Orthodoxy and the Courts in Late Antiquity

This book approaches the subject of late Roman law from the perspective of legal practice revealed in courtroom processes, as well as more 'informal' types of dispute settlement. From at least the early fourth century, leading bishops, ecclesiastics, and Christian polemicists participated in a vibrant culture of forensic argument, with far-reaching effects on theological debate, the development of ecclesiastical authority, and the elaboration of early 'Canon law'. One of the most innovative...