The most outstanding intellectual contribution of Romans was the formation of a body of laws. Their laws have made a profound impact on almost all the civilized nations of the world today. It was largely their system of law and administration that enabled the Romans to maintain order over a vast Empire which the Greeks were unable to do. Laws encouraged travel and boosted trade. English words like Taw’, ‘legal’, ‘legislation’, ‘Justice’, ‘equality’ and ‘judge’, have all been derived from Latin. Much of the early laws were interpreted by priests. The first written code came in the form of Twelve Tables in 150 BCE. In order to keep abreast of changing economic conditions, the commercial transactions were legalised and all were equal before law.

Roman law can be divided into two parts.

1. The Jus-civil law, which applied only to Roman citizens. 

2. Jus Gentium, originally applying to foreigners in Rome and to others within Roman lands, codified by the great Roman Emperor Justinian. Rome saw a series of legal reforms and the creation of principles of legal science. Practically all the later legal systems-from the common law of England to the Napoleonic code owed much to the Roman legal systems.