Today in History—December 30: Justinian I’s Meticulous Code

December 30 was a major benchmark for the Code of Justinian, or Corpus Juris Civilis (“Body of Civil Law”), which set the basis for much of modern law. Depending on the source, that’s either the day in which major elements of the code went into effect (in 533) or the revised codes themselves became official (in 534). (Being nearly 1,500 years ago, consensus is hard to come by.)

The ambitious Justinian I of the Byzantine Empire, known for his ceaseless energy and belief that as emperor he was God’s representative on Earth, was nothing if not thorough with his implementation of legal code. His many changes to the legal status quo, especially in relation to religion, made him a controversial figure among some of his subjects and the Byzantine senate. It must be noted, however, that the code didn’t constitute an entirely new set of laws. Roman law at the time was disorganized, contradictory, and difficult to parse. Justinian I helped to streamline prior laws into a more readable format. He also added some laws of his own.

The Code of Justinian had tenets relating to all aspects of Roman life—marriage, criminal law, property rights, and religion. Under Justinian I, Paganism was outlawed, and those who practiced ritual animal sacrifice or other Pagan customs risked imprisonment or even execution. A devout Orthodox Christian, Justinian I was determined to convert his subjects to his particular brand of Christianity.

Unfortunately, because the Western Roman Empire fell in 476, the Code of Justinian, though long-lived in the East, was mostly forgotten in the Western territories (e.g., parts of the empire in modern-day Europe). That is until it was rediscovered in Italy in the late 11th century. The University of Bologna began teaching its tenets, and students started circulating the once-forgotten code in their respective countries. Justinian I gave modern-day lawmakers the language needed to create competent legal systems, lending an element of fairness to the otherwise jumbled laws that had floated around prior to the code.