[German version]

Ceremonial treaty of peace and friendship between Rome and another state which is placed under the protection of the gods. By contrast to a truce (indutiae) the foedus was drawn up for the long term (pia et aeterna pax). The result of the foedus was a  societas or an  amicitia , Rome's partners were  foederati ,  socii or amici (the terms are not strictly differentiated). Originally the foedera were probably signed by the  fetiales in the form of a sponsio (Liv. 1,24); later their role was confined to supervising the religious formalities. The foedus was usually signed by…