The Key Influence Of Roman Law

Eric Bragg

Professor Rizzuto

History of Western Civilizations

October 27th, 2015

THE WIDER INFLUENCE OF ROMAN LAW

Ancient Roman law has set a basis for plenty of modern day civilizations, including current day Italy, France, Germany, and Great Britain. The laws beginning with the Twelve Tables (c.451-450 b.c.e.) to the Corpus Juris Civilis (Body of the Civil Law) of the sixth century, has obviously been a valued precedence to the laws that these modern day civilization, especially Italy, have adapted and have been instilled within society. Areas that these laws set a basis for proceedings preliminary to trial, trial, execution of trial judgment, paternal power, inheritance, ownership, taxation, and even sacred laws.

One article, titled

The third table reads, “Thirty days shall be allowed by law for payment of confessed debt and for settlement of matters adjudged in court.” In the judicial system of many first world countries dictate a similar policy, especially with debts due directly to the court. This table also discusses slander, in which there is a more hectic consequence. “If any person has sung or composed against another person a SONG such as was causing slander or insult.... he shall be clubbed to death."3 With the exception of clubbing, this is a law heavily enforced currently and constitute fines and in some cases, jail time.

The Roman Empire law grew immensely from several sources over a thousand-year period. “…sources were divided into unwritten law (ius non scriptum) and written law (ius scriptum).”1 The unwritten law were customs that the Ancient Romans adapted, however they were accepted as written laws in many places. Certain customs ranged from public games, religious festivals, paternal power and rituals and celebrations for the birth of new

“Under Roman rule, Christians were denied business opportunities and status in society, prohibited from worshiping, attacked by mobs, persecuted, tortured and killed in organized campaigns by the Romans government.”2 Since the divide of the Christians and the Romans during this time, the Christians had to pray and worship in secrecy, which is unheard of in today’s society.” Christians met in secret primarily in the houses of wealthy members. This only seemed to raise the level of hostility against them. Because early Christians held services "behind closed doors" at night instead of during the day in open temples like the Roman they were accused of having orgies and engaging in cannibalism.” Italy is home to the Vatican, in Rome and “Italy is a Christian country, some 88 per cent of the population belonging to the Roman Catholic church, although only around a third of these regard themselves as ‘active’ in religious terms.” S1 During the times of the ancient civilization, the Romans believed that their gods should be put first, but they also put forth the gods worshipped by the locals. A reason behind the tensions amongst the Roman empire and the Christians were that the Christians rejected some of the requests of the Romans that many of the other strange religions would put forth, such as sacrifices to Roman gods, and to worship the Roman emperor as an immediate god.