Peculium duplicis iuris. Sulla responsabilità de peculio del dominus in D. 15.1.19.1-2 (Ulp. 29 ad ed.)

The notion of peculium duplicis iuris derives from a perplexing fragment of Ulpian’s commentary to the edict D. 15.1.19.1-2 (Ulp. 29 ad ed.). It denotes a situation of a double subjection of a slave belonging either to a dowry (servus dotalis) or being an object of a usufruct (servus fructuarius). In both cases different persons may be entitled to the slave’s peculium at once. Ulpian’s text discusses patrimonial relations between the co-entitled masters of the slave as well as the central question of contractual liability towards a third creditor.