Roman law, one of the key legal systems from which modern European law is derived, is also one of the binding factors par excellence within the European community. A Short History of Roman Law presents a brief, accurate and up-to-date survey of the history of Roman law.

Olga Tellegen-Couperus divides its thousand-year-history into four periods, each based on the political developments taking place therein. The final section of each chapter analyzes the changes in legislation, jurisdiction and legal science for each period, offering a detailed introduction to the political and socio-economic background of Roman law. Tellegen-Couperus also gives due attention to topics which are currently under debate in Romanist literature. This book will be invaluable for all law students, classicists and ancient historians.