The family in the late Roman world
Andrea Giardina
Before Constantine, no Roman emperor, not even Augustus, had displayed such a strong ambition to reshape family legislation and initiate thereby an extensive project of moral reconstruction: pudor tutus, munita coniugia was how panegyrist pithily expressed it as early 321. In some respects, Constantinian merely brought completion tendencies that been operative for time; in others, more innovative. On the whole, aimed at asserting principles rigour, order temperance relationships. Often revealed somewhat darker side, betraying both acute perception ill-concealed pessimism, alongside wishful imperatives we also find realistic laws concerning concrete situations. The frequency variety these measures testify importance political policy on issues.
Cambridge University Press eBooks