Ancient Athenian Maritime Courts

ISBN: 9780691618944 出版年：2015 页码：245 Princeton University Press

Athenian power and prosperity in the fourth century b.C. Was based largely on commerce. The complex litigation arising from commercial activities was heard in special maritime courts, dikai emporikai, the subject of this monograph. Using both ancient and secondary sources, edward e. Cohen has pieced together the evolution of these courts and has explored their procedure and jurisdiction. He successfully treats the much-discussed problem of why they were termed "monthly," and makes it clear that "supranationality" was a feature of all hellenic maritime law. He shows conclusively that their jurisdiction was limited ratione rerum, not ratione personarum, because a legally defined "commercial class" did not exist in athens at this time. Classicists and lawyers alike will find this a fascinating study.