Diplomatic law in Ancient Rome

This article focuses on the results of the authors’ research conducted on primary sources of Roman law, with the aim to examine and evaluate the legal framework of the beginnings of diplomatic norms in the civilisation of Ancient Rome. This article discusses the historical and legal aspects of regulation of ambassador’s status, legal practices regarding ambassadors of special task fetiales and procedure for declaration of war and the role of fetiales in concluding international agreements. The authors have conducted the research and analysis of the information contained in the so-called Justinian’s codifications, also known as ‘Corpus Iuris Civilis’, specifically the ‘Codex Iustinianus’ (Code of Justinian, 534 AD) and ‘Digesta seu Pandectae’ (Digest or Pandects, 533 AD), as well as in the ‘Gaius Institutiones’ (Institutes of Gaius, c. 161 AD) and in the opus ‘Ab Urbe Condita’ (From the Foundation of the City, c. 27–9 BC) of Roman historian Titus Livius (64/59 AD–12/17 AD). The research employs the inductive, deductive and comparative methods. Keywords: Ancient Rome; diplomacy; Roman law.