While the marriage laws of the Longobards and the Romans differed thus widely, their laws relating to guardianship were also different. The _mundium_ of the Longobards, as we have seen, is not to be confounded with the _tutela_ to which the Roman woman was subjected. Originating in the incapacity to bear arms, it was of limited duration in the case of males, and ceased with their incapacity. At first the limit was fixed at the age of twelve, at a later period of eighteen years. But for the woman, who could never become capable of bearing arms, it was perpetual. From the _mundium_ of her father, she passed, on marriage, under that of her husband; and on the death of her father, if then a widow, under the _mundium_ of her own son, or of the agnates, who were also her heirs. In default of other guardians she was protected by the _Curtis Regia_. But in every case, whether under father, husband, son, agnates, or _Curtis Regia_, the _mundium_ was identical in character, having for its object the protection of the weak. This could not be said of the Roman _tutela_, which had its origin in the Roman conception of the family. The _tutela_ of the Roman father over his children lasted all his life; but he could divest himself of it. The _mundium_ of the Longobard father lasted while his children were incapable of bearing arms, and, as a logical consequence, ceased when the incapacity terminated. While it cannot be positively asserted that emancipation was unknown to the Longobards, it may be believed, from the tendency of their law, to have been of rare occurrence. When the Roman woman was subjected to the _potestas_ of her father, the _manus_ of her husband, the _tutela_ of the agnates, there were three kinds of guardianship very different from each other, corresponding with the difference in the domestic relations of those who exercised the right. No one of them had anything in common with the _mundium_. The Longobard father had the right to sell his sons; he represented them in courts of law; whatever they acquired was his. But, as we have already shown, his authority was tempered by the family council, in which the brothers of the mother--the children's natural protectress--had much to say. The Longobard family law has marked peculiarities in regard to succession as well as to marriage. And first, it should be noted that the disposal of property by will was recognised by the Longobards. This seems contrary to the usage of the Germanic tribes, among whom wills were unknown, but may be referred to the modifying action of the Roman on the Longobard law.