Intellectual History Commons^™

Wilhelm Kroll's Preface To Justinian's Novels: An English Translation, Timothy G. Kearley, David J.D. Miller

Timothy G. Kearley

For the legal historian, the Age of Justinian is nothing short of pivotal. Medievalists and early modernists interested in the so-called reception of Roman law in later times and places must look back to Justinian and his law books, as classicists and historians interested in Roman republican or early imperial law must frequently look forward to them.

Justinian’s law books are, of course, the Digest, the Code, the Institutes, and the Novels (Novellae Constitutiones), which have become known collectively as the Corpus Iuris Civilis (CIC).

It soon becomes clear to those interested in the CIC that the standard modern version …

Wilhelm Kroll's Preface To Justinian's Novels: An English Translation, Timothy G. Kearley, David J.D. Miller

Timothy G. Kearley

Justice Frederick H. Blume, attorney and long-time Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court, single-handedly translated Justinian's Code and Novels in the early twentieth century. His is the only English translation of the Code to have been made from the Latin version accepted as most authoritative. Using Blume's papers, this article describes, among other things: how Blume created the extensive Roman law library needed for his translation; his approach to translation; and his collaboration with Clyde Pharr on Pharr's "Corpus Juris Romani" series. The article also describes the author's editing and digitization of Justice Blume's translation.