Byzantine legal system

The Byzantine legal system was a sophisticated framework rooted in Roman law, primarily governed by the Justinian Code established in 529 AD. It combined imperial authority with detailed legal principles, focusing on consistency, centralized control, and adaptability. Courts were staffed with professional jurists who interpreted and applied laws to individual cases, balancing imperial decrees with legal traditions. The system emphasized written laws, legal scholarship, and procedural fairness, influencing both medieval and modern legal concepts. Overall, it was a complex, well-structured legal environment that maintained stability and order within the Byzantine Empire.