History of Law
Modern legal doctrine didn’t appear from nowhere — this course traces where it actually came from, from the earliest written codes through Rome’s enormous influence to the common law tradition, with the Latin terminology that still shows up everywhere along the way. Every module follows the same shape: visualize the material, drill it, then apply it — no passive video lectures, no AI-generated answers, just structured, interactive exercises you can revisit as many times as you need. This course is part of the All-Access Membership.
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The Journey
I.Ancient Legal Codes›
Casuistic law, set out case by case — Ur-Nammu, Hammurabi, and lex talionis.
II.Roman Law: The Republic to the Classical Jurists›
The Twelve Tables, the ius civile and ius gentium, and the praetor's edict.
III.Roman Law: Justinian's Codification›
The Corpus Juris Civilis, received across the continent — the direct root of the civil law tradition.
IV.The Common Law Tradition›
Writs, precedent, and a separate court of equity built to answer for the writs' own rigidity.
V.Legal Latin & Maxims›
The Latin terminology this whole journey left behind in modern legal writing.
1. Ancient Legal Codes & Early Foundations
The Code of Ur-Nammu, the Code of Hammurabi, lex talionis, ancient legal procedure, and casuistic vs. apodictic law.
2. Roman Law I: The Twelve Tables to Classical Jurisprudence
The Twelve Tables, the ius civile and ius gentium, the praetor's edict, and the classical Roman jurists.
3. Roman Law II: Justinian's Codification & the Civil Law Tradition
The Corpus Juris Civilis (Code, Digest, Institutes), the reception of Roman law, and the civil law/common law split.
4. The Common Law Tradition
Anglo-Saxon custom, the Norman Conquest, the writ system, stare decisis, and the Court of Chancery's equity.
5. Legal Latin & Maxims: The Language of the Law
The Latin terms and maxims that still show up constantly in modern legal writing, cases, and exams.
Capstone: The Full Case
One integrated exercise tracing a single legal problem across every era covered in this course.
