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Justinian I, Code 2.3.30

   https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/447

Context

Early in his reign the emperor Justinian directed a comprehensive reform of Roman Law that compiled and edited earlier jurisprudence. This new sole authority on legal matters, the Body of Civil Law (Corpus iuris civilis), contained three parts, the Code, Digest, and Institutes. The Code, compiled by a commission led by the pretorian prefect John, was promulgated in spring of 529 C.E. This work in 12 books was intended to compile, update, and edit in one codification the extant body of imperial and individual law in all its messy variety. To harmonize the new body of law with earlier conflicting opinions that remained in 529, and to integrate new laws, Justinian issued a revised version of the Code in 534, which is the main surviving text. This passage from the long section “Contracts” (de pactis) addresses questions of inheritance, in response to a query from the lawyers at Caesarea.

Text

Idem Aug. Iohanni pp.(Praefatio) De quaestione tali a Caesariensi advocatione interrogati sumus: si duabus vel pluribus personis spes alienae fuerat hereditatis ex cognatione forte ad eos devolvendae, pactaque inter eos inita sunt pro adventura hereditate, quibus specialiter declarabatur, si ille mortuus fuerit et hereditas ad eos perveniat, certos modos in eadem hereditate observari, vel si forte ad quosdam ex his hereditatis commodum pervenerit, certas pactiones evenire. et dubitabatur, si huiusmodi pacta servari oportet. (1) Faciebat autem eis quaestionem, quia adhuc superstite eo, de cuius hereditate sperabatur, huiusmodi pactio processit et quia non sunt ita confecta, quasi omnimodo hereditate ad eos perventura, sed sub duabus condicionibus composita sunt, si ille fuerit mortuus et si ad hereditatem vocentur hi qui pactionem fecerunt. (2) Sed nobis omnes huiusmodi pactiones odiosae videntur et plenae tristissimi et periculosi eventus. quare enim quodam vivente et ignorante de rebus eius quidam paciscentes convenerunt? (3) Secundum veteres itaque regulas sancimus omnimodo huiusmodi pacta, quae contra bonos mores inita sunt, repelli et nihil ex his pactionibus observari, nisi ipse forte, de cuius hereditate pactum est, voluntatem suam eis accommodaverit et in ea usque ad extremum vitae spatium perseveraverit: tunc etenim sublata acerbissima spe licebit eis illo sciente et iubente huiusmodi pactiones servare. (4) Quod etiam anterioribus legibus et constitutionibus non est incognitum, licet a nobis clarius est introductum. iubemus etenim neque donationes talium rerum neque hypothecas penitus esse admittendas neque alium quendam contractum, cum in alienis rebus contra domini voluntatem aliquid fieri vel pacisci secta temporum meorum non patitur.D. k. Nov. Constantinopoli post consulatum Lampadii et Orestae vv. cc.1

Textual Note

Ed. Krueger 1892

Translation

The same emperor (Justinian I) to John, Praetorian Prefect(Preface) We have been asked by the lawyers in Caesarea in regard to this question: Two or more persons, in hopes that an inheritance would perhaps come to them by reason of blood relationship, entered into pacts as to such hoped-for inheritance, in which it was specifically declared that if their relative should die leaving them the inheritance, certain specified things should obtain as to the inherited estate; or if perchance the benefit of the inheritance should come to only some of them, then certain pacts should be in force. It was doubted whether these pacts should be held valid. 1. The question arose with them, because this agreement was made during the life of the person whose property they hoped to inherit, and because the contracting parties did not make the pact as though the property would come to them in any event, but under two conditions, namely if the relative should die and if they, the contracting parties, should become the heirs of the estate. 2. But all such agreements appear to us odious, and pregnant with unhappy and perilous results. For why should persons enter into a pact concerning the property of a living person without his knowledge: 3. According to ancient regulations, therefore, we ordain that such pacts which have been entered into are contrary to good morals, shall be invalid and shall not be carried out, unless, perchance, the person with reference to whose inheritance the pact was made consented thereto, and persevered in such consent to the time of his death; for then, when cruel hope is absent, and the pact is made with his knowledge and consent, the contracting parties are permitted to carry out the agreement made. 4. This rule of law was not unknown to the ancient laws and constitutions, although it has been made clearer by us. We order, accordingly, that neither a donation of any such property nor mortgage thereof, nor any contract in relation thereto shall have any validity whatever, since the ethics of the present time do not tolerate that anything shall be done, or any pact be made concerning the property of another against the owner’s consent.(Given at) Constantinople, November 1 [531 C.E.], after the consulate of Lampadius and Orestes2

Translation Note

Trans. Blume et al. 2016

Works Cited

  • 1 Justinian I, Codex Iustinianus, ed. Paul Krueger, vol. 2, 3 vols., Corpus iuris civilis (Berlin: Weidman, 1892), bk: 2, ch: 3.30.Link to Zotero Bibliographic Record
  • 2 Justinian I, The Codex of Justinian: A New Annotated Translation, ed. Paul Krueger et al., trans. Fred H. Blume, 3 vols. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2016)Link to Zotero Bibliographic Record
About This Text

 

How to Cite This Entry

Joseph L. Rife, “Justinian I, Code 2.3.30,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published April 28, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/447.

Bibliography:

Joseph L. Rife, “Justinian I, Code 2.3.30.” In Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, edited by Joseph L. Rife., edited by Joseph L. Rife. Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project, 2023. Entry published April 28, 2023. https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/447.

About this Entry

Entry Title: Justinian I, Code 2.3.30

Authorial and Editorial Responsibility:

  • Joseph L. Rife, general editor, Vanderbilt University
  • Joseph L. Rife, editor, Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia
  • David A. Michelson, Daniel L. Schwartz, and William L. Potter, technical editor, “Justinian I, Code 2.3.30”
  • Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Justinian I, Code 2.3.30”

Additional Credit:

  • Testimonium edited by Joseph L. Rife
  • TEI record created by Joseph L. Rife
  • Testimonium translated by Joseph L. Rife
  • Testimonium transcribed by Joseph L. Rife
  • Testimonium identified by Joseph L. Rife
  • Editorial review by Joseph L. Rife
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