DSMA19 Reading and Interpretation of Ancient Legal Sources I

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2021
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Jarmila Bednaříková, CSc. (lecturer)
JUDr. Miroslav Frýdek, Ph.D. et Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Jarmila Bednaříková, CSc.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Wed 14:00–15:40 B2.41
Prerequisites
!( OBOR ( DST ) && TYP_STUDIA ( B ))
Knowledge of the Greek alphabet, ability to search in the Ancient Greek dictionary (LSJ).
At least basic knowledge of Latin.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to get students acquainted with selected legal texts of particular ancient cultures (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome).
Through commented reading of legal texts, students become familiar with the principles of law, legislative process, codification of laws, law enforcement, as well as court functioning. Last but not least, students get acquainted with relevant legal terms.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will:
- be able to orientate themselves in the legal terminology of particular ancient cultures;
- become familiar with basic legal source texts, their authors and character;
- understand the legislative and law enforcement principles;
- get awareness of the court procedures;
- know the basic types of laws and understand the circumstances of their enactment.
Focus is put on the comparative reading of the sources related to particular fields of law in all ancient cultures concerned.
Syllabus
  • Mesopotamian codes of law.
  • Egyptian legal texts.
  • Fragments of Solon´s laws.
  • Lysias 1: De caede Eratosthenis: manipulative strategy in legal speeches (suppresio veri, suggestio falsi), the law on justifiable homicide, the law on kakourgia, punishments for adultery and rape, the question of validity and dissolubility of laws in Classical Athens.
  • Pseudo-Demosthenes 59: Neaira (laws on adultery).
  • Aischines 1: Against Timarchos (laws on prostitution).
  • Gortyn code.
  • Leges regiae.
  • The Laws of the Twelve Tables.
  • Gaius´ legal handbook in four books.
  • Edictum perpetuum Hadriani.
  • Codex Hermogenianus.
  • Codex Gregorianus.
  • Codex Theodosianus.
  • Corpus iuris civilis.
Literature
    required literature
  • Codex Theodosianus. Edited by Paul Krüger - Theodor Mommsen. Unveränderte Neuauflage. Berlin: Weidmann, 2011, ccclxxx st. ISBN 9783615117011. info
  • SKŘEJPEK, M. "Texty ke studiu římského práva". ORAC. Praha, 2001. info
  • GAIUS. Učebnice práva ve čtyřech knihách. Edited by Jaromír Kincl. Přetisk 1. vyd. z roku 1981. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 1999, 274 s. ISBN 8072390570. info
    recommended literature
  • MACDOWELL, Douglas M. Studies on Greek law, oratory and comedy. Edited by Īlias Arnaoutoglou - Kōnstantinos A. Kapparēs - Dēmos Spatharas. First published. London: Routledge, 2018, xxiv, 365. ISBN 9781472458179. info
  • DOSTALÍK, Petr. Texty ke studiu římského práva soukromého. 2. vydání. Plzeň: Vydavatelství a nakladatelství Aleš Čeněk, 2016, 208 stran. ISBN 9788073806255. info
  • Digesta, seu, Pandectae :fragmenta selecta. Translated by Peter Blaho - Jarmila Bartošíková - Michal Skřejpek - Jakub Ž. První vydání. Praha: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, nakladatelství Karolinum, 2015, 701 stran. ISBN 9788024630632. URL info
  • Speeches from Athenian law. Edited by Michael Gagarin. 1st ed. Austin [Tex.]: University of Texas Press, 2011, x, 396 p. ISBN 9780292786523. info
  • Justiniánské instituce. Edited by Michal Skřejpek, Translated by Peter Blaho. 1. vyd. Praha: Karolinum, 2010, 411 s. ISBN 9788024617497. info
  • PLESSIS, Paul J. du. Textbook on Roman law. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010, xvi, 427. ISBN 9780199574889. info
  • Zákon a právo v archaických kulturách. Edited by Dalibor Antalík - Jiří Starý - Tomáš Vítek. Vyd. 1. V Praze: Herrmann & synové, 2010, 346 s. ISBN 9788087054246. info
  • The Cambridge companion to ancient Greek law. Edited by Michael Gagarin - David Cohen. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005, xiii, 480. ISBN 0521521599. info
  • Antiphon the Athenianoratory, law, and justice in the age of the Sophists. Edited by Michael Gagarin. 1st ed. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2002, x, 222 p. ISBN 0292728417. info
  • Antiphon & Andocides. Edited by Antiphon - Andocides - Michael Gagarin - Douglas M. MacDowell. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1998, xxvii, 174. ISBN 0292728093. info
  • BARTOŠEK, Milan. Encyklopedie římského práva. Druhé, přepracované vydá. Praha: Academia, 1994, 471 stran. ISBN 802000243X. info
  • KLÍMA, Josef. Zákony Asýrie a Chaldeje : pokračovatelé Chammurapiho. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 1985, 334 s. URL info
  • KLÍMA, Josef. Nejstarší zákony lidstva : Chammurapi a jeho předchůdci. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 1979, 382 s. URL info
Teaching methods
Collective reading and interpretation of selected ancient sources.
Assessment methods
Colloquium over one of the primary texts.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2021/DSMA19