Day 04: Roman Laws

Objectives

- Know what is Roman Law?

- Learn how the Roman Laws

were made and by whom.

- Justiniac Code

- Evaluate and Reflect

 What is Roman Law?
- The legal system of ancient Rome, from the time of the founding of the city Rome in 753 BC until
the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century.

- As a legal system, Roman law has affected the development of law in most of Western civilization
as well as in parts of the East. (Europe, Latin America, Ethiopia)
 How and who made the Roman Laws?
The Twelve Tables:
A set of laws drawn up in ancient Rome in 451 and 450 B.C, embodying the most important rules
of Roman law.

It was made by the commission of ten appointed men (455 B.C) to draw up a code of law binding
on both rich and poor.
 Justinian Code (529 AD)

- Formally Corpus Juris Civilis (Body of Civil Law)

- The legal code of ancient Rome; reorganized under Justinian; the foundation for many

modern systems of civil law.

- The Justinian Code was important as it simplified of existing Roman laws and Justinian's

own laws and into one system.

 Some of the Laws by Justinian

1. Rivers belong to everyone. Everyone in my empire can fish in the rivers, without being told to
stop.
2. If you find a jewel or other treasure washed up on the seashore, you can keep it for yourself.
3. You are allowed to own slaves and make them work for you without pay. But you cant beat or
mistreat your slaves unless they are disobedient.
4. A thief who steals something valuable must pay the owner four times what stolen object is worth.
5. When a bishop, priest, or pastor is praying or preaching, he has to speak loudly enough for
everyone to hear. If he doesnt God will punish him- and so will the emperor!
 The Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22: 34-40)

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: Teacher,
which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the
second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets
hang on these two commandments.

Galatians 5:14 (ESV)

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
 Evaluate some Roman Laws

- Read through the handout.

- Which law do you think makes sense and which not? Why?

- What kind of changes would you make?

Reflection

1. In a country, for what purposes do you think laws are made?

2. What are some laws applying in Indonesia or in your home country? (effective or not,
reasons)?