Medieval Society

Amicitia

Almost as important as familias was amicitia—somewhat inadequately translated as "friendship". The term covered a great deal more than that. Closely related were the terms "patron" and "client", for that described a particular form of amicitia. We even have documents in which kindred are referred to as "friends by blood".

What we are talking about here are reciprocal ties, between individuals and between families. The ties involve obligations on both sides and were regarded as being as binding as formal law. Indeed, often those ties were taken even more seriously than was the public law. This is why the vendetta was a chronic social problem.

History of Western Civilization

E.L. Skip Knox
Boise State University

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