Codex Justinianus, Books I-III

The Corpus Juris Civilis, or the Roman Body of Civil Law, remains one of history's greatest legislative achievements. The brainchild of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, it was really overseen by his quaestor Tribonian at the head of a committee authorised in 528AD to gather, sort through, harmonize, and codify almost 1,000 years of Roman law. Remarkably, in 529AD the Codex Constitutionum was published. Unsurprisingly, it was found insufficient: Justinian directed Tribonian and his committee to expand their efforts. Two of Tribonian's committee member's devoted their efforts, presumably with help, to compiling the vast Digesta or Pandectae. These were a compilation of the opinions of publicists and jurists, given legal force upon the Digesta's publication in 533AD. That year also saw the publication of Institutiones, which Tribonian himself had been devoting his energies too, along with two associates. The Institutiones is essentially a law student's handbook (comparable to a 1L handbook on Amazon today); the Institutiones became the standard textbook in the Byzantine Empire's most prestigious law school at Berytus (modern Beirut) for many centuries. Finally, in 534, in reaction to Justinian having passed numerous new laws since 529, a second edition of the Codex was published, this time entitled the Codex Justinianus. In just five years (not counting 534, because this was simply the codification of new rulings) Justinian and his capable administration had managed to assemble and weave a millennium of jurisprudence into a cohesive whole. Great legislator that he was, Justinian continued issuing ordinances and rulings for more than 30 years after the second edition of the Codex. Upon his death, these were included in the Novella. Later the Constitutions of Leo were also included in the Novella.

At present the only English translation of the Corpus Juris Civilis is SP Scott's 17 Volume 1932 Edition, entitled 'The Civil Law.' It has been criticized, because it is generally regarded as less accurate than Theodor Mommsen's edition. Oxford University Press are working on a new English edition based on Mommsen's translation, apparently to be due out later this year. Be assured, however, its price will be immense in comparison to this edition.

The entire text is organised by Book, Title, and Section, with a copious table of contents for easy reference.

PLEASE NOTE: This is not the entire Corpus Juris Civilis. That is a 17 volume work, which will be released in stages. This product is Volume 12 of 17, consisting of Books I-III of the Codex Justinianus (2nd ed, 534). The remainder of the Codex (Books IV-XII) will be published separately as volumes 13, 14, and 15. Volumes 1-11, and 16-17 will then be released in order.