Classical Roman Law, a product of interpretation from the Early Modern Times

Abstract

Summary The study of the Roman law we know today, started in the twelfth century and was based on sources preserved from Roman Antiquity. The interpretation of these antique texts was, however, always contemporary and never reflected their original meaning. In this article we assess the importance of medieval and early modern interpretation and, by analyzing a series of thirteen classical notions of Roman law, illustrate how what we call “classical Roman law” nowadays found its origins especially in Early Modern Times. The article also brings an English summary of a series of articles we wrote in French and Dutch.