Aim: What was Roman Law?

Notes:
Roman Law


Twelve Tables (451BC) – Laws were written down and placed in Rome’s marketplace (the Forum).

All free citizens had the right to be treated equally by the legal system

Applied only to Roman citizens

Continued

Law of Nations – new rules to settle disputes between citizens and onenon-citizens. (was for newly expanded territories)

People were seen as innocent until proven guilty

Rule of Law – Law applies to everyone

Continued

Why was it necessary for Rome to create the Law of Nations?

Rome Expands

Romans conquered all of Italy

Carthage – enemy of Rome (located in the Med. Sea) (Off the coast of North Africa)

Ruled a great trading empire

Continued

Punic Wars

Fought over Sicily ( the war lasted 20 years)

Rome eventually took Sicily

Carthage expanded into southern Spain

Romans helped the people of Spain to rebel

Hannibal Carthage’s General attacked the Romans in Italy (assembled a large force)

Eventually Carthage gave up Spain to Rome

Carthage had to give up its navy and pay a large fine