Book: Law and Empire in Late Antiquity
Author: Jill Harries
Pages: 247
Format: PDF
Language: English
ISBN10: 0521410878
This is the Wrst systematic treatment in English by an historian of the
nature, aims and eYcacy of public law in late imperial Roman society
from the third to the Wfth century ad. Adopting an interdisciplinary
approach, and using the writings of lawyers and legal anthropologists, as
well as those of historians, the book oVers new interpretations of central
questions: what was the law of Late Antiquity? How eYcacious was
late Roman law? What were contemporary attitudes to pain, and the
function of punishment? Was the judicial system corrupt? How were
disputes settled? Law is analysed as an evolving discipline, within a
framework of principles, by which even the emperor was bound. While
law, through its language, was an expression of imperial power, it was
also a means of communication between emperor and subject, and was
used by citizens, poor as well as rich, to serve their own ends
No comments:
Post a Comment