HUMA 1100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Roman Law, Twelve Tables, Hieros Gamos
Document Summary
What pleases the emperor has the force of law vs. the law and scholarly commentaries on it expanded, the need grew to codify and to regularize conflicting opinions. The basis for roman law was the idea that the exact forms, not the intention, of words or of actions produced legal consequences. Romans recognized that there are witnesses to actions and words, but not to intentions. Roman civil law allowed great flexibility in adopting new ideas or extending legal principles in the complex environment of the empire. Without replacing the older laws, the romans developed alternative procedures that allowed greater fairness. Instead of simply changing the law to avoid confusion, the romans preferred to humanize a rigid system by flexible adaptation. You could not kill your child (under 3) unless they were a cripple/monster from birth. Romulus brought the women to great prudence and orderly conduct.
