<P> Germanic law was codified in writing under the influence of Roman law ; previously it was held in the memory of designated individuals who acted as judges in confrontations and meted out justice according to customary rote , based on careful memorization of precedent . Among the Franks they were called rachimburgs . `` Living libraries , they were law incarnate , unpredictable and terrifying . '' When justice is oral , the judicial act is personal and subjective . Power , whose origins were at once said to be magical , divine and military was , according to Michel Rouche , exercised jointly by the `` throne - worthy '' elected king and his free warrior companions . Oral law sufficed as long as the warband was not settled in one place . Germanic law made no provisions for the public welfare , the res publica of Romans . </P>
<P> Germanic law was codified in writing under the influence of Roman law ; previously it was held in the memory of designated individuals who acted as judges in confrontations and meted out justice according to customary rote , based on careful memorization of precedent . Among the Franks they were called rachimburgs . `` Living libraries , they were law incarnate , unpredictable and terrifying . '' When justice is oral , the judicial act is personal and subjective . Power , whose origins were at once said to be magical , divine and military was , according to Michel Rouche , exercised jointly by the `` throne - worthy '' elected king and his free warrior companions . Oral law sufficed as long as the warband was not settled in one place . Germanic law made no provisions for the public welfare , the res publica of Romans . </P>
who had the primary responsibility of seeking justice in early germanic society
who had the primary responsibility of seeking justice in early germanic society
rachimburgs
rachimburgs