Roman law
Ancient Mediterranean jurisprudence
Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, which developed over a thousand years and became the foundation for most European legal systems.
Its principles—contracts, property rights, civil procedure—shaped what lawyers call the civil law tradition, dominant in continental Europe and Latin America.
The professor specialized in Roman law.
Contrast with common law, the tradition based on precedent that developed in England.
- Corpus Juris CivilisJustinian's Roman legal compilation
- DigestPeriodical of summaries
- CodexNamed work or standard
- edictsAuthoritative public commands
Early Roman legal code
- auctoritasInformal power from reputation
- decemviriTen-member Roman council
Male head of family
- patria potestasFather's power over family
- manusForelimb extremity, anatomically
- manumissionFormal freeing of enslaved
- citizenshipStatus as state member
Roman Senate's official ruling
French civil law system
- receptionAct of receiving guests
- civilianNon-military person
- jurisprudencePhilosophy governing legal systems
Proof of sincerity
- culpaFault in Latin
- delictCompensable civil wrong
- contractEnforceable written agreement
- quasi-contractLaw-imposed obligation, no agreement
Justinian
- Corpus Juris CivilisJustinian's Roman legal compilation
- DigestPeriodical of summaries
- CodexNamed work or standard
Twelve Tables
Early Roman legal code
- auctoritasInformal power from reputation
- decemviriTen-member Roman council
paterfamilias
Male head of family
- patria potestasFather's power over family
- manusForelimb extremity, anatomically
- manumissionFormal freeing of enslaved
citizenship · tutela · patrician · plebeian · nomen · gens · cognomen
senatus consultum
Roman Senate's official ruling
censor · dictator · imperium · potestas · veto · fasces · magister
Napoleonic Code
French civil law system
- receptionAct of receiving guests
- civilianNon-military person
- jurisprudencePhilosophy governing legal systems
bona fides
Proof of sincerity
usufruct
Right to another's property
succession · intestate · testament · codicil
- English Lawbarristers, solicitors, solicitor, High Court, Crown Court
- legal studieslegal theory, legal doctrine, legal history, legal research, legal education
- Ancient RomeRome, Julius Caesar, Caesar, gladiator, gladiators
- lawlawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys, court
- Roman topicsancient Italy
- Caesar's legacyJulius Caesar, Augustus, Julian calendar, dictatorship, Senate
Roman lawcommon law
Jurisprudence from judicial decisions
English common law · case law · unwritten law · equity · Anglo-Saxon law
Roman lawdivine law
Rules from deity
canon law · sharia · natural law · religious law · Mosaic law