LaL In Roman law. Certain classes of thlngs which could not be aliened or transferred except by means of a certain formal ceremony of conveyance called “mancipatio:* (q. v.) These lncluded land, houses, slaves, horses, and cattle. All other things were called “res nec mancipi:’ The dlstlnction was abolished by Justinian. The distinction corresponded as nearly as may be to the early dlstlnction of English law lnto real and personal property; res mancipi belng objects of a mllitary or agricultural character, and res nec mancipi being all other subjects of property. Like personal estate, res nec mancipi were not originally either valuable in se or valued. Brown
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
