The mandatory exam in “Roman law and the Civilian Tradition” is a two-hour written exam intended to be taken at the end of your second term. You will be expected to solve private law cases, write legal analyses of excerpts from Roman sources, and answer questions on the history and evolution of Roman law and modern Civil law systems.

The Department of Roman Law and Antique Legal History offers two interactive courses, Case Studies in Roman Property Law and Case Studies in the Roman Law of Obligations Both courses are specifically designed to prepare you for the exam by providing hands-on training in the solution and analysis of Roman law cases. Please register for these courses on USPACE or via the online course directory. While not obligatory, the courses are highly recommended as targeted preparation for what is an extensive and demanding legal examination covering a significant amount of material.

Required readings for Roman Law and the Civilian Tradition:
Benke/Meissel, Roman Law of Property. Origins and Basic Concepts of Civil Law Vol. I (translated by Caterina Maria Grasl) Manz 2019
Benke/Meissel, Roman Law of Obligations. Origins and Basic Concepts of Civil Law Vol. II (translated by Caterina Maria Grasl) Manz 2021

To obtain a basic knowledge of Roman legal history and the history of the Civil Law Tradition, we recommend:
Gstach, A Short History of Roman Law or Hausmaninger, The Civil Law Tradition in: Hausmaninger, The Austrian Legal System, 4th ed., 269-292.

Registration for the exam is possible on USPACE or via the online course directory.