Postclassical Roman Law and Early Middle Ages Timeline

Constitutio Antoniniana (Edict of Caracalla)

212

This postclassical era of Roman law started around the middle of the III Century A.D. In 212, the Edict of Emperor Caracalla granted Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Roman Empire, which meant that ius civile became common to all of them.

The Division of the Roman Empire

285

During the ruling of Diocletian (284 - 305 A.D), the first emperor of the Dominate, the Roman Empire was divided into the Eastern and Western Empires. Diocletian also created the tetrarchy in the year 293 for better administration. One augusti and one caesar would govern in the West, and another augusti and caesar in the East.

Codex Gregorianus

291

It was created at the end of the III century, but the exact date is unknown (the year 291 serves as reference). Historians believe that it was written between 291 - 294 A.D. The Codex Gregorianus was made by a private individual, it wasn´t an official document. It consists of a compilation of various institutions promulgated by roman emperors from the end of the second century and beginning of the fourth.

Codex Hermogenianus

295

Just like the Codex Gregorianus, this was a private work without an official status. It contained constitutions promulgated by emperors from the first tetrarchy during the years 293 and 294, specially the rescripts promulgated by Emperor Diocletian.

Lex of Citations

426

It was a law issued by Emperor Valentinian III that gave responsa to five jurists selected by him. These jurists were; Papinianus, Ulpianus, Paulus, Modestinus and Gaius. If there was a disagreement, the majority view would prevail. If there was a tie, Papinianus would decide, but if he remained silent, the judge´s opinion would prevail. This new system allowed the emperor to control everything, and to unify lex (new law) with iura (old law/jurisprudence).

Codex Theodosianus

438

In 429, Emperor Theodosius II ordered the compilation of all imperial constitutions since the ruling of Constantine the Great (306 - 337), the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. The Codex Theodosianus was published in 438 in the Eastern Roman Empire and one year later in the Western Roman Empire. It had an official status, and referenced various times both the Codex Gregorianus and Hermogenianus. It also included the lex of citations.

Fall of Rome

476

Romulus Augustulus, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, was overthrown by Odoacer, a Germanic leader who became the first barbarian to rule in Rome. In addition to the invasions from barbarian tribes, other factors such as economic trouble, corruption or political instability, led to the fall of Rome. On the other hand, the Eastern Roman Empire became the Bizantine Empire, and flourished until 1453 when Constantinople was invaded by the Ottoman Empire.

Code of Euric

476

The Code of Euric was promulgated by king Euric and it is one of the most important sources of Germanic law. It contained vulgar Roman law, but it has not been preserved entirely. (The year 476 serves as reference, because historians believe it was published between 476 and 480). According to the personal scope of application theory, many historians like Karl Zeumer or Felix Dahn defend that the Code of Euric only applied to Visigoths, not to hispano/romans.

Breviary of Alaric (Lex Romana Visigothorum)

506

This source of Visigoth Roman law was ordered by Alaric II, and was approved by an assembly of bishops and representatives of the king. Its contained leges (imperial constitutions) and iura (replies by classical jurists). The Codex Theodosianus and Sententiae Receptae, are examples of Roman law sources that are included in the Breviary. According to one opinion of the territorial theory, the Breviary had a general application and applied to everybody who lived in the Visigothic Kingdom.

Corpus Iuris Civilis (The End of the Postclassical Period of Roman Law)

529

Emperor Justinian I ruled the Byzantine Empire between 527 and 565, and his main goal was restoring Rome´s classical period. Justinian issued to compile a new collective legislative code from traditional sources, such as the Codex Theodosianus. This compilation was divided in four parts: the Codex (12 books), the Digest (50 books), Institutions (4 books) and Novels (latest statues). It was written in Latin despite the fact that Greek was the dominant language, so at that time it didn´t succeed.

Liber Iudiciorum (Liber Visigothorum)

654

It was promulgated by king Chindasuinth, but published under the reign of his son king Reccessvith. The Liber Iudiciourm was a text for trials that contained a set of laws promulgated by several visigothic kings. These laws were independent from Roman law, and applied to both visigoths and romans. This visigothic source also mentioned the Codex Revisus, a lost source of Roman law that reviews the Code of Euric. The Liber Iudiciorum remained until the Middle Ages (XII - XIII centuries).

Dictatus Papae

1075

After the dark centuries of jurisprudence (VIII - XII C.), law´s renaissance began in the second half of the eleventh century. The Dictatus Papae was published in 1075, and consists on a compilation of 27 statements of the Gregorian Reforms, promulgated by Pope Gregory VII. These cannonical life reforms were focused on different problems, such as the investiture conflict between Gregory VII and Henry IV, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
(Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN2rxCieYMs)

Irnerius and the University of Bologna

1088

The rebirth of Roman law that started in Northern Italy was possible because of Irnerius (1050 - 1125), a very important jurist who worked with civil law, and was the first one that used Roman law to explain and solve legal problems. The term "Corpus Iuris Civilis" was used to describe Irnerius´ work of restoring Justinian´s Compilation. He headed the University of Bologna, the oldest university in continuous operation in the world, founded in 1088 (Irnerius also started teaching around 1088).