In today's society the lawyer jokes abound. Despite the negative connotation some might associate with the law and attorneys, we would not have the legal system which we do today without the Romans. According to Roman tradition, the Law of the Twelve Tables was the modern set of legislation for the Romans. These twelves tables contained the enduring laws upon which their society was built, and were referred to on a daily basis. Adopted first in 450 B.C., these tables declared laws regarding divorce, theft, religion, black magic, and property.
Many of the Western legal systems have been based upon these twelve tables implemented by the Romans. Even today there are a vast number of terms that have come from our Roman predecessors - habeas corpus, subpoena, affidavit, pro bono - all words used in the legal profession every day of every year. This is interesting to me because I plan on attending law school next year. After these tablets became too cumbersome, the Romans eventually synthesized the tables into the Corpus Juris Civilis. One of the most ground-breaking additions to this new legal system was the concept of innocent until proven guilty, a mantra that we repeat in our own judicial branch.
I'll agree that the legal system we have today isn't perfect. The person who is at fault does not always get the punishment they deserve. No legal system neither then nor now will be perfect because as humans we lie, cheat, deceive, and are selfish. However, without the twelve simple rocks with writing, where would our judicial system be today? So the next time you're going to tell a lawyer joke, just remember how far we've come. And if it's good, share it with me.
I wish I had a lawyer joke to share, but alas, I do not. Really interesting post, Michael. It was very informational. I like your insight that we've come far from how it was then. I think that is one of the greatest things about learning from the past--we can see what worked and improve what didn't.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important to remember that even though we have these huge, complex systems of civilization today, somebody had to invent them! Today we may have individuals who are adept at maneuvering through thousands upon thousands of pages of law, but back then, somebody just had to come up with a good law! It really helps you see how fundamentally important these ancient civilizations are to our modern world.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this because I, too, have considered the law school route. I can see how an understanding of the development of the court system would be extremely beneficial to an attorney.
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