Gai Codex Rescriptus

Gai Codex Rescriptus

Aside from being a celebrated Roman jurist, little is known about Gaius (active 130–180), not even his full name. His legal writings continued to be recognized after his death, and he was posthumously named by the Emperor Theodosius II (401-450) as one of five jurists whose opinions should be followed by judicial officers and his works are some of the most important sources on Roman law. Among his numerous writings, Gaius is best remembered for his Institutes, which were written ca. 161. It is a textbook introducing law students to various legal institutions and is divided into four books ranging in topic from the varying legal statuses of people in the eyes of the law to the handling of wills. Knowledge of these strict formulae was necessary in order for one to be able to solve various questions in Roman law. This important Roman legal document was lost to modern scholars until 1816, when it was rediscovered in the Biblioteca Capitolare di Verona. It was found in a palimpsest, a manuscript whose pages have been washed or scrapped so that they might be reused, in this case with some works by St. Jerome (347-420). Likely originating from the 5th century, the manuscript was rewritten at the beginning of the 8th century, judging by the script. Thanks to the efforts of the Prussian jurist August von Bethmann-Hollweg (1795–1877), the original document, written in uncial script, has been translated in a nearly complete state. This manuscript of the Institutes represents a priceless find for legal historians and fills important gaps in Roman legal history. As such, it has been translated into several languages and appears in multiple editions.