Ancient Rome

Roman Law 12 Tables & Justinian

Code

Essential Standards

• 6.C&G.1 Understand the development of government in various civilizations, societies and regions.

• 6.H.2 Understand the political, economic and/or social significance of historical events, issues, individuals and cultural groups.

Clarifying Objective

• 6.C&G.1.4 Compare the role (e.g. maintain order and enforce societal values and beliefs) and evolution of laws and legal systems (e.g. need for and changing nature of codified system of laws and punishment) in various civilizations, societies and regions.

• 6.H.2.2 Compare historical and contemporary events and issues to understand continuity and change.

Essential Questions

• Why were laws written down & posted in ancient civilizations?

• Why did the Roman 12 tables EVOLVE (change) into the Justinian Code as time past?

• How does the HISTORICAL EVENT of the Roman 12 Tables & Justinian Code live on today in CONTEMPORARY times?

Roman 12 Tables

• The Roman 12 Tables was the first coded law system of Ancient Rome

• 12 Tables gave specific rules & consequences for breaking those rules

Roman 12 Tables

• The laws were literally set in stone & couldn’t be changed

• They were based on everybody being EQUAL before the law (unlike Hammurabi’s Code)

• Very harsh system

First Roman Constitution

• Roman 12 Tables operated as the First Roman Constitution

• A constitution is the law of the land which everyone must follow

12 Tables

• There were 12 separate tables

• Each one had different laws in which all Romans had to live by

• Each law was carved into an ivory table and placed in the Roman Forum

Written & Posted for all to See

• The Romans made sure they wrote down & posted all laws in the Roman Forum for all citizens to see

• Civilizations wrote down & posted laws so that all citizens could read & understand them

Essential Questions

• Get with a partner and answer…..

• Why were laws written down & posted in ancient civilizations?

Roman 12 Tables

• Roman 12 Tables had laws from everything from….

• Rights of fathers

• Land Rights

• How to handle Debt

• Trials

Consequences/Punishments• 8 kinds of punishment for

breaking laws

• These consequences ranged from a fine all the way to death

• Other consequences included….① Flogging② Civil Disgrace③ Banishment④ Slavery

Roman 12 Tables to Justinian Code

• Roman 12 Tables led to the Justinian Code

• This was a different coded legal system used much later in Roman History

• Justinian Code had many of the same laws that the Roman Tables had

Justinian Code

• Justinian Code was a legal system invented by Byzantine Emperor Justinian 529 A.D.

• Justinian Code was written to include all Roman 12 tables but to simplify the law into ONE DOCUMENT

• This became the new Roman Constitution

Justinian Code

• Justinian Code was written by going through all of the Roman Tables Laws

• Kept the laws that still were relevant

• Changed the laws to simplify them in the new code & make them more clear

Essential Questions

• Get with a partner and answer…..

• Why did the Roman 12 tables EVOLVE (change) into the Justinian Code as time past?

Justinian Code

• Got rid of the laws that were not relevant any more

• Also added a couple more laws

• Most important one being “a person is innocent until proven guilty”

Western World Law

• The Justinian Code has formed the basis for Western World Law

• This includes the legal system in the United States

• http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/justinians-code-of-law-and-roman-emperors-after-constantine.html#lesson

Lesson Summery

• Roman 12 Tables became the first CONSTITUTION of Rome

• Emperor Justinian invented the Justinian Code

• This was a blend of the Roman 12 Tables & new fairer laws

Essential Questions

• Get with a partner and answer…..

• How does the HISTORICAL EVENT of the Roman 12 Tables & Justinian Code live on today in CONTEMPORARY times?

Lesson Summery• The Justinian Code became the

Basis of the Western Law System that we use today

• The historical event of the writing of the Justinian Code relates to the contemporary Western Legal system because it carries many of the same laws & principles

• Civilizations wrote down & posted laws so that all citizens could read & understand them

EOG Questions• Why did some ancient civilizations write and publish their laws?

• A) to allow patricians and plebeians to read and vote for the laws

• B) to record the laws so that historians would understand ancient culture

• C) to ensure that citizens of the civilization would read and understand the laws

• D) to guarantee that each politician received a personal copy of the printed laws

Important Points• 6.C&G.1.4 (Role & Evolution of

Laws) Ancient Romans first had the Roman 12 Tables (first Roman Law Code)

• 6.C&G.1.4 (Role & Evolution of Laws) Rome switched to the Justinian Code (New Roman Law Code)

• 6.C&G.1.4 (Role & Evolution of Laws) Laws were written down so citizens would be able to read & understand the laws

• 6.C&G.1.4 (Role & Evolution of Laws) The difference between these two law systems was that Justinian Code rules that were no longer needed were taken out & new rules were added in to make it more fair

• 6.H.2.2 (Historical vs. Contemporary) Western World now uses many ideas from the Justinian Code today