(αὐτός, and νόμος, a law), a power of living or being governed by our own laws and magistrates. The liberty of the cities under the faith and protection of the Romans consisted in their autonomia; that is, they were allowed to make their own laws, and elect their own magistrates, by whom justice was to be administered, and not by Roman prefects or judges, as was done in other places which were not indulged with the autonomia.