(essay source 1) encyclopaedias-and-autocracy

Justinian’s Encyclopaedia of Roman Law

Introduction

• Digest/Pandectae: Justinian’s encyclopaedia collecting Roman law.

• Compiled in the 530s AD, part of the Corpus iuris civilis.

• Advisors included Tribonian and legal professors.

• Project influenced by political scrutiny and the emperor's divine authority claim.

Composition and Structure

• Justinianic Code: An initial collection of imperial laws (updated later).

• The Digest/Pandectae: A comprehensive statement of juristic law.

• Includes the Institutes, an introduction to Roman law principles.

• A blend of historical legal texts and authoritative interpretations.

Importance of Libraries

• Libraries were key to the composition of Encyclopaedias.

• Tribonian's library showcased his status and knowledge.

• Claimed to have gained insights from 2,000 books and 3 million lines of text.

Background of Tribonian

• Born in late 5th century, possibly in Pamphylia.

• Collaborated with Justinian’s government; oversaw the compilation of the Digest and other legal texts.

• Dismissed post-Nika riots but later reinstated.

Influence of Roman Jurists

• Cited jurists like Gaius, Papinian, Paulus, and Ulpian.

• Other jurists considered valid based on citations from these primary five.

• Emphasis on proper legal authority and preserving ancient text integrity.

Digest's Nature

• Limited its scope strictly to law, excluding excessive knowledge breadth.

• Educational aim served as a core character of the Pandectae.

• Justinian structured legal education, emphasizing the importance of teaching the Digest in law schools.

Aim of Encyclopaedism

• Academic goal to create a coherent and comprehensive legal text.

• Justinian's political motivations led to the restrictive use of the Digest compared to older texts.

• Control over legal content and interpretation was a significant concern.

Conclusion: Autocracy vs. Encyclopaedism

• Justinian’s approach centralized imperial power over the law.

• Despite autocratic control, the influence of jurists persisted.

• The potential for future juristic interpretation indicated a balance of power between law and governance.