Roman Law: An Historical Introduction - Paperbackby Wolff Hans Julius (Author) One of the great and lasting influences on the course of Western culture, Roman law occupies a unique place in the history of the civilized world. Originally the law of a small rural community, then of a powerful city state, it became the law of an empire which embraced almost all of the known civilized world. The influence of Roman law extends into modern times and is reflected in the great codifications of private law