G. Rouillé - Giustiniano - Codex Iustiniani - 1571

Codex Iustiniani
(Corpus Iuris Civilis – Codex repetitae praelectionis)
Lyon, at Guillaume Rouillé, 1571.

12.3 × 8.5 cm (small octavo or pocket-sized format).
Pp. (16), 784 pp.

Only the first two books of the Codex Iustiniani (Libri I-II of the Codex repetitae praelectionis), (as in the photo at the end) with imperial constitutions, notes, summaries and critical apparatus in Latin (with references to Greek texts). Includes typographic decorations, woodcut initials and ornaments characteristic of the Lyon editions of the sixteenth century. The specimen presents an old vellum binding, with manuscript title on the spine.

A fundamental work of Roman law, the Codex Iustiniani (promulgated by Justinian in 529–534 CE) represents the largest systematic compilation of Roman imperial laws, which formed the basis of continental European civil law for centuries. This sixteenth-century edition, curated within Rouillé’s humanistic printing, makes the text accessible with scholarly apparatus, facilitating its study in the Renaissance and modern era. It is one of the pillars of the Corpus Iuris Civilis, a cornerstone of Western law alongside the Institutiones, Digesta and Novellae.

Rare edition of the renowned Lyon printer Guillaume Rouillé, specialized in classical and legal texts in a compact format for scholars and professionals. The sixteenth-century editions of the Codex in small format are not common on the market, especially partial (only Libri I-II) and in this condition. It is a precious witness to the spread of Roman law in sixteenth‑century Europe, sought after by collectors of ancient legal books, incunabula and sixteenth‑century works, and by institutions specialized in the history of law.

Typical signs of use for a '500' volume, old sheets with normal browning, but overall good for the period, with all indicated pages present.

Excellent piece for auctions of legal and Renaissance antiquarian books.