Leges Visigothorum
1. Introduction
Codex Euricianus
Codex Euricianus is an artificial term for a codification for use in the Visigothic kingdom of Toulouse. Only the titles 274 to 336 have survived fragmentarily in a single codex, the palimpsest Paris Lat. 12161. Other parts of the text can be reconstructed via its reception in the Lex Baiuvariorum and the Lex Visigothorum. The attribution of the text to the Visigothic king Euric (466-484) is widely accepted. His successor Alaric II. (484-507) was suggested as originator by Hermann Nehlsen. Contentwise the Codex is a very concise and valuable redaction of Roman law, which was supposed to comprise all spheres of legal affairs.
Lex Visigothorum
Based on the Codex Euricianus the Visigothic king Leovigild (569-586) draw up a new codification for his recently consolidated kingdom. His successors extended the text, so that a revised version came into being in the mid 7th century. This redraft with the original title Liber iudiciorum forms the basis of the surviving manuscripts. It was divided into 12 books and presumably dates back to the time of King Reccesvinths (653-672). Further enhancements were made by the kings Ervig (680-687) and Egica (687-702). The codification continued to have an impact even after the end of the Visigothic kingdom in 711.
2. Edition
Karl Zeumer (Ed.), Leges Visigothorum (MGH LL nat. Germ. I 1), Hannover / Leipzig 1902.
3. Reading recommendations (2000 onwards)
Codex Euricianus
- Jill Harries, Not the Theodosian Code. Euric’s Law and Late Fifth-Century Gaul, in: Ralph Mathisen / Danuta Shanzer (Eds.), Society and culture in late antique Gaul: revisiting the sources, Aldershot 2001, 39-51.
- Isabella Fastrich-Sutty, Die Rezeption des Westgotischen Rechts in der Lex Baiuvariorum. Eine Studie zur Bearbeitung von Rechtstexten im frühen Mittelalter (Erlanger juristische Abhandlungen 51), Cologne et al. 2001.
- Detlef Liebs, Römische Jurisprudenz in Gallien (2. bis 8. Jahrhundert) (Freiburger Rechtsgeschichtliche Abhandlungen, N.F. 38), Berlin 2002, S. 157-163.
- Manuel Koch, Ethnische Identität im Entstehungsprozess des spanischen Westgotenreiches (Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde, Erg.-Bd. 75), Berlin 2012, S. 59-71.
Lex Visigothorum
- Isabella Fastrich-Sutty, Die Rezeption des Westgotischen Rechts in der Lex Baiuvariorum. Eine Studie zur Bearbeitung von Rechtstexten im frühen Mittelalter (Erlanger juristische Abhandlungen 51), Cologne et al. 2001.
- Olga Marlasca Martínez, Quelques points de droit commercial et maritime dans la lex Visigothorum, in: Revue internationale des droits de l’antiquité Ser. 3, 48 (2001), 213-236.
- Carlos Petit, Iustitia Gothica. Historia social y teologia del proceso en la Lex Visigothorum, Huelva 2001.
- Esperanza Osaba García, Influenza delle leggi costantiniane nella ‘Lex Visigothorum’, in: Diritto e Storia 2 (2003).
- Alain Dubreucq, Le mariage dans la loi des Wisigoths, in: Martin Aurell / Thomas Deswarte (Eds.), Famille, violence et christianisation au Moyen âge: mélanges offerts à Michel Rouche (Cultures et civilisations médiévales 31), Paris 2005, 29-56.
- Esperanza Osaba García, Deudores y derecho de asilo en la lex Visigothorum, in: Revue internationale des droits de l’antiquité Ser. 3, 53 (2006), 299-322.
- Henar Gallego Franco, Fronteras de la maternidad en la “Lex Visigothorum”, in: Hispania antiqua 32 (2008), 299-312.
- Andreas Kimmelmann, Die Folter im Beweisverfahren der Leges Visigothorum: Chindasvinths Gesetzgebung im Spiegel der westgotischen Rechtsentwicklung (Rechtshistorische Reihe 409), Frankfurt 2010.
- Céline Martin, Le Liber Iudiciorum et ses différentes versions, in: Mélanges de la Casa Vélazquez 41/2 (2011), S. 17-34.
- The Visigoths in Gaul and Iberia. A supplemental bibliography (The medieval and early modern Iberian world), Leiden / Boston 1988ff.
- Michael J. Kelly, Isidore of Seville and the Liber Iudiciorum. The Struggle for the Past in the Visigothic Kingdom (The Medieval and Early Modern Iberian World 80), Leiden / Boston 2021.
4. Further resources
5. Manuscripts [41]
- Barcelona, Arxiu de la Corona d’Aragó, Ripoll 46
- Barcelona, Biblioteca de Catalunya, 944
- Copenhagen, Det Arnamagnaeanske Institut, Københavns Universitet, AM 805 4°
- Copenhagen, Kongelige Bibliotek, Thott 327
- El Escorial, Biblioteca Monasterio, a. IV. 8
- El Escorial, Real Biblioteca de San Lorenzo, D. I. 1
- El Escorial, Real Biblioteca de San Lorenzo, D. I. 2
- El Escorial, Real Biblioteca de San Lorenzo, K. II. 10
- El Escorial, Real Biblioteca de San Lorenzo, K. oder Z. II. 2
- El Escorial, Real Biblioteca de San Lorenzo, M. III. 2
- El Escorial, Real Biblioteca de San Lorenzo, S. II. 21
- El Escorial, Real Biblioteca de San Lorenzo, V. II. 15
- Klagenfurt, Kärntner Landesarchiv, Gv-Hs. 10/2/2
- London, British Library, Add. 33610
- London, British Library, Add. 47676
- London, British Library, Add. 49365
- Madrid, Biblioteca de la Universidad, 89
- Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional, 772
- Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional, 10064
- Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional, 12909
- Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional, Vitrina 14.5 mit eingebundenem Blatt s.n.
- Madrid, Biblioteca Real Academia de la Historia, 34
- Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Lat. 4418
- Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Lat. 4667
- Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Lat. 4668
- Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Lat. 4669
- Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Lat. 4670
- Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Lat. 4792
- Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Lat. 12161
- Porto, Biblioteca Publica Municipal, ms. 87
- Ripoll, Arxiu Comarcal del Ripollès, s.n.
- Rome, Biblioteca Casatanense, 2010
- Rome, Biblioteca Vallicelliana, B. 32
- Stockholm, Skoklostersamligen, 1, E 8641
- Strasbourg, Archives départementales du Bas-Rhin, 151 J 50
- Toledo, Archivo y Biblioteca Capitular, 43-46
- Toledo, Archivo y Biblioteca Capitular, 43-47
- Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Reg. Lat. 1024
- Vic, Arxiu i Biblioteca Episcopal, frag. XV/3
- Vic, Arxiu i Biblioteca Episcopal, dipòsit MSG, s.n.
- Zaragoza, Biblioteca de la Universidad, ms. 225
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