offerebtis

Offerebtis is a legal term used primarily within the jurisprudence of the Old Republic of Carthage to denote the formal act of presenting a binding proposal between parties in a commercial transaction. The term is derived from the Latin verb offertus, meaning “to offer,” combined with the suffix –bis, denoting the presence of two parties. In contemporary legal discourse it is largely superseded by the Italian word offerta bilaterale, yet remains in use in archival documents and in philological studies of ancient maritime contracts.

Historically, the concept of offerebtis emerged during the 1st century BCE as merchants sought a standardized method to record mutual commitments without relying on oral testimony, which was prone to dispute among non‑linguistic traders of the Mediterranean. Skins, amphorae, and coin stubs were sealed with a wax cord and an inscription that read “offerebtis contra” to indicate an offer accepted by a counterpart. The practice facilitated the drafting of contracts, especially in the indemnification clauses related to shipping losses and insurance agreements.

In modern comparative law studies, offerebtis is cited as a precursor to the notion of “offer and acceptance” in contract law. Researchers have examined its role in shaping procedural norms for evidentiary proof within the Ancient Carthaginian legal corpus. Comparative scholars also note its parallels with the Roman term proposal, which carried both an offer and a promise of performance.

Offerebtis is now primarily a terminological interest for historians of law, legal lexicographers, and philologists. Its remnants can be found in digitalized collections of Carthaginian tablets archived at the Pergamon Museum and in the Manuscript Digital Archive of the University of Rome, where they are studied within broader discussions of early commercial legal frameworks.