senatus consultum ultimum
“The final decree of the senate.” In effect this authorized the magistrates of the Roman state to take whatever actions they deemed necessary to protect the state in a situation of clear and present danger to the state. More specifically it allowed them to physically suppress “public enemies” without being bound by law or custom.

I don’t bring this up for any particular reason (really), I just think the name sounds very grave and serious, generally fitting for its purpose. I cite as an example of poorly named edicts the lex Titia, an important law which restored some semblance of order to the Republic in the wake of the assassination of Julius Caesar by establishing the