Roman Law before the Twelve Tables: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Challenges current orthodox views about the origins of Roman law.

• Re-evaluates current debates surrounding the origins, nature and legacy of Roman law
• Brings together an international and interdisciplinary range of contributors
• Looks beyond the solitary context of Roman law’s origins by drawing upon the critical axioms of anthropological theory
• Includes an up-to-date study of legal texts from other early Italic societies, incorporating important recent archaeological discoveries

Bringing together a team of international experts from different subject areas – including law, history, archaeology and anthropology – this book re-evaluates the traditional narratives surrounding the origins of Roman law before the enactment of the Twelve Tables. Much is now known about the archaic period, relevant evidence from later periods continues to emerge and new methodologies bring the promise of interpretive inroads. This book explores whether, in light of recent developments in these fields, the earliest history of Roman law should be reconsidered.

Drawing upon the critical axioms of contemporary sociological and anthropological theory, the contributors yield new insights and offer new perspectives on Rome’s early legal history. In doing so, they seek to revise our understanding of Roman legal history as well as to enrich our appreciation of its culture as a whole.