Roman Law in Context

David Johnston0521630460, 9780521630467, 9780511001413, 0521639611

This book explains the rules of Roman law in the light of the society and economy in which it operated. The main topics discussed are the family and inheritance, property and the use of land, commercial transactions and the management of businesses, litigation and how easily the Roman citizen could assert his or her legal rights in practice. The book involves a minimum of legal technicality and is intended to be accessible to students and teachers of Roman history.

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Table of contents :
Cover……Page 1
Half-title……Page 3
Series-title……Page 4
Title……Page 5
Copyright……Page 6
Dedication……Page 7
Contents……Page 9
Preface……Page 11
I WHAT IS NOT IN THIS BOOK……Page 13
2. Ius……Page 14
4. Praetor and edict……Page 15
5. Jurists……Page 17
6. Emperor……Page 20
III ROME AND THE PROVINCES……Page 21
1. Legal writings……Page 24
3. Epigraphic and other sources……Page 25
2. The Digest……Page 26
Loss of context and palingenesia……Page 28
Interpolations……Page 29
The detection of interpolations……Page 31
Post-classical changes……Page 33
3. Justinian’s Code……Page 34
1. Are the legal cases reported in the Digest real or imaginary?……Page 36
3. Cause or effect?……Page 39
5. Conclusions……Page 40
1. Paternal power……Page 42
3. Marriage……Page 45
4. Divorce……Page 47
5. Tutors for those under age……Page 49
6. Tutors for women……Page 51
7. Guardians……Page 53
1. Slaves……Page 54
1. Wills……Page 56
Content of wills……Page 57
Legacies……Page 58
2. Fideicommissa or trusts……Page 59
3. Challenges to wills……Page 61
4. Intestate succession……Page 63
1. Acquisition of ownership……Page 65
3. Protection of ownership……Page 67
4. Possession and usucapio……Page 68
5. Other titles to property……Page 70
6. Some conclusions……Page 72
1. Occupation by the owner……Page 73
2. Leases……Page 74
Vacant possession……Page 75
Other terms……Page 77
Termination……Page 78
4. Usufruct……Page 79
1. Boundaries……Page 80
2. Servitudes……Page 81
3. Protection against nuisance, damage and encroachment……Page 83
Some conclusions……Page 88
I CONTRACTS FORMAL AND INFORMAL……Page 89
II SALE……Page 91
1. Loans……Page 96
2. Bankers……Page 98
4. Personal security……Page 100
5. Real security……Page 102
6. Sea loans and insurance……Page 107
1. Contracts for carriage……Page 108
2. Building contracts……Page 110
1. Representation and agency……Page 111
The peculium……Page 113
Actio institoria and actio exercitoria……Page 114
Ignorance – a good thing……Page 115
3. Independent labour……Page 117
4. Partnership……Page 118
VI INSOLVENCY……Page 120
VII CONCLUSIONS……Page 122
1. Formulary procedure……Page 124
The formula……Page 125
A modified formula……Page 126
Discretion……Page 127
From praetor to judge……Page 128
Judgment in money……Page 129
2. Other procedures……Page 130
3. Other civil jurisdictions……Page 131
5. Municipal jurisdictions……Page 132
6. Extraordinary proceedings……Page 133
1. Procedural advantage……Page 134
2. How easy was it to get the defendant into court?……Page 135
3. Could magistrates be relied upon?……Page 136
4. Could judges be relied upon?……Page 138
5. Representation in court……Page 141
6. Other obstacles……Page 142
7. Conclusions: the quality of justice……Page 143
Epilogue……Page 145
Glossary of legal terms……Page 149
PERIODICALS……Page 152
TRANSLATIONS……Page 153
ROME AND THE PROVINCES……Page 154
CHAPTER 3: FAMILY AND INHERITANCE……Page 155
CHAPTER 5: COMMERCE……Page 156
EPILOGUE……Page 157
Bibliography……Page 158
Index……Page 163