#8: Sleuths in Scale Mail

[RPGnet Columns]

http://www.rpg.net/columns/oneshot/oneshot8.phtml

Summary:

An expert speaks on PIs in fantasy worlds.

Go to the column (http://www.rpg.net/columns/oneshot/oneshot8.phtml) for more information.

[Kiero]

This was a good article, but for one minor quibble: in the historical section the author didn't look back far enough. Specifically, they overlooked ancient Rome as an example of a place with law-enforcement and very likely private investigation.

In 6AD Caesar Augustus reformed the vigiles, previously a rather understaffed fire-fighting force, into something more like a "city guard". Their numbers were greatly expanded as were their duties to include keeping the peace. Cities out in the provinces often had garrisons, but Rome itself had always prided itself on not needing such things. Besides which weapons and armour were banned within the pomerium, the sacred boundary of the inner city. Later the urban cohorts were added for the purposes of keeping the peace.

Before then in the Republic, and no doubt continuing right through the Imperial era, men would often have their clients and slaves (along with hired ex-gladiator bully-boys) for personal protection. One of the reasons a man would be seen about with his clientage in tow was for personal protection. It was also why magistrates with imperium were given the services of lictors.

More importantly, Rome had law even before an equivalent to the police. Social customs and the protection of patronage was supposed to keep order. When a man was wronged, he was supposed to seek redress through the courts, via his patron. In return for clientage and appearing at a patron's house and in his entourage, a man could expect that his patron would pursue legal action in his name. It was in this way that men of the Republic believed blood would not be spilled on the streets of Rome. At least for men of property who mattered.

Indeed Rome had it's "chief justice" in the urban praetor, who was the highest legal authority in the city. The two aediles, both patrician and plebian were also responsible for keeping order. It isn't inconceivable that they either themselves, or through men in their employ might have investigators digging up the fact either for justice or blackmail opportunity.

There's quite a few crime novels set in Republican and Imperial Rome, centred around investigators both private and working for magistrates or other Senate-sponsored bodies.

[Willi B]

I am working on a murder mystery card game. For plot reasons, I am setting it in London on Halloween, 1937. I have been looking for all things 1937 London, but trying to come up with investigative procedures and equipment used by Sacotland Yard in that time period isn't easy... outside of Agatha Christie.

Does anyone, author or otherwise, have a good resource I can peruse on the web or otherwise that can help me research further?