Caroline Humfress
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198208419
- eISBN:
- 9780191716966
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198208419.003.003
- Subject:
- History, European Medieval History
This chapter begins with a discussion of the court system in the late Roman Empire. It then discusses lower-level judicial hearings and their interaction with the higher courts, training for ...
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This chapter begins with a discussion of the court system in the late Roman Empire. It then discusses lower-level judicial hearings and their interaction with the higher courts, training for magistrates, and the iudex as a ‘creative’ interpreter of law.Less
This chapter begins with a discussion of the court system in the late Roman Empire. It then discusses lower-level judicial hearings and their interaction with the higher courts, training for magistrates, and the iudex as a ‘creative’ interpreter of law.
Caroline Humfress
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198208419
- eISBN:
- 9780191716966
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198208419.003.004
- Subject:
- History, European Medieval History
This chapter begins with a discussion of iurisperitus and legal science. According to the mid-2nd century jurist Pomponius, the origins of juristic science lay in the disputes of the Forum, in the ...
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This chapter begins with a discussion of iurisperitus and legal science. According to the mid-2nd century jurist Pomponius, the origins of juristic science lay in the disputes of the Forum, in the necessary interpretations of (statute) law given orally, on request, by those who were iuris prudentes. Hence the iurisprudens or iurisperitus was also known as the iurisconsultus. Post-classical iurisperiti and private clients, legal education in the late Empire, and whether the advice of post-classical iurisperiti contributed to the creative elaboration of Roman law are discussed.Less
This chapter begins with a discussion of iurisperitus and legal science. According to the mid-2nd century jurist Pomponius, the origins of juristic science lay in the disputes of the Forum, in the necessary interpretations of (statute) law given orally, on request, by those who were iuris prudentes. Hence the iurisprudens or iurisperitus was also known as the iurisconsultus. Post-classical iurisperiti and private clients, legal education in the late Empire, and whether the advice of post-classical iurisperiti contributed to the creative elaboration of Roman law are discussed.
Caroline Humfress
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198208419
- eISBN:
- 9780191716966
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198208419.003.001
- Subject:
- History, European Medieval History
This introductory chapter begins with a brief description of the main argument of the book, namely that forensic practice and what happened in the courtrooms, set alongside other broader socio-legal ...
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This introductory chapter begins with a brief description of the main argument of the book, namely that forensic practice and what happened in the courtrooms, set alongside other broader socio-legal norms and practices, are essential components in aiding the understanding of how ‘law’ functioned in the later Roman Empire. An overview of the three parts of the book is presented.Less
This introductory chapter begins with a brief description of the main argument of the book, namely that forensic practice and what happened in the courtrooms, set alongside other broader socio-legal norms and practices, are essential components in aiding the understanding of how ‘law’ functioned in the later Roman Empire. An overview of the three parts of the book is presented.
Averil Cameron (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197262924
- eISBN:
- 9780191734434
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197262924.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Historiography
This book presents an interdisciplinary discussion of the important methodological tool known as prosopography — the collection of all known information about individuals within a given period. With ...
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This book presents an interdisciplinary discussion of the important methodological tool known as prosopography — the collection of all known information about individuals within a given period. With the advent of computer technology it is now possible to gather and store such information in increasingly sophisticated and searchable databases, which can bring a new dimension to traditional historical research. The book surveys the transition in prosopographical research from more traditional methods to the new technology, and discusses the central role of the British Academy, as well as that of French, German and Austrian academic institutions, in developing prosopographical research on the Later Roman Empire, Byzantium and now Anglo-Saxon and other periods. The chapters discuss both national histories of the discipline and its potential for future research. The book demonstrates mutual benefits and complementarity in such studies between the use of new technology and the highest standards of traditional scholarship, and in doing so it sets forth new perspectives and methodologies for future work.Less
This book presents an interdisciplinary discussion of the important methodological tool known as prosopography — the collection of all known information about individuals within a given period. With the advent of computer technology it is now possible to gather and store such information in increasingly sophisticated and searchable databases, which can bring a new dimension to traditional historical research. The book surveys the transition in prosopographical research from more traditional methods to the new technology, and discusses the central role of the British Academy, as well as that of French, German and Austrian academic institutions, in developing prosopographical research on the Later Roman Empire, Byzantium and now Anglo-Saxon and other periods. The chapters discuss both national histories of the discipline and its potential for future research. The book demonstrates mutual benefits and complementarity in such studies between the use of new technology and the highest standards of traditional scholarship, and in doing so it sets forth new perspectives and methodologies for future work.
Rory Naismith
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- May 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780197266588
- eISBN:
- 9780191896040
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197266588.003.0019
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
Thanks to the inscriptions on early medieval coins, the locations where they were made—mints—are among the best-recorded selections of places in Europe. This chapter seeks to demonstrate that the ...
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Thanks to the inscriptions on early medieval coins, the locations where they were made—mints—are among the best-recorded selections of places in Europe. This chapter seeks to demonstrate that the establishment of mints at particular times and places depended above all on contemporary governmental and social conditions. The later Roman Empire had emphasised the centrality of a few large mints closely tied to the fiscal system, but its successor kingdoms in England, Francia, Italy and Spain followed different criteria. Production was often organised on a more personal than institutional basis through the mediation of moneyers, and commercial activity, administrative functions or military/political significance could all dictate the production of coin. It is essential to consider the interaction of these and other factors in shaping the role of a mint, as well as the diversity in function and scale that could apply within even one territory.Less
Thanks to the inscriptions on early medieval coins, the locations where they were made—mints—are among the best-recorded selections of places in Europe. This chapter seeks to demonstrate that the establishment of mints at particular times and places depended above all on contemporary governmental and social conditions. The later Roman Empire had emphasised the centrality of a few large mints closely tied to the fiscal system, but its successor kingdoms in England, Francia, Italy and Spain followed different criteria. Production was often organised on a more personal than institutional basis through the mediation of moneyers, and commercial activity, administrative functions or military/political significance could all dictate the production of coin. It is essential to consider the interaction of these and other factors in shaping the role of a mint, as well as the diversity in function and scale that could apply within even one territory.
Jane Stevenson
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198185024
- eISBN:
- 9780191714238
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198185024.003.0006
- Subject:
- Literature, Women's Literature
This chapter discusses the education and culture of noblewomen of the late Roman empire and successor states. It presents evidence for the literary culture of Radegund of Poitiers and later medieval ...
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This chapter discusses the education and culture of noblewomen of the late Roman empire and successor states. It presents evidence for the literary culture of Radegund of Poitiers and later medieval royal women of the Merovingian, Carolingian, and Ottonian dynasties, and their involvement with education and the promotion of scholarship. Further evidence for literary culture in convents, and nuns as scribes and chroniclers is provided. The chapter includes specific sections on Dhuoda, educated women in Anglo-Saxon England, particularly in the circle of St Boniface, the playwright Hrotsvitha, and educated women in the Ottonian world, ending with a discussion of anonymous lyric verse in Latin.Less
This chapter discusses the education and culture of noblewomen of the late Roman empire and successor states. It presents evidence for the literary culture of Radegund of Poitiers and later medieval royal women of the Merovingian, Carolingian, and Ottonian dynasties, and their involvement with education and the promotion of scholarship. Further evidence for literary culture in convents, and nuns as scribes and chroniclers is provided. The chapter includes specific sections on Dhuoda, educated women in Anglo-Saxon England, particularly in the circle of St Boniface, the playwright Hrotsvitha, and educated women in the Ottonian world, ending with a discussion of anonymous lyric verse in Latin.
Adrastos Omissi
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- June 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780198824824
- eISBN:
- 9780191863516
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780198824824.003.0003
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, European History: BCE to 500CE, Prose and Writers: Classical, Early, and Medieval
This short chapter constitutes an introduction to the main body of the work, and sets out the wide-reaching consequences of permanent civil war within the later Roman Empire. It argues that previous ...
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This short chapter constitutes an introduction to the main body of the work, and sets out the wide-reaching consequences of permanent civil war within the later Roman Empire. It argues that previous research has overemphasized the importance of external warfare with the barbarian outsiders in recounting the political and military history of the late third and early fourth centuries. Far more important were the wars that Romans fought against themselves. The chapter sets out the broadly chronological structure of the book, and urges the reader to see that chapter divisions organized by dynasty should not suggest that this book takes a traditional approach to late Roman history. Far from it: the legitimacy of many of the late Empire’s great dynasties will be thrown open to question.Less
This short chapter constitutes an introduction to the main body of the work, and sets out the wide-reaching consequences of permanent civil war within the later Roman Empire. It argues that previous research has overemphasized the importance of external warfare with the barbarian outsiders in recounting the political and military history of the late third and early fourth centuries. Far more important were the wars that Romans fought against themselves. The chapter sets out the broadly chronological structure of the book, and urges the reader to see that chapter divisions organized by dynasty should not suggest that this book takes a traditional approach to late Roman history. Far from it: the legitimacy of many of the late Empire’s great dynasties will be thrown open to question.
Peter N. Bell
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- May 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199567331
- eISBN:
- 9780191744921
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199567331.003.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, European History: BCE to 500CE
This chapter first sets out the book's purpose, which is to understand the internal conflicts and struggles in the later Roman Empire, focusing on the Eastern Mediterranean and the reign of Justinian ...
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This chapter first sets out the book's purpose, which is to understand the internal conflicts and struggles in the later Roman Empire, focusing on the Eastern Mediterranean and the reign of Justinian I (r. 527–65). It then addresses some problems involving the sources for the reign of Justinian. It shows how evidence can be used more effectively in understanding sixth-century society through the application of social theory and more literary readings. It argues for making trans-temporal and trans-cultural comparisons between other societies, including those of the sixth century, and our own. The resulting history is intended not only to help in generating new insights into our period; it also suggests approaches to issues emerging in other times and places which others may want to ponder, even to develop, themselves.Less
This chapter first sets out the book's purpose, which is to understand the internal conflicts and struggles in the later Roman Empire, focusing on the Eastern Mediterranean and the reign of Justinian I (r. 527–65). It then addresses some problems involving the sources for the reign of Justinian. It shows how evidence can be used more effectively in understanding sixth-century society through the application of social theory and more literary readings. It argues for making trans-temporal and trans-cultural comparisons between other societies, including those of the sixth century, and our own. The resulting history is intended not only to help in generating new insights into our period; it also suggests approaches to issues emerging in other times and places which others may want to ponder, even to develop, themselves.
Maijastina Kahlos
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- November 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780190067250
- eISBN:
- 9780190067281
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190067250.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Literary Studies: Classical, Early, and Medieval
Religious Dissent in Late Antiquity reconsiders the religious history of the late Roman Empire, focusing on the shifting position of dissenting religious groups. The groups under consideration are ...
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Religious Dissent in Late Antiquity reconsiders the religious history of the late Roman Empire, focusing on the shifting position of dissenting religious groups. The groups under consideration are non-Christians (‘pagans’) and deviant Christians (‘heretics’). The period from the mid-fourth century until the mid-fifth century CE witnessed a significant transformation of late Roman society and a gradual shift from the world of polytheistic religions into the Christian Empire. This book demonstrates that the narrative is much more nuanced than the simple Christian triumph over the classical world. It looks at everyday life, economic aspects, day-to-day practices, and conflicts of interest in the relations of religious groups. The book addresses two aspects: rhetoric and realities, and consequently delves into the interplay between the manifest ideologies and daily life found in late antique sources. We perceive constant flux between moderation and coercion that marked the relations of religious groups, both majorities and minorities, as well as the imperial government and religious communities. Religious Dissent in Late Antiquity is a detailed analysis of selected themes and a close reading of selected texts, tracing key elements and developments in the treatment of dissident religious groups. The book focuses on specific themes, such as the limits of imperial legislation and ecclesiastical control, the end of sacrifices, and the label of magic. It also examines the ways in which dissident religious groups were construed as religious outsiders in late Roman society.Less
Religious Dissent in Late Antiquity reconsiders the religious history of the late Roman Empire, focusing on the shifting position of dissenting religious groups. The groups under consideration are non-Christians (‘pagans’) and deviant Christians (‘heretics’). The period from the mid-fourth century until the mid-fifth century CE witnessed a significant transformation of late Roman society and a gradual shift from the world of polytheistic religions into the Christian Empire. This book demonstrates that the narrative is much more nuanced than the simple Christian triumph over the classical world. It looks at everyday life, economic aspects, day-to-day practices, and conflicts of interest in the relations of religious groups. The book addresses two aspects: rhetoric and realities, and consequently delves into the interplay between the manifest ideologies and daily life found in late antique sources. We perceive constant flux between moderation and coercion that marked the relations of religious groups, both majorities and minorities, as well as the imperial government and religious communities. Religious Dissent in Late Antiquity is a detailed analysis of selected themes and a close reading of selected texts, tracing key elements and developments in the treatment of dissident religious groups. The book focuses on specific themes, such as the limits of imperial legislation and ecclesiastical control, the end of sacrifices, and the label of magic. It also examines the ways in which dissident religious groups were construed as religious outsiders in late Roman society.
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- June 2013
- ISBN:
- 9781846311772
- eISBN:
- 9781846316753
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5949/UPO9781846316753
- Subject:
- History, History of Religion
This collection of essays has its origin in a conference held at Oxford in 2006 to mark the publication of the first English edition of the Acts of Chalcedon. Its aim is to place Chalcedon in a ...
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This collection of essays has its origin in a conference held at Oxford in 2006 to mark the publication of the first English edition of the Acts of Chalcedon. Its aim is to place Chalcedon in a broader context, and to bring out the importance of the acts of the early general councils from the fifth to the seventh century, documents which, because of their bulk and relative inaccessibility, have received only limited attention until recently. This book is evidence that this situation is now rapidly changing, as historians of late antiquity as well as specialists in the history of the Christian Church discover the richness of this material for the exploration of common concerns and tensions across the provinces of the Later Roman Empire, language use, networks of influence and cultural exchange, and political manipulation at many different levels of society. The extent to which the acts were instruments of propaganda and should not be read as a pure verbatim record of proceedings is brought out in a number of the essays, which illustrate the literary problems raised by these texts.Less
This collection of essays has its origin in a conference held at Oxford in 2006 to mark the publication of the first English edition of the Acts of Chalcedon. Its aim is to place Chalcedon in a broader context, and to bring out the importance of the acts of the early general councils from the fifth to the seventh century, documents which, because of their bulk and relative inaccessibility, have received only limited attention until recently. This book is evidence that this situation is now rapidly changing, as historians of late antiquity as well as specialists in the history of the Christian Church discover the richness of this material for the exploration of common concerns and tensions across the provinces of the Later Roman Empire, language use, networks of influence and cultural exchange, and political manipulation at many different levels of society. The extent to which the acts were instruments of propaganda and should not be read as a pure verbatim record of proceedings is brought out in a number of the essays, which illustrate the literary problems raised by these texts.
