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Which four books made up Justinian's Corpus Juris Civilis?
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Roman law
Augustus from Prima Porta, marble statue, c. 20 bce; in the Vatican Museums, Vatican City.
The Corpus Juris Civilis, a foundational collection of Roman law commissioned by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, consists of the following four books:12
- Codex Constitutionum: A compilation of imperial ordinances or "constitutions" that were selected, organized, and purged of contradictions. A revised edition was issued in 534.12
- Digesta (or Pandectae): A massive collection of the writings and legal opinions of authorized Roman jurists, organized into 50 books.12
- Institutiones: An elementary textbook or outline of legal principles designed for first-year law students.12
- Novellae Constitutiones Post Codicem (the Novels): A collection of new ordinances issued by Justinian himself between 534 and 565, following the publication of the revised Codex.12