Roman Law was once part of the standard law school curriculum but is now only studied by specialists (most of whom are not lawyers). What insight does it bring to our understanding of the law today? What can a law student learn from studying some of its core tenets?

Professor Richard Epstein argues that one can learn a great deal. Though an ancient system, it is an extremely comprehensive and sophisticated body of law. Many concepts in Anglo-American law have roots in ancient Rome, and other systems borrow even more from the structure and classification employed by the Roman lawyers.  After understanding Roman Law, you will never look at the common law or American constitutional law again in exactly the same way.