Punishment for violent crimes: aggression and violence in the early Germanic law codes
Author(s)
Advisor
Date
2017-09Publisher
Bilkent University
Language
English
Type
ThesisItem Usage Stats
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Abstract
Germanic law codes, which are also known as leges barbarorum, date to between the
5th and 11th centuries. The leges were highly influenced by external legislative
regulations and can be basically defined as a combination of Roman law, Germanic
tribal laws and canon law. This thesis attempts to examine punishment for aggression
and violent crimes in the early Germanic law codes. Violent crimes against another
person such as murder, homicide, bodily harm, injury, abduction and rape in the
leges barbarorum are analysed in a historical context and punishments for such
felonies are investigated in a detailed manner. Specifically, certain issues became
apparent due to various social, ethnic and sexual backgrounds of the barbarian people
who were subjected to the leges barbarorum. Such matters are discussed in detail by
going through each and every article that deals with the punishments for violent
crimes. The other purpose of the thesis is to perceive the transformation and
adaptation of the Germanic peoples to the new legal systems and to conceive the
legal transition process of these newly established political entities using violent
crimes base. Main discourse of the research project consists of different kind of
studies and investigations as it comes into existence under the distinctive topics. In
other words, primary goal of the project is not only to understand the compensation
for aggression and violence in the barbarian leges, but also to analyse the differences
between the leges barbarorum of the early Germanic societies in the cases of violent
crimes and punishment.