The reason for Emperor Justinian’s fame is the formulation of the code of Roman law that was in force in his time. Probably no other code of law has ever left an indelible mark on the world.
Justin was born in 483 in the Tower Yassim in present-day Yugoslavia.
He was the nephew of an illiterate “Thrace” farmer, Justin I. who served in the army and then became the ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire. In 527, Lloyd Justin made Justinian his assistant emperor.
He died in the same year, and remained an independent ruler until 565, the year of his death.
Just seven years before Justinian’s birth in 476, the Western Roman Empire disintegrated as a result of savage Germanic tribes. Determined to conquer in order to restore the Roman Empire, he devoted all his energies and purpose to it.
Part of the plan was successful. He managed to hide parts of Italy, North Africa and Spain from the savages.
However, Justin’s presence in this book is not due to his military conquests, but to his actual accomplishment of Roman law. In 528, “when he came to power, it was a year.” Set up a commission to form.
The draft of the commission was first published in 529. It was then amended. In 534, it was given the status of a constitution. This rule
Make the first part of Corpus Juris Civilis. The second part Padects or Digest.
This is a summary of the views of prominent Roman legal writers.
It is also considered authoritative. The third part is called “Institutes”, which is primarily a curriculum for law students. In the last part, all these laws are combined under the title of “Novellae” which is “Codex” approval. It was published by Justinian after his death.
Undoubtedly, Justin was himself involved in wars and administrative affairs, as did Corpus Juris civillis.
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The decree issued by Justin was in fact carried out by a council of legal experts, headed by the great jurist and legal expert Tribune.
Justin was an extraordinarily enthusiastic man, focusing on various administrative reforms, including a partially successful campaign against government corruption.
It developed trade and industry and started a series of public works.
Under it, a number of forts, monasteries and fortresses were built (including the famous Church of the Hagia Sophia in Naples). This plan and its wars led to an increase in revenue. Significant dissatisfaction spread from. In 1952, a revolt arose which might have overthrown him.
However, he subdued it, which saved his rule from danger. A special public celebration was held at the time of his death in 565.
Justin’s assistant was his capable wife, Theodora. It is worth mentioning a few details about her. She was born around 500. In her youth she was an actress and a member of the court. When she became the mother of an illegitimate child. She was in her second decade of life when she met Justin.
They married in 525. Two years later, he was destined to the throne. Justin acknowledged his wife’s extraordinary abilities. She became his special adviser. She handled various diplomatic responsibilities, including her legislation. Theodore Vara had significant effects. For example, he passed some laws on women’s rights and status. In 548, she died of cancer.
This was an irreparable loss to Justin. However, he continued to rule successfully for the next 17 years. Theodore was not only beautiful but also intelligent.
Justinian’s entry in this book is due to his “Corpus Juris Civillis” which formulated an authoritative code of Roman law. It was considered valid for centuries in the Byzantine Empire. It was forgotten in the West for about five hundred years. went .
Around 1100, Roman law was read with renewed interest, especially in Italian universities. In the late Middle Ages, Corpus Juris Civillis became the basis for reforming the legal system of continental Europe. The civil legal system was ineffective there, while in many English-speaking countries the public legal system remained in place.
“Corpus Juris Civillis”
The various components of the law became part of the various civil legal systems. Many non-European countries have also borrowed various provisions of the Civil Code. Its effects have spread beyond Europe.
Nevertheless, it is not unreasonable to underestimate the importance of the Justinian Code of Conduct.
In addition to a “corpus juris civillis”, a number of other factors influenced the development of civil law. For example, the laws relating to “treaties” were based on the decisions of commercial courts rather than Roman law. German law and ecclesiastical law also influenced the enactment of the Civil Code, which has introduced numerous amendments to European law and the judicial system in each era. The similarity remains.
