The Digest of Roman Law

Codified by Justinian I and published under his aegis in A.D. 533, this celebrated work of legal history forms a fascinating picture of ordinary life in Rome.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.Translated by C.F. Kolbert

General Introduction
The Legal Background
The Roman Law of Delicts
Concerning the Lex Aquilia
Concerning Theft
Concerning Robbery with Violence and Riotous Assembly
Concerning Insulting Behaviour and Scandalous Libels
Notes
Further Reading

Justinian I (483 -565) was Eastern Roman Emperor from 527 until his death. One of the most important rulers of Late Antiquity, he is best remembered for his reform of the legal code through the commission of Tribonian the military expansion of imperial territory that was achieved during his reign, primarily through the campaigns of Belisarius and his marriage and partnership with his wife Empress Theodora. He is also known as "The last Roman Emperor" and was the emperor who reconquered the city of Rome from the Ostrogoths.