postlīmĭnĭum, ii, n. [post - limen], prop.,
I a return behind one's threshold , i. e. to one's home; hence, a return to one's old condition and former privileges , the right to return home and resume one's former rank and privileges , the right of recovery , reprisal , postliminium : cum ipsius postliminii vis quaeritur, et verbum ipsum notatur, Servius noster nihil putat esse notandum, nisi post; et liminium illud productionem esse verbi vult, ut in finitimo, legitimo, aeditimo non plus inesse timum, quam in meditullio tullium. Scaevola autem Publii filius junctum putat esse verbum, ut sit in eo et post, et limen: ut quae a nobis alienata sunt, cum ad hostem pervenerint, et ex suo tamquam limine exierint, dein cum redierint post ad idem limen, postliminio videantur rediisse, Cic. Top. 8, 36: quem pater suus aut populus vendidisset, aut pater patratus dedidisset, ei nullum esse postliminium, has no right to return to his house and his old privileges , id. de Or. 1, 40, 181: postliminii jus, Dig. 29, 15, 5: postliminium dare alicui, ib.—Hence,
B postlīmĭniō , adverbial abl.
1 Lit., by the right of postliminium : postliminio redeunt haec, homo, navis, equus, etc., Cic. Top. 8, 36; id. Balb. 11, 28: civi Romano licet esse Gaditanum, sive exsilio, sive postliminio, sive rejectione hujus civitatis, i. e. when he returns to Gades , where he was a citizen before being one at Rome , and recovers his right of citizenship , which he had lost by the attainment of Roman citizenship , id. ib. 12, 29: redire, Dig. 49, 15, 19: reverti, ib. 49, 15, 5.—
2 Transf., by the right of return , i. e. back , again , anew (postclass.): postliminio in forum cupedinis reducens, leading back again , Ap. Met. 1, 25, 1; corpus postliminio mortis animare, after death , id. ib. 2, 28, 5.—
II Trop., a return : postliminium ecclesiasticae pacis, reconciliation , Tert. Pudic. 15.