(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.

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