Expert: Maria - 3/3/2004

Question
Could you help me please with the following question?

"Why were the Twelve Tables an important reform in the early Roman Republic?"

Many thanks in advance.
Burt


Answer
Hello Burt,

The Twelve Tables (451 BC), drawn up by  the 'decemviri legibus scribundis' (meaning “board of ten for writing laws”) were an important reform in the early Roman Republic because this code, obtained - after violent riots - by the plebeians in order to restrain the powers of the patricians, was the FIRST WRITTEN CODE OF LAWS.

It acted therefore as a deterrent to the excessive power of the patricians who had before been able to administer the laws as they saw fit since the laws had never been written down or published.

This was of course a great injustice to the lower classes. It was clear in fact that there was not much hope for the plebeians until they were made equal before the law.

So, though the Twelve Tables were not a comprehensive legal code, as they did not cover all areas of the law, they were  very important, because they put the law before the eyes of the people; and the plebeians, as well as the patricians, could know what were their rights.

So highly valued was this code that it formed a part of the Roman education, and boys in school were obliged to learn it by heart.

To conclude, here are the main topics of this code that was the basis of the development of later Republican law:
-family, including marriage and divorce
-ownership of property (including inheritance, transfer and slavery)
-assault and injury to person and property
-debt
-legal procedure

Hope this can be helpful to you.

Have a nice day.
Maria