ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Angaria (Roman law)

Angaria was a law in ancient Rome that allowed officials to force people to do things for the greater good. Imagine you and your friends are playing a game of tag, but one of your friends gets hurt and can't run anymore. Suddenly, your mom comes over and makes everyone take turns carrying your injured friend home. This is what angaria is like - someone in charge makes people do something because it's important for everyone's well-being.

Now, angaria wasn't just used for playing games or helping friends. The Roman officials would use this law to make people do things like carry messages or supplies for soldiers, help with the construction of public buildings, and even transport prisoners to jail. It may not have been fun, but it was necessary to keep the city running smoothly.

However, there were rules to angaria. The officials had to have a good reason for making people do something, and they couldn't just pick anyone they wanted - they had to choose people who were capable of doing the task. They also couldn't make people do something that would cause harm or danger to them.

Overall, angaria was a way for the Roman government to get things done for the good of the community, even if it meant making some people do things they might not have wanted to do.