History:Basilique

The Basilique (commonly referred to in English historiography as the Basilika or Basilics; Greek: Βασιλικά) is a major codification of Byzantine law, completed in the late 9th century under the direction of Emperor Leo VI the Wise. This monumental 60-book legal body served as the comprehensive revision and update of the earlier Justinian Code (Corpus Juris Civilis).

History and Background

The project was originally conceived and initiated by Emperor Basil I the Macedonian as part of his effort to purge and update obsolete laws. However, the work was finalized, promulgated, and published by his successor, Leo VI the Wise, around 892 AD.

Unlike the original Justinian laws which were heavily compiled in Latin, the Basilique was written entirely in Greek. This shift was necessary because Latin had long ceased to be understood by the vast majority of the Byzantine population, jurists, and administrators.

Structure and Content

The Basilique systematically consolidated the four parts of Justinian's law into a single unified text, arranged by subject matter. It consists of 60 books, divided into titles, chapters, and paragraphs.

The collection is particularly famous for its accompanying scholia—extensive commentary, footnotes, and interpretations written by 6th and 7th-century legal scholars that were placed alongside the law texts to clarify judicial applications.

Historical Significance

The Basilique remained the primary source of civil and public law throughout the middle and late Byzantine eras. Its influence outlived the fall of Constantinople in 1453; it continued to guide the legal affairs of Orthodox Christians under Ottoman rule. Furthermore, following the Greek War of Independence, the Basilique served as the statutory basis for the civil law of the newly established modern Greek state until the introduction of the modern Greek Civil Code.

References

• Freshfield, Edwin (1928). A Manual of Eastern Roman Law: The Procheiron of those Emperors Basil, Leo and Alexander. Cambridge University Press.
• Ostrogorsky, George (1969). History of the Byzantine State. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 978-0-8135-1198-6.
• Troianos, Spyros (2012). The Sources of Byzantine Law. Society for Byzantine Studies.