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Roman law
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Augustus from Prima Porta
Augustus from Prima Porta Augustus from Prima Porta, marble statue, c. 20 bce; in the Vatican Museums, Vatican City.

Roman law

Written by
Raphael Powell
Professor of Roman Law, University of London, 1955–64.
Raphael PowellAll
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

Roman law, the law of ancient Rome from the time of the founding of the city in 753 bce until the fall of the Western Empire in the 5th century ce. It remained in use in the Eastern, or Byzantine, Empire until 1453. As a legal system, Roman law has affected the development of law in most of Western civilization as well as in parts of the East. It forms the basis for the law...

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