I.a being free from a duty, service, etc.; freedom, exemption, immunity; a freeing, exempting, dispensation (class.; syn. immunitas).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.
(α).
With gen. obj.: “vacatio omnium munerum,” Cic. N. D. 1, 20, 53: “publici muneris,” id. Fam. 9, 6, 5: “sumptus, laboris, militiae, rerum denique omnium,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 10, § 23: “militiae,” Caes. B. G. 6, 14; Cic. Phil. 5, 19, 53; Just. 1, 9, 12: “quinquennii militiae vacatio,” Liv. 23, 20, 2; 42, 33, 4: “rerum omnium,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 22, § 58: “malorum,” Sen. Ep. 85, 5.—
(β).
With ab: “a causis vacatio,” Cic. Leg. 1, 4, 11: “ab belli administratione,” Liv. 23, 32, 15: “ab opere,” Col. 6, 14, 3: “a sacerdotio,” Gell. 1, 12, 7.—
(γ).
With quominus: “vacationem augures, quominus judiciis operam darent, non habere,” Cic. Brut. 31, 117.—
(δ).
Absol.: “falsum est, ob vacationem pretium datum,” Cic. Font. 4, 7: “cum sacerdotes deorum vacationem habeant, quanto est aequius habere ipsos deos,” id. Ac. 2, 38, 121: “deprecari vacationem adulescentiae,” id. Cael. 12, 30: “rerum gestarum,” id. Sull. 9, 26: “aetatis,” Nep. Att. 7, 1.—
B. In partic.
1. (Sc. militiae.) Exemption from military service: “P. Vatinius ... et agro a senatu et vacatione donatus est,” Cic. N. D. 2, 2, 6: “delectum habere sublatis vacationibus,” id. Phil. 5, 12, 31: “senatus decrevit, ut ... dilectus haberetur, vacationes ne valerent,” id. Att. 1, 19, 2: “scribere exercitum sine ullā vacationis veniā,” Liv. 8, 20, 3; 7, 28, 3; 27, 38, 3: “locupletissimus quisque miles labore fatigari, donec vacationem emeret,” Tac. H. 1, 46.—
2. (Sc. culpae.) Neque ei suam vacationem eripio, quā ille apud omnis utitur, ut nihil malitiose fecisse videntur, freedom from blame, Cic. Verr. 2, 7, 68, § 164 B. and K. (dub.; al. purgationem; al. culpae vacationem).—
II. Transf., a sum paid for exemption from military service: “vacationes annuas exsolvere,” Tac. H. 1, 46: “vacationes centurionibus ex fisco numerat,” id. ib. 1, 58.
