What Indeed Has Rome To Do with Australia?

Roman Law Under the Southern Cross: Sidere Ius Civile Mutato by Arthur R Emmett AO KC

Abstract

This review essay of Arthur Emmett’s Roman Law Under the Southern Cross: Sidere Ius Civile Mutato exhorts Australian lawyers to gain a better understanding of Roman law for one reason: a firm grasp of the classical world allows the ancient Romans to speak to us from the past, offering sage advice for dealing with modern problems to which law must respond. The historical Roman law shows us how we might think about our own law in light of the approaches that the ancient Romans took to problems which arose so long ago, but seem always to be present.