Dig Into History

32

As Byzantine trade grew,

there was an increased need

for regulations. The

Byzantines recognized that

they needed to pass laws

that supported equality, not

just between citizens or

communities, but with

regard to foreign trade

relations as well. Because

Constantinople, like Rome,

was such a large city, the

development of civil law

that focused on domestic

relations between

community members —

property rights, inheritance,

and family law, for

example — became a key

factor in maintaining

domestic peace and

stability.

Three main Byzantine

legal efforts helped shape

the imperial law codes.

These would ultimately

influence western European

legal thinking and form the

bedrock of many modern

governments, especially in

the area of modern-day

human rights.

The first was the Corpus Juris

Civilis or Justinian Code. It

was Emperor Justinian’s

project to be the first to

What a dramatic painting! It dates

to around 1800 and shows Earth

(at bottom right) receiving a code

of Roman laws from the emperors

Hadrian and Justinian I (at bottom

left) as figures representing

Nature, Justice, and Wisdom watch.