Justinian i 1

Timeline legal sources

  • 212

    Classical Roman Law

    Classical Roman Law
    The Constitutio Antoniniana granted roman citizenship to people of the Empire. The distinction between citizens and non-citizens largely disappared. The Roman Law is the dominant legal system.
  • 284

    Post-Classical Roman law

    Post-Classical Roman law
    The Emperor is Dominus et Deus: The power is concentrated on the emperor - laws are devided into general (orations ad senatum and edicta) and special laws (Decreta, Mandata, Rescripta, Adnotatio).
    The two legal compilations Codex Gregorianus and Hermogenianus are private collections of relevant laws of emperial law by lawyers. (291)
  • Period: 437 to 659

    Visgothic Times

    Different Germanic groups with their own legal system invade and settle the West of the Empire.
  • 438

    Codex Theodosianus

    Crucial legal text for both eastern and western Roman Empires
  • 476

    Code of Euric

    Code of Euric
    Early written visgothic law --> Codification of Germanic customary law and Roman law
  • 494

    Dignitates Distinctae

    Dignitates Distinctae
    Pope Gelasius I (492-496) separates two powers - auctoritas sacrata pontificum (sacred authority of the bishop) and regalis potestas (royal power). The two powers are supposed to work together and but still be seperated.
  • Period: 500 to 1000

    Early Middleages

    Per pugnam sine iustitia: A time without professional jurists
  • 506

    Breviary of Alaric II

    Breviary of Alaric II
    Codification of Roman law approved by the assembly of Bishops and representatives of the king with leges (emperial constitutions), iura (replies by classical jurists) and interpretatio (to clarify law)
  • Period: 527 to 565

    Justinian

    Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian wanted to restore the Empire to former glory with the help of a simplification of law and simple, repetitive activities of jurists (Ius publicae respondi). He published the Corpus Iuris Civilis, a codification of law which consists of Code, Digest and Institutes.
  • 568

    Codex Revisus

    Codex Revisus
    Review of Code of Euric which did not survive: laws appeared in liber iudiciorum with the inscription "antiquae":
  • 654

    Liber iudiciorum

    Set of laws promulgated by several visigoth kings applicable to both Visigoths and Romans
  • 1050

    Irnerius

    Irnerius
    Rediscovery of Justinians Works and reappearance of legal concepts. Irnerius founded school of Bologna which became center for legal studies in Europe. The Ratio scripta (written knowledge) is used to solve legal problems