Articles by Daphne (Dafni) / Δάφνη Penna / Πέννα
"Νομική παιδεία στο Βυζάντιο και επιδράσεις του βυζαντινού δικαίου" [= ‘Legal education in Byzantium and influences of Byzantine law, article in Greek], in Epeteris (Yearbook of the Research Centre for the History of Greek law, Academy of Athens, EHHD) 52, (2024-2025), pp. 295-307
Το κείμενο που δημοσιεύεται είναι το κείμενο της ομιλίας με τίτλο ‘Νομική παιδεία στο Βυζάντιο κα... more Το κείμενο που δημοσιεύεται είναι το κείμενο της ομιλίας με τίτλο ‘Νομική παιδεία στο Βυζάντιο και επιδράσεις του Βυζαντινού Δικαίου’ που πραγματοποιήθηκε στις 16 Μαΐου 2023 στην Ακαδημία Αθηνών στο πλαίσιο των Διαθεματικών Σεμιναρίων διοργάνωσε το Κ.Ε.Ι.Ε.Δ. της Ακαδημίας Αθηνών σε συνεργασία με τη Νομική Σχολή Ε.Κ.Π.Α., τη Νομική Σχολή Α.Π.Θ., τη Νομική Σχολή Δ.Π.Θ. και την Ελληνική Εταιρεία
Ιστορίας Δικαίου.
"Homer, Jan Lokin and Byzantine law", in AUPA = Annali del Seminario Giuridico dell’Università degli Palermo, vol 67 (2024), pp. 49-56.
The present text is a slightly updated version of the lecture I gave during the ‘Symposium in mem... more The present text is a slightly updated version of the lecture I gave during the ‘Symposium in memoriam Jan Lokin’ on 21/02/2024 at Palermo. This symposium was organised by the ‘Dipartimento di Giurisprudenza’ of the Palermo University and was coordinated by Prof. G. Falcone. The lecture was inspired by an article of J.H.A. Lokin in 1993 in which Lokin referred to Homeric references in the Institutes of Justinian and in Theophilus’ Paraphrasis. In that lecture which is published here I examine and compare Homeric references in two other later Byzantine sources which reflect legal practice (the Peira, 11th c. and a verdict by the bishop Apokaukos, 13th c.).
The aim of Penna’s paper is to present the main conclusions of her research on the so-called ‘ne... more The aim of Penna’s paper is to present the main conclusions of her research on the so-called ‘new’ Basilica scholia. The Basilica (ca. 900) is a massive legal compilation consisting of sixty books rendering Justinianic law in Greek. In the middle of the eleventh century the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachos founded a law school in Constantinople. He appointed Ioannes Xiphilinos as director of this law school. Xiphilinos, as well as other Byzantine jurists of the eleventh and twelfth century, wrote scholia on the Basilica. These scholia which are known as the ‘new’ Basilica scholia, are some of the very few legal sources that can tell us something about legal thought and legal practice in the eleventh- and twelfth-century Byzantium. Penna has published four studies up to now on three Byzantine jurists who belong to the ‘new’ Basilica scholiasts: two on Hagiotheodorites (in Subseciva Groningana, vol. IX, 2014 and in the Yearbook of the Research Centre for the History of Greek law of the Academy of Athens, vol. 51, 2022), one on Nicaeus (in Fontes Minores, vol. XIII, 2021) and one on Xiphilinos (in Byzantinische Zeitschrift, vol. 114/3, 2021). In this paper Penna presents the main conclusions of her four studies regarding these ‘new’ Basilica scholiasts and makes a brief initial evaluation of these scholia.
‘Je was erbij, dus je bent erbij’: Groepsaansprakelijkheid van artikel 6:166 BW en het Byzantijns recht (article in Dutch) in Ars Aequi, juridisch maandblad, 2023(8), 873-879.
English abstract:
To what extent can the study of Roman and Byzantine law add value to the inte... more English abstract:
To what extent can the study of Roman and Byzantine law add value to the interpretation and application of current law? Using an example, I will address that question in this article. I will focus on the discussion that has arisen in the Netherlands about group liability (art. 166, book 6 of the Dutch Civil Code). Following Byzantine and Western commentaries on group liability, I will also discuss the relationship between the Byzantine and Western legal traditions and the role Byzantine law can play in the interpretation of the Corpus Iuris Civilis.
https://arsaequi.nl/product/je-was-erbij-dus-je-bent-erbij/.
Dutch abstract:
In hoeverre kan de bestudering van Romeins en Byzantijns recht toegevoegde waarde hebben bij de uitleg en de toepassing van het huidige recht? Aan de hand van een voorbeeld zal ik in deze bijdrage op die vraag ingaan. Ik zal mij daarbij richten op de discussie die in Nederland is ontstaan over groepsaansprakelijkheid (art. 6:166 BW). Naar aanleiding van Byzantijnse en westerse commentaren over groepsaansprakelijkheid zal ik ook ingaan op de verhouding tussen de Byzantijnse en de westerse juridische traditie en de rol die Byzantijns recht kan spelen bij de interpretatie van het Corpus Iuris Civilis.
The rule of the pacta sunt servanda meaning “agreements must be kept” implies that, when two part... more The rule of the pacta sunt servanda meaning “agreements must be kept” implies that, when two parties willingly and knowingly enter into a contract, the terms of that contract should be upheld by both parties; it is binding. Parties are free to determine the content of their contracts themselves. In civil law, we call this freedom of contract, a fundamental principle in modern civil law. The core of modern European civil law – mainly property law and the law of obligations – is based on Roman law (apart from in England). Yet, the principle of pacta sunt servanda, which forms the cornerstone of modern contract law, does not derive from Roman law. So how and when did this legal principle, which is so fundamental today, originate? In this paper I will attempt to show how religious influences played a role in the creation and development of this principle in the Middle Ages. I will try to show how this principle was actually adopted and developed in Byzantium on the one hand and in Western medieval Europe on the other, with an emphasis on Byzantium.
The term platos in Byzantine legal sources has caused many headaches for legal historians. The pr... more The term platos in Byzantine legal sources has caused many headaches for legal historians. The present study examines the term platos in the Basilica scholia and focuses on some particular scholia that compare the Platos to the Basilica text. It is clear from the examined material that the Basilica scholiasts are keen to point out differences between the Platos and the Basilica, differences that concern not only the translation of Latin terms into Greek (exhellenismoi) but also the content itself. It seems that the Platos was a reservoir of Greek texts of antecessorian origin that ninth-century Byzantine jurists had at their disposal and that it was somehow related to the preparatory work for the Basilica. The hypothesis is brought that the Platos could be identified with the so-called sixty books of emperor Basil I.
Utrecht Law Review, 2017
1 Byzantium (or the Byzantine Empire) is a conventional name, used for the first time in the sixt... more 1 Byzantium (or the Byzantine Empire) is a conventional name, used for the first time in the sixteenth century to describe a medieval Empire that covered most of the southeastern part of Europe. For an introduction to the history of Byzantium, see for example, J. Herrin, Byzantium, The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire (2007), A. Cameron, The Byzantines (2006) and C. Mango (ed.), The Oxford History of Byzantium (2002). 2 The word chrysobull (χρυσόβουλλον) derives from the Greek words 'χρυσός' (gold) and 'βούλλα' (seal) and it was used for documents bearing the Emperor's gold bulla. On the use of the chrysobull as an act of foreign policy, see F.
Abstract
Hagiotheodorites belongs to the younger generation of the Basilica scholiasts. Nearly t... more Abstract
Hagiotheodorites belongs to the younger generation of the Basilica scholiasts. Nearly two-hundred Basilica scholia have been preserved which contain the name Hagiotheodorites either in their heading or in their text. This article focuses on two characteristic scholia by Hagiotheodorites: the first one is about the condictio furtiva and the second one is about the illegal cutting of trees and its criminal treatment. From the analysis of these two scholia it is obvious that the style of Hagiotheodorites is instructive. Despite the complexity of some of his topics, Hagiotheodorites successfully manages to convey his material to pupils in a pleasant way by using vivid examples and antecessorian methods. Furthermore, he is in a position to analyse difficult legal issues, concepts and he skilfully handles the Basilica, something that was already pointed out in two short studies by the two leading scholars of Greek law and eminent academics, K. Triantaphyllopoulos and M. Tourtoglou. The present article for the lustrum edition of the Yearbook of the Research Centre for the History of Greek Law has therefore a special character and wants to honour the work of the Teachers of the Academy of Athens but also of the younger researchers who continue the research of the History of Greek Law.
Περίληψη
Αντικείμενο της παρούσας μελέτης αποτελεί η ανάλυση σχολίων του Αγιοθεοδωρίτη, νομικού της μέσης βυζαντινής περιόδου στο κείμενο των Βασιλικών. Ο Αγιοθεοδωρίτης ανήκει στους ‘νέους’ σχολιαστές των Βασιλικών και σώζονται περίπου διακόσια σχόλια με το όνομά του. Η μελέτη εστιάζει σε δύο χαρακτηριστικά σχόλια του Αγιοθεοδωρίτη, το πρώτο σχετικά με την απαίτηση λόγω κλοπής (condictio furtiva), το δεύτερο αναφορικά με την παράνομη κοπή δένδρων και την ποινική μεταχείρισή της. Από την ανάλυση των δύο αυτών σχολίων είναι φανερό ότι το ύφος του Αγιοθεοδωρίτη είναι διδακτικό, καθώς ο Βυζαντινός αυτός νομικός χρησιμοποιεί χαρακτηριστικές μεθόδους των αντικηνσόρων και προσπαθεί με γλαφυρό και κατανοητό τρόπο να διδάξει το δίκαιο στους μαθητές του. Είναι επίσης προφανές ότι ο Αγιοθεοδωρίτης επεξεργάζεται τους κανόνες δικαίου με ευρηματικότητα καθώς και ότι είναι σε θέση να αναλύει δύσκολες νομικές έννοιες και να χειρίζεται με δεξιότητα το κείμενο των Βασιλικών, κάτι που είχαν ήδη επισημάνει σε δύο σύντομες μελέτες τους δύο κορυφαίοι μελετητές του Ελληνικού δικαίου και επιφανείς Ακαδημαϊκοί, ο Κωνσταντίνος Τριανταφυλλόπουλος και ο Μενέλαος Τουρτόγλου. Η παρούσα μελέτη για τον επετειακό τόμο της Επετηρίδας του Κέντρου της Ιστορίας του Ελληνικού Δικαίου έχει λοιπόν και ένα αφιερωματικό χαρακτήρα και θέλει να τιμήσει το έργο των Δασκάλων της Ακαδημίας Αθηνών αλλά και των νέων ερευνητών που συνεχίζουν την έρευνα της Ιστορίας του Ελληνικού Δικαίου.
The aim of the present study is to focus exclusively on the Basilica scholia of John Xiphilinos: ... more The aim of the present study is to focus exclusively on the Basilica scholia of John Xiphilinos: to collect and record a list of his scholia and to analyse and evaluate specific lengthy scholia of his in detail. Scholia attributed to Xiphilinos have the heading "of the nomophylax". We also encounter scholia under the heading "of Ioannes", and it remains doubtful whether they can also be attributed to Xiphilinos. Based on the evidence some of the scholia with the heading "of Ioannes" are certainly attributed to the antecessor Ioannes Kobidas. Xiphilinos takes into account older legal material including antecessorian writings (Stephanus, Cyril, Theophilus and kata podas translations), as well as works of Athanasius of Emesa and Theodorus of Hermoupolis. Xiphilinos' references to the rheton raise the question whether he had actually consulted manuscripts of the Digest. Arguments are brought in favour of this hypothesis.
Nicaeus belongs to the generation of the ‘new’ Basilica scholiasts. There are eighty-five scholi... more Nicaeus belongs to the generation of the ‘new’ Basilica scholiasts. There are eighty-five scholia linked to his name. Most of his scholia have been preserved in the codex Parisinus graecus 1348, which dates to the thirteenth century. A few scholia have been preserved in the codex Coislinianus graecus 152 (second half of the twelfth century) and the codex Parisinus graecus 1350 (twelfth century). Nicaeus has commented on different books of the Basilica, but the majority of his scholia deal with the law of procedure. The majority of his scholia are brief. Nicaeus has, on the whole, an accurate and unadorned way of explaining the law. After comparing his style with that of another ‘new’ Basilica scholiast, Hagiotheodorites, my impression is that the latter has a more vivid approach to explaining the material and more originality in his thoughts. However, Nicaeus makes a broader use of the legal writings from the time of Justinian than Hagiotheodorites does. Nicaeus uses antecessorian methods, such as thematismoi (hypothetical cases) and often tries to harmonize apparent contradictions. Yet, he is not so keen on the use of the erotapokriseis, the form of a question and an answer, which characterizes the writings of the antecessors. Based on this observation and other internal characteristics of his scholia and a comparison of their style to that of the treatise about mere agreements [Μελέτη περὶ ψιλῶν συμφώνων, or Meditatio de nudis pactis], I conclude -contrary to scholars in the past- that Nicaeus was probably not the author of this treatise.
Niets uit deze uitgave mag worden verveelvoudigd en/of openbaar gemaakt door middel van druk, fot... more Niets uit deze uitgave mag worden verveelvoudigd en/of openbaar gemaakt door middel van druk, fotocopie, microfilm of op welke andere wijze dan ook, zonder voorafgaande schriftelijke toestemming van de uitgever. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, or any other means, without prior written permission from the publisher. NUR 821 ISBN / EAN 978-90-76892-36-8 V
Utrecht Law Review, 2017
In this paper I try to demonstrate how Byzantine law, a subject odd and exotic at first sight pro... more In this paper I try to demonstrate how Byzantine law, a subject odd and exotic at first sight provides a piece of the puzzle that helps us to complete the big picture, the origins of our European legal identity. I refer to some concrete examples of legal interaction between the Byzantine and the Western side of Europe in the tenth, eleventh and twelfth centuries – a period in which the ius commune began to take shape – and explain the method I used step by step, the specific challenges I confronted in the sources and the outcomes of this approach. The comparative legal study of documents of the medieval period at a European level can help us to answer the question whether, long before the making of today's Europe, today's European countries were already connected by common legal forms.
Procesfinanciering door derden staat volop in de belangstelling. Door de eeuwen heen heeft men da... more Procesfinanciering door derden staat volop in de belangstelling. Door de eeuwen heen heeft men daarvoor regels gehad. Uitgangspunt daarbij was een constitutie van de Byzantijnse keizer Anastasius uit het jaar 506. In dit artikel wordt die constitutie besproken, de maatregelen die in het Byzantijnse recht werden getroffen om ontduiking daarvan tegen te gaan en het lot van de regeling in het Nederlandse recht.
This paper attempts to examine some first questions related to the use of Byzantine law in the co... more This paper attempts to examine some first questions related to the use of Byzantine law in the codes that emerged during the 19th century in South-Eastern Europe. It focuses on the introductory acts to the codes of Moldavia (1817) and Wallachia (1818) and an episode related to the involvement of Jeremy Bentham in the drafting of a Greek code during the Greek independence war in the period 1821-1824. The ideological influence of Byzantine law remains evident in these codification activities in South-Eastern Europe.
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Articles by Daphne (Dafni) / Δάφνη Penna / Πέννα
Ιστορίας Δικαίου.
To what extent can the study of Roman and Byzantine law add value to the interpretation and application of current law? Using an example, I will address that question in this article. I will focus on the discussion that has arisen in the Netherlands about group liability (art. 166, book 6 of the Dutch Civil Code). Following Byzantine and Western commentaries on group liability, I will also discuss the relationship between the Byzantine and Western legal traditions and the role Byzantine law can play in the interpretation of the Corpus Iuris Civilis.
https://arsaequi.nl/product/je-was-erbij-dus-je-bent-erbij/.
Dutch abstract:
In hoeverre kan de bestudering van Romeins en Byzantijns recht toegevoegde waarde hebben bij de uitleg en de toepassing van het huidige recht? Aan de hand van een voorbeeld zal ik in deze bijdrage op die vraag ingaan. Ik zal mij daarbij richten op de discussie die in Nederland is ontstaan over groepsaansprakelijkheid (art. 6:166 BW). Naar aanleiding van Byzantijnse en westerse commentaren over groepsaansprakelijkheid zal ik ook ingaan op de verhouding tussen de Byzantijnse en de westerse juridische traditie en de rol die Byzantijns recht kan spelen bij de interpretatie van het Corpus Iuris Civilis.
Hagiotheodorites belongs to the younger generation of the Basilica scholiasts. Nearly two-hundred Basilica scholia have been preserved which contain the name Hagiotheodorites either in their heading or in their text. This article focuses on two characteristic scholia by Hagiotheodorites: the first one is about the condictio furtiva and the second one is about the illegal cutting of trees and its criminal treatment. From the analysis of these two scholia it is obvious that the style of Hagiotheodorites is instructive. Despite the complexity of some of his topics, Hagiotheodorites successfully manages to convey his material to pupils in a pleasant way by using vivid examples and antecessorian methods. Furthermore, he is in a position to analyse difficult legal issues, concepts and he skilfully handles the Basilica, something that was already pointed out in two short studies by the two leading scholars of Greek law and eminent academics, K. Triantaphyllopoulos and M. Tourtoglou. The present article for the lustrum edition of the Yearbook of the Research Centre for the History of Greek Law has therefore a special character and wants to honour the work of the Teachers of the Academy of Athens but also of the younger researchers who continue the research of the History of Greek Law.
Περίληψη
Αντικείμενο της παρούσας μελέτης αποτελεί η ανάλυση σχολίων του Αγιοθεοδωρίτη, νομικού της μέσης βυζαντινής περιόδου στο κείμενο των Βασιλικών. Ο Αγιοθεοδωρίτης ανήκει στους ‘νέους’ σχολιαστές των Βασιλικών και σώζονται περίπου διακόσια σχόλια με το όνομά του. Η μελέτη εστιάζει σε δύο χαρακτηριστικά σχόλια του Αγιοθεοδωρίτη, το πρώτο σχετικά με την απαίτηση λόγω κλοπής (condictio furtiva), το δεύτερο αναφορικά με την παράνομη κοπή δένδρων και την ποινική μεταχείρισή της. Από την ανάλυση των δύο αυτών σχολίων είναι φανερό ότι το ύφος του Αγιοθεοδωρίτη είναι διδακτικό, καθώς ο Βυζαντινός αυτός νομικός χρησιμοποιεί χαρακτηριστικές μεθόδους των αντικηνσόρων και προσπαθεί με γλαφυρό και κατανοητό τρόπο να διδάξει το δίκαιο στους μαθητές του. Είναι επίσης προφανές ότι ο Αγιοθεοδωρίτης επεξεργάζεται τους κανόνες δικαίου με ευρηματικότητα καθώς και ότι είναι σε θέση να αναλύει δύσκολες νομικές έννοιες και να χειρίζεται με δεξιότητα το κείμενο των Βασιλικών, κάτι που είχαν ήδη επισημάνει σε δύο σύντομες μελέτες τους δύο κορυφαίοι μελετητές του Ελληνικού δικαίου και επιφανείς Ακαδημαϊκοί, ο Κωνσταντίνος Τριανταφυλλόπουλος και ο Μενέλαος Τουρτόγλου. Η παρούσα μελέτη για τον επετειακό τόμο της Επετηρίδας του Κέντρου της Ιστορίας του Ελληνικού Δικαίου έχει λοιπόν και ένα αφιερωματικό χαρακτήρα και θέλει να τιμήσει το έργο των Δασκάλων της Ακαδημίας Αθηνών αλλά και των νέων ερευνητών που συνεχίζουν την έρευνα της Ιστορίας του Ελληνικού Δικαίου.