Henry Sumner Maine
Ancient Law is a book written by Henry Sumner Maine in the 19th century. It is a comprehensive study of the legal systems of ancient societies, including those of Greece, Rome, and India. The book explores the evolution of legal systems from primitive societies to modern times, and examines the role of law in shaping social and political structures. Maine argues that ancient law was based on custom and tradition, rather than on rational principles, and that it played a fundamental role in the development of civilization. The book is divided into two parts, the first of which focuses on the legal systems of ancient societies, while the second explores the impact of ancient law on modern legal systems. Maine’s work has had a significant influence on the study of legal history and anthropology, and remains a classic text in the field.It will be inferred from what has been said that the theory which transformed the Roman jurisprudence had no claim to philosophical precision. It involved, in fact, one of those ''mixed modes of thought'' which are now acknowledged to have characterised all but the highest minds during the infancy of speculation, and which are far from undiscoverable even in the mental efforts of our own day.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world’s literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.