Page "Civil and political rights" Paragraph 4

The phrase " civil rights " is a translation of Latin ius civis ( rights of citizens ).

Roman citizens could be either free ( libertas ) or servile ( servitus ), but they all had rights in law.

After the Edict of the Milan in 313, these rights included the freedom of religion.

Roman legal doctrine was lost during the Middle Ages, but claims of universal rights could still be made based on religious doctrine.

According to the leaders of Kett's Rebellion ( 1549 ), " all bond men may be made free, for God made all free with his precious blood-shedding.