Joseph H. Drake · Michigan Law Review 1928 · historical essay · n=?

The Justinian Codification Commission of 528 A. D.

Cited 2 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Level 5 by design analogy, not clinical CEBM; historical essay and theoretical commentary without empirical data.

OpenAlex W2796440432 · doi:10.2307/1279280 · record verified 2026-08-31

What was done

This is a historical and jurisprudential analysis examining the antecedents and significance of the Justinian Codification Commission of 528 A.D. and evaluating Sir Henry Maine's perspective on Roman codification.

What was found

No quantitative data or empirical metrics are reported in the abstract. The author argues that Sir Henry Maine's epigram that Roman law begins as it ends with a code is only partially true, and that the Corpus Juris Civilis represents a milestone in the ongoing development toward an ideal of justice rather than merely a terminal code.

Why it matters

This essay offers a conceptual framework for understanding the Justinian codification within the broader continuity of Roman legal history.

Limits

The paper is a non-empirical historical essay from 1928 with no quantitative methods, experimental controls, or contemporary data. The abstract provides theoretical assertions rather than systematic documentary evidence.

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