In early modern ius commune the term iniuria (“insult, injury”) covered a wide range of offenses ranging from violent crime to insults to one’s honor. Iniuria included harming a person by means of verbal and physical injury (in German, Verbalinjurie and Realinjurie) as well as insults in writing or by means of gestures and mime.

Abusive language, offensive gestures, and violent rituals comprised a repertoire of symbols in the early modern period that were deployed in disputes of honor. In this context, they were based on elementary society values and norms (Social value sys…