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About publicly owned businesses
#1
I have ran across a road block in my research for my novel. It concerns ownership of commercial companies.

I can assume that there were jointly owned businesses, where several people pooled their money for an investment, but they probably did not have their own legal entities like today’s corporations do.

How were these held, what was an owner’s liability and where do I look for more information on this?

Thanks again for your brain-pool. You guys are awesome.
AKA Tom Chelmowski

Historiae Eruditere (if that is proper Latin)
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#2
Hi Tom,
That question is totally outside of my scope of knowledge, but as far as I know, the Dutch East India company was the world's first legal entity covering several investors/shareholders.
Greets!

Jasper Oorthuys
Webmaster & Editor, Ancient Warfare magazine
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#3
Quote:Hi Tom,
That question is totally outside of my scope of knowledge, but as far as I know, the Dutch East India company was the world's first legal entity covering several investors/shareholders.
I think the actual real first incarnation of what can be called a modern 'legal entity' (corporation), was first created for the benefit of American Indians, but the whole legal concept was seized upon by lawyers for far different purposes.

For a good rundown of, especially the modern corporation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporation

An excellent and critical documentary on them: The Corporation
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#4
I was similarily scratching my head about corporations in Rome, but my wife remembers reading something in a textbook about Roman Law. We can't recall the title, but we can assure you that a book on it exists. There was a strange paarallel between the language defining a joint-business and the language defining a criminal conspiracy.

I know this doesn't really help, but I think it had an orange cover...

hope this helps....
Michael Griffin
High School Teacher who knows Latin & Greek
felicior quam sus in stercu
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#5
Not much time now, but there was something very vaguely simolar to the modern joint company. A good starting point wpould be 'Publicans and Sinners' (by Ernst Badian IIRC) that studies the activities of the 'publicani'.

Roman Law, however, does not permit avoidance of private liability.
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!

Volker Bach
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#6
Ave Civitas,

You guys are great. Thanks a lot. But you are costing me money. Of course I bought two books on Roman Law and 'Publicans and Sinners' .

Thanks again. Appreciate all your help.

Me.
AKA Tom Chelmowski

Historiae Eruditere (if that is proper Latin)
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#7
That's only normal Lothia. Didn't you know that RAT was actually founded to make publishers rich. Worked for me (getting them rich, that is).
Greets!

Jasper Oorthuys
Webmaster & Editor, Ancient Warfare magazine
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