si quis necare mallet quem quam exponere, caedis crimine teneri.” Suet. in Claud. 25.