A. Historical development
The mutuum was a credit transaction (Loan). In addition to formal loans nexum ) there was also the informal mutuum, presumably from quite early on. In this, money was lent on short-term loan without charge, recallable at any time (cf. precarium ). If the recipient was not able to meet the demand for repayment, they were liable as in the case of embezzling another's money (aes alienum, as imprecise …