Roman law

American  

noun

1. the system of jurisprudence elaborated by the ancient Romans, a strong and varied influence on the legal systems of many countries.

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Roman law British  

noun

1. the system of jurisprudence of ancient Rome, codified under Justinian and forming the basis of many modern legal systems

2. another term for civil law

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Etymology

Origin of Roman law

First recorded in 1650–60

Example Sentences

Roman law considered the unborn a “potential person.”

From Washington Post

This was, he said, “akin to the ancient Roman laws requiring that sacrifices be made to Caesar.”

From New York Times

Under Roman law slaves were considered property and had no legal personhood.

From Reuters

"As it was part of the Roman army, directly or indirectly, the severity of punishments and the enforcement of Roman law would have been more severe at the Somersham settlements," she said.

From BBC

“The civil code has been discriminatory against many minority communities,” his Roman law professor said over video one day.

From New York Times