This book attempts a concise presentation, through a combination of historical and systematic approaches, of the essential elements of Roman Law that are part of our legal tradition.

Beyond Civil Law, which is the primary field of application of ius civile, no branch of contemporary law has remained unaffected by Roman Law. Modern procedural law adopts similar legal remedies, lawsuits, objections, and precautionary measures as those developed by the Praetors of Rome.

International Law draws its origins from the Romans' perceptions of natural law and ius gentium. At its core lies the Roman notion that law must serve as a tool to enable coexistence among different peoples, a bond of unity, reconciliation of views, and compromise of opposing interests.

In the field of Public Law, the institutions of Rome have continuously fed political thought and functioned as a model for similar modern institutions, from monarchies to contemporary systems of democratic governance in Europe and the USA.

Above all, beyond their contribution to the individual branches of law, Roman jurists elevated the very concept of law from a system of imposed legal rules to a system of legal concepts, creating a common legal "language" with timeless character that continues to be spoken today among legal professionals across the globe.

For the modern lawyer, studying the Roman legal tradition not only serves as an introduction to the foundations of contemporary law but also reconnects them with the most significant legal culture humanity has known, which continues to nourish legal development to this day.