What is the significance of justinian body of civil law

Public law is that which has reference to the administration of the Roman government. Private law is that which concerns the interests of individuals. It includes, for instance: reverence towards God; the obedience we owe to parents and country; and resistance to violence and injury. An ancient custom is to be observed as a law and this is what is called law established by usage. The laws themselves restrain us for no other reason than because they are accepted by the judgment of the people — for it is proper that what the people have approved without being written should bind all persons — for what difference does it make whether the people have manifested their will by vote, or by acts and deeds?

But no one who is absent should be convicted of crime. A woman is not permitted to accuse anyone in a criminal case unless she does so on account of the death of her parents or children, her patron or patroness, and their son, daughter, grandson, or granddaughter. Others are forbidden as the result of their own criminality, or on suspicion of calumny, for instance those who have given false testimony. Where the number of witnesses is not specified by law, two are sufficient.

The integrity of witnesses should be carefully investigated to assess: their social rank; their honor; whether he is rich or poor, lest he may swear falsely for the purpose of gain; and whether he is a friend or enemy of the person concerning whom he testifies. A witness is considered to be competent if his personal character is beyond reproach, such that he is neither influenced by the expectation of gain, nor by any inducements of favor or enmity.

If, after having done so, they think that torture should be applied to ascertain the truth, they should resort to it only where the rank of the persons involved justifies such a course.

Soldiers are not to be subjected to torture, unless they have been dishonorably discharged. This condensation, produced from to , formed the Codex Justinianus , later known as the Code of Justinian or, after a printed edition of , as the Corpus Juris Civilis.

The Corpus Juris Civilis became the basis for civil law in western Europe. It was written and distributed in Latin, which remained the official language of the government of the Empire even though the prevalent language of merchants, farmers, seamen, and other citizens was Greek.

By the early 7th century, the official government language of the Byzantine empire segued into ancient Greek under the lengthy reign of Heraclius. It used both the Codex Theodosianus and the fourth-century collections embodied in the Codex Gregorianus and Codex Hermogenianus , which provided the model for division into books that were divided into titles. These codices had developed authoritative standing. The Code came into use around the year and continued to be used as the basis of Byzantine law until the fall of the empire in Thus, the Code was significant simply because it was the basis of law for an empire for more than years.

It eventually became the foundation of legal codes across all of Europe. Almost immediately upon taking the throne, Justinian ordered a systematic review of Roman law that was more thorough than any that had taken place before. To live honestly, to hurt no one, and to every one his due. Constantine made Christianity the main religion of Rome, and created Constantinople, which became the most powerful city in the world.

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