Činovnička karijera klasičnih rimskih pravnika u provinciji Dalmaciji / The clerical career of classical Roman jurists in the province of Dalmatia

Abstract

Epigraphic monuments provide testimony about the service of famous Roman jurists of the classical period in the Roman province of Dalmatia: Pegasus, Javolenus, Africanus and Modestinus, which has already been stated in the legal and historical literature. They are important representatives of classical Roman jurisprudence and the question arises about their influence and impact on the legal development of the province. As the successor of Proculus, Pegasus worked under Vespasian and Domitian as the leader of the famous law school, while the leader of the rival Sabinian school, Javolenus, was in the Dalmatia around 81 AD as the legatus of the Legio IV Flavia Felix. Marcus Celia Africanus is the most important disciple of Julian, while Herrenius Modestina was the last true representative of classical Roman law and has been included in the so-called “Law of Citations” and was the disciple of the famous Ulpian. The province of Dalmatia was firstly visited by Pegasus as the Vespasian’s governor of the province. Javolenus came to the province as the legatus legionis, while in the mid-2 century a young apprentice Africanus was working in the governor’s office. In the early 3rd century, under Emperor Caracalla, young Modestinus was residing in the province of Dalmatia. The presence of these famous jurists certainly affected the legal life of the province and even the whole process of Romanization and in many ways is a confirmation of Justinian’s proclamation (Constitutio “Imperatoriam maiestatem”) that the imperial majesty should be armed with laws as well as glorified with arms!