Exilium

Exilium is a Latin term meaning exile or banishment. The noun derives from ex- “out” and solium “seat,” by extension the removal from the seat of power or homeland.

Historically, exilium was used in ancient Rome as a formal punishment or political remedy. It involved removing a person from the city and homeland, sometimes accompanied by restrictions on property, marriage, or civic rights. The exact terms and consequences varied by era and sovereign authority.

Beyond Roman usage, the concept appears in other legal and literary traditions as a way to remove individuals from a community for political, religious, or security reasons, sometimes without formal confiscation of citizenship.

In modern contexts, political exile describes forced residence outside one’s country due to persecution or opposition, while voluntary exile is pursued for safety or ideological reasons. Exile often intersects with asylum and international human rights norms, though legal outcomes differ by jurisdiction.

In literature, philosophy, and media, exile serves as a motif to examine identity, belonging, memory, and the relationship to homeland and community.

See also: exile, banishment, deportation, political asylum.