Prospero Farinacci

Doctor Prospero Farinacci
Giuseppe Cesari called Cavalier D'Arpino, Portrait of Prospero Farinacci, 1607, oil on canvas (Museo nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome, Italy)
Born	(1554-11-01)November 1, 1554 Rome, Papal States
Died	31 December 1618(1618-12-31) (aged 64) Rome, Papal States
Resting place	San Silvestro al Quirinale
Nationality	Italian
Occupation(s)	Jurist, lawyer, judge
Known for	Praxis et Theorica Criminalis, one of the most influential works of criminal jurisprudence in Civil law countries until the reforms of Cesare Beccaria (1738–94).
Children	Ludovico Farinacci
Parent(s)	Marcello Farinacci and Bernardina Farinacci
Academic background
Alma mater	Sapienza University of Rome University of Perugia
Academic advisors	Tobia Nonio Rinaldo Ridolfi
Influences	Bartolus de Saxoferrato Tiberio Deciani Giulio Claro
Academic work
Discipline	Criminologist, legal theorist, criminal lawyer, defense attorney
School or tradition	Mos italicus iura docendi
Influenced	Virtually every area of criminal law in Western civil law countries under the Ancien Régime

Prospero Farinacci (1 November 1554 – 31 December 1618) was an Italian Renaissance jurist, lawyer and judge. His Praxis et Theorica Criminalis (Practice and Theory of Criminal Law) was the strongest influence on criminal law in Civil law countries until the Age of Enlightenment. Farinacci defended Beatrice Cenci who was accused of killing her father in the most famous criminal case of the time. As a judge he was known for his harsh sentencing.