Justinian's Code: What Happened
Between 529 and 534 AD, the Byzantine emperor Justinian I carried out a massive project to collect, organize and update centuries of Roman law. He appointed a commission led by the legal scholar Tribonian to sort through the huge and often contradictory body of laws and legal opinions that had built up over the centuries. The result is known today as the Corpus Juris Civilis, or Body of Civil Law. It included the Code, a collection of imperial laws, the Digest, a vast summary of the writings of Roman jurists, and the Institutes, a textbook for law students. The Novels, containing Justinian's new laws, were added later, many of them written in Greek. The Corpus Juris Civilis was the most complete statement of Roman law ever made. Rediscovered in Italy in the 11th century, it became the foundation of legal education in medieval Europe and shaped the civil law systems used today in much of continental Europe, Latin America and elsewhere, including Greece. It is one of the most influential legal works in history.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Justinian's Code?
Justinian's Code is a collection of Roman laws compiled under the emperor Justinian I between 529 and 534 AD. Together with other works, it forms the Corpus Juris Civilis.
What is the Corpus Juris Civilis?
The Corpus Juris Civilis, or Body of Civil Law, includes the Code, the Digest of legal opinions, the Institutes for students and the Novels, Justinian's new laws.
Who compiled Justinian's Code?
A commission led by the legal scholar Tribonian sorted through centuries of Roman laws and legal writings to create a clear, organized body of law.
Why is Justinian's Code important today?
Rediscovered in Italy in the 11th century, it became the foundation of legal education in Europe and shaped the civil law systems of much of the world.
Which countries use civil law based on Justinian's Code?
Civil law systems influenced by Roman law are used in most of continental Europe, including Greece, as well as much of Latin America and other parts of the world.
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