Rome's first set of written was was the Law of the Twelve Tables, which was compiled in 450/49 BC. This was an archaic law which was the foundation for Roman law only in the next few centuries. As Rome evolved beyond the archaic stage of the history and many new laws were issued, the Law of the Twelve Tables became outmoded and no longer provided the foundation of Roman law.
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I don't know too much about the legal systems of medieval or modern Rome. However the ancient Roman legal system was loosely based on the Greek system of democracy, with every citizen having the right to vote. But the technique of the ancient system was purely Roman, such as the assemblies, the senate and the counsuls. The laws themselves were based on Roman tradition.
The foundation of early Roman law was the Law of the Twelve Tables. Over time it became obsolete.
Many European nations base their law on Roman systems. So do most Latin American countries, which were once European colonies. Roman law has also influenced the Unites States. Many principles of the Roman Republic, such as equal justice under the law, became part of the American system of government.
Louisiana's civil laws and Government structure are based on Roman law. Louisiana's criminal law and all laws of the other states are based the English Common law system. Louisiana had been a French Territory using French Laws based on the Roman Law, at the time of admission to the Union most of those laws and method of administering them were left in place, a sudden change to the Common Law would have been disruptive to commerce and life in general. Areas of the Loisiana Territory out side of what became the state of Louisiana were sparsely populated and loosly administered, American/English law was implemented there. The Roman system in Louisiana is often said to be based on the Napoleonic Code, which is not quite true, Napoleon 1st did make some changes, modernizing French Law, but French Law was still a Roman Law system. Roman Law became the basis for Western European Law around 1150, replacing forms which arose after the breaking up of the Roman empire. Many of those replaced forms, especially in the North, were based on Nordic and Germanic systems. Roman law had little effect on England, due in earlier years to relative isolation reinforced later by England's separation from the Roman Church and general aversion to all things "Roman." In the early 1800's England and America adopted several practices from Roman law, modifying and simplifying various procedures especially in civil trial procedures, which under the English system had become cumbersome. And as time passed American/English law has affected Roman law in Louisiana law.
The key principles of Roman civil law have provided the foundation of the civil laws of many modern countries. These are: citizenship status and citizenship rights, equality under the law, the right to have a proper trial and to defend oneself, the right to appeal, that the burden of proof rests on the accuser and not on the accused, that it is the exact form of actions and not intentions or words which is punishable, that a law deemed unreasonable or unfair can be repealed, and that no Roman citizen should be tortured.
law of nations
Roman law was based on the concept of citizenship rights. It conferred rights and provided protections for Roman citizens .