An Early Roman Law Dictionary
Antonio Agustin. De legibus et senatusconsultis liber: cum notis Fulvii Ursini,
multo quam antea emendatius, additis etiam locorum
quorundam notis. Cum duobus Indicibus locupletissimis. Lyons:
Apud Franciscum Fabrum, 1592.
25 cm. Contemporary limp vellum.
First published in 1583, De Legibus is a dictionary of Roman law with an emphasis on legislation.
Agustin was a Spanish cleric and jurist, and ultimately Archbishop of Tarragona. He was a leading member of the group of antiquarians in mid-sixteenth century Rome studying ancient Roman institutions. Agustin is considered a pioneer in the historical research of the sources of canon law. His manuscript studies on the Pandects are still influential today. This is the third edition of the work – the final edition emerged in 1694. It is likely that he wrote this work (as did the authors of so many other dictionaries from the same period) for personal reference. Here we see lexicography as a tool for understanding both law and legal history.