Římskoprávní kořeny zákonodárství krále Kentu Æthelberhta

Abstract

The article focuses on the Æthelberht’s Law Code from the beginning of the seventh century as it aims to analyse Roman law roots of Æthelberht’s legislation. A wide range of primary and secondary sources (both domestic and foreign) is used for the analysis. The introductory part of the paper provides broader historical context with an emphasis on king Æthelberht himself as well as on a description of his law code. Furthermore, the work analyses the Roman law roots of the Code by not only using The Digest of Justinian, The Institutes of Justinian but also the first known written source of Roman law – Lex Duodecim Tabularum. Additionally, a comparison of Frankish Lex Salica and Æthelberht’s Code is presented. The author aims to prove that the Anglo-Saxon law codes were, in fact, influenced by the Roman law.