Legal Definitions - Novellae Constitutiones

Novellae Constitutiones, also known as Novels, is a collection of 168 constitutions issued by the Roman emperor Justinian and his immediate successors. These constitutions were added to the Corpus Juris Civilis, which is a collection of Roman laws.

The Novels were created to address new legal issues that arose after the original Corpus Juris Civilis was compiled. They cover a wide range of topics, including marriage, property rights, and criminal law.

For example, one of the Novels deals with the punishment for adultery. It states that both the man and woman involved in the affair should be punished, rather than just the woman as was previously the case.

Another example is a Novel that granted women the right to inherit property from their parents, even if they had brothers.

Overall, the Novels provide insight into the changing legal landscape of the Roman Empire and the efforts of its rulers to adapt to new circumstances.