Roman Law in Context

Roman Law in Context explains how Roman law worked for those who lived by it, by viewing it in the light of the society and economy in which it operated. The book discusses three main areas of Roman law and life: the family and inheritance; property and the use of land; commercial transactions and the management of businesses. It also deals with the question of litigation and how readily the Roman citizen could assert his or her legal rights in practice. In addition it provides an introduction to using the main sources of Roman law. The book ends with an epilogue discussing the role of Roman law in medieval and modern Europe, a bibliographical essay, and a glossary of legal terms. The book involves the minimum of legal technicality and is intended to be accessible to students and teachers of Roman history as well as interested general readers.

• First sustained attempt to interpret Roman law in the light of Roman society since John Crook’s Law and life of Rome (1967) • This is not another textbook of Roman law but a history book • The author (Regius Professor of Civil Law in the University of Cambridge) is a catch for the series

1. Introduction; 2. Sources and methodology; 3. Family and inheritance; 4. Property; 5. Commerce; 6. Litigation; Epilogue.