In Caligula, the Corruption of Power, by Anthony Barrett, a tiny detail of Roman history is mentioned on page 64. Disastrous battles with the Cimbrii and the Teutones, around 100 B.C., were lost by foolish mistakes. As a result, Rome brought a new law into being: Lex Appuleia de Maiestate.
It was not designed to punish criminal intent. There were already laws against that. The Lex Appuleia de Maiestate was designed to punish governmental incompetence.
If we passed a similar law today, how many of our officials and bureaucrats would be innocent?
