Law and empire in late antiquity

Summary: This is the first systematic treatment in English by an historian of the nature, aims and efficacy of public law in late imperial Roman society from the third to the fifth century AD. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, and using the writings of lawyers and legal anthropologists, as well as those of historians, the book offers new interpretations of central questions: What was the law of Late Antiquity? How efficacious was late Roman law? What were contemporary attitudes to pain, and the function of punishment? Was the judicial system corrupt? How were disputes settled? Law is analysed as an evolving discipline, within a framework of principles, by which even the emperor was bound.

Record details

ISBN: 0511001444 (electronic bk.)
ISBN: 9780511001444 (electronic bk.)
ISBN: 9780511482809 (electronic bk.)
ISBN: 0511482809 (electronic bk.)
ISBN: 9780521410878
ISBN: 0521410878
Physical Description: electronic resource
remote
1 online resource (ix, 235 pages)
Publisher: Cambridge, UK ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Content descriptions

General Note:	Multi-User.
Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references (pages 217-226) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:	The law of late antiquity -- Making the law -- The construction of authority -- The efficacy of law -- In court -- Crime and the problem of pain -- Punishment -- The corrupt judge -- Dispute settlement I : out of court -- Dispute settlement II : episcopalis audientia.
Source of Description Note:	Description based on print version record.