24633 - Roman Legal Methodology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students know:
- the interpretative methods followed by roman juriconsults;
- the logical and reasoning techniques used by roman juriconsults in construing case law;
- the logical instruments for the comprehension of the basis of legal science and the construction of western law;
- the basis and the tecniques of the legal rhetoric for the elaboration of the harangue;
- the ways of planning of the law cases.

Course contents

- The concept oh method;
- The case law;
- The role of the jurist;
- The law interpretation;
- The method of 'pontifical' jurists: the authoritative method;
- The method of republican jurists: the scientific method;
- The dialectics and the systematics;
- The topical method;
- The interpretative criteria of  the equity and of the analogy;
- The legal advice: the practice of the 'responsum';
- The technique of the abstraction;
- The 'regulae iuris';
- The method of the jurists in the 'Principato';
- The 'Dominato': the legislator and the control of the interpretation;
- The codifications and the 'massimazione';
- The activity of the jurists in the justinian age;
- The legal rhetoric
- The rule of the 'orator';
- The kinds of cases;
- The  'status causae': the ways of planning of the law cases ;
- The'status causae' of the conjecture;
- The'status causae' of the definition;
- The'status causae' of the legality;
-The elaboration of the harangue;
- The oratorial partitions:  'inventio', 'dispositio', 'elocutio', 'memoria' and 'actio';
- The 'probatio': the proofs;
- The 'confutatio' and the 'peroratio';
- The 'legal status'

Readings/Bibliography

A. Bellodi Ansaloni, Scienza giuridica e retorica forense. Appunti da un corso di Metodologia giuridica romana, ed. Maggioli, 2012 

Teaching methods

Lessons will be given in the first six-month period and the exam can be done from January.  
Attendance at lessons is recommended for a better comprehension of the reasonings of the jurists in the making of law.
Exam can be done only after the exam of 'Istituzioni di diritto romano', Diritto costituzionale' and 'Diritto privato'.

Assessment methods

The check of objectives will be made by oral exam.

Teaching tools

At lesson juridical and rhetoric texts will be read and explained. The texts are on the book; the others will be given by the teacher

Office hours

See the website of Anna Bellodi Ansaloni