Is it true that the word "immunity" comes from the Roman word to designate slaves?

It is common that in ancient Rome Immunes called slaves who survived during the epidemic - the term that has now arisen that was allegedly arose. We checked how justified this opinion.

During 2021, several publics on VKontakte immediately published posts with almost the same text: “In ancient Rome, immunities were called slaves who survived during the epidemic. They were sent to clean the corpses, and if after that he survived, he was released, he received Immunitas. So the word "immunity" arose. " Such messages can be found, for example, in the group of “5 interesting facts” (4.4 million subscribers), and identical publications appeared there at least twice: in February and in December. Similar posts gained hundreds and thousands of likes and in less Popular public. The publications of similar content and in other social networks, for example in Facebook And Twitter.

Let's start with where the word "immunity" came from. In the "Big Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language" edited by Kuznetsov It is saidthat this term goes back to the Latin Immunitas or Immunitatis-“Liberation from something”. Similar versions set out In etymological dictionaries, edited by Semenov and Shansky, as well as in "Big Russian Encyclopedia" And "Biological encyclopedic dictionary". The word "immunity" came from European (More likely all through German), where Rising In addition, Latin Immunitas.

A similar point of view is presented in Oxford Classical Dictionary. Graham Burton in an article about the word Immunitas Writes: “Immunitas is the release of a community or individual from obligations to the Roman state or an individual from obligations to the local community.” In Rome, “immunity” (that is, exemption from taxes) could even receive entire cities, such a right was given both on an ongoing basis and on temporary (for example, after a spontaneous disaster).

Immunes in ancient Rome really were, but to slaves and epidemics, contrary to the authors of publications in social networks, they had nothing to do. In such a word called A soldier who was exempted from many routine duties, as they had high qualifications in another craft. Among them Could be Blacksmiths, masons, carpenters, glass workers, gunsmiths, butchers, grooms and representatives of other professions.

We were not able to find any serious source that would confirm the version of the origin of the word “immunity” set forth in social networks. Dictionaries and specialized resources do not connect his etymology with ancient Roman slaves and, especially epidemics. The term "immunity" at that time really existed, but had a completely different meaning. Apparently, the version set forth in the verified messages is completely invented and has nothing to do with reality. Our colleagues-factory colleagues from similar conclusions from Ukraine And Kazakhstan.

Photo on the cover: engraving by J. Levasser "Angel of Death at the door during the plague in Rome"

Not true

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. "Voks Ukrainian." Fake: The word "immunity" comes from the name of the slaves who cleaned the corpses during epidemics
2. Stopfake.kz. Fake: "The word" immunity "comes from the name of the ancient Roman slaves that removed corpses"
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