Roman Legal Sources and Other Sources

For extracts from the Corpus Iuris Civilis, reference should be made to the editions in the seminar folder on Google Drive (usually under “Römische Rechtsquellen”) (cf. question 3). Otherwise, the collection in Latin can be accessed online (cf. item 12 in the sidebar for the CIC), together with an older German translation.

Physical copies, in both Latin and translation, are available in various libraries. For a modern translation the series by BEHRENDS/KNÜTEL/KUPISCH/SEILER is recommended; for an older but complete translation, particularly of the Codex, OTTO/SCHILLING/SINTENIS may be consulted.

Since online editions frequently contain errors in the Latin text or in translation, it is advisable to verify these independently. Comparing several editions can assist in obtaining a more precise translation, which is of particular importance for subsequent interpretative work. Minor differences in phrasing are generally unproblematic, but if substantial discrepancies are identified, the Chair (lst.alonso@ius.uzh.ch) should be contacted for clarification of the specific case.

In many cases, a simple Google search or a search on Swisscovery will yield either a digital or physical version of the desired work. The libraries listed under question 12, together with the Chair’s library (cf. question 4), already contain the majority of the sources.

Important websites for locating ancient texts with translations and commentaries include the Loeb Classical Library (LCL), the Perseus Digital Library, as well as the Tusculum series, all of which can be accessed via Swisscovery through the UZH VPN (guide here).

When working with ancient sources, a separate list of sources should be compiled. However, citation style must remain consistent with that of the bibliography.

Recommended tools for working with ancient sources include:

• Corpus Corporum (particularly valuable for searching a wide range of Latin texts for specific terms)
• Data Converter for Ancient Egypt (helpful for converting chronological data)
• Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire (a map of the ancient world)

When writing an exegesis, it is advisable to consult Wesel Uwe, Die Hausarbeit in der Digestenexegese, Eine Einführung für Studenten und Doktoranden, 3. Aufl., München 1989.

For searches involving specific Ancient Greek terms,Trismegistos, the Ancient Greek Dictionary, and Eulexis-web are recommended.