The influence of the reception of roman-byzantine law on the formation of the legal culture of Rus: a case study of the Church Statute of Prince Volodymyr

This article is dedicated to unveiling the mechanisms of reception and transformation of Roman– Byzantine legal norms into the system of Old Rus law, which became the foundation for the further development of the region’s legal culture. The results obtained hold significant scientific and practical importance for a deeper understanding of the evolution of state–church relations. The aim of the study is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms of reception of Roman–Byzantine law in the Statute of Prince Volodymyr and to determine the specifics of adapting the borrowed norms to the socio-legal conditions of Old Rus society. The objectives of the research include identifying the main elements of Roman–Byzantine law incorporated into the text of the Statute, analyzing the transformation of these norms in light of local traditions, assessing their impact on the division of jurisdiction between ecclesiastical and secular authorities, and determining the practical significance of integrating Byzantine legal models into the Old Rus legal system. The findings indicate that the reception of Roman–Byzantine law was carried out on the principle of selective borrowing followed by adaptation to the specific conditions of Old Rus society. It has been established that the Statute contains both direct elements from the Nomocanon and other Byzantine compilations as well as significantly reworked norms of Roman–Byzantine origin. Through the analysis of the articles regarding the delineation of secular and church jurisdictions, the regulation of family and inheritance relations, and the control over commercial measures, the author was able to identify the patterns in which elements of the Byzantine legal tradition were integrated into the Old Rus legal framework. The study concludes that the reception of Roman–Byzantine law in the Statute of Prince Volodymyr played a crucial role in the formation of the legal culture of Rus. The adaptation of the borrowed norms contributed to establishing clear boundaries between governing institutions, ensuring the effective functioning of both church and secular jurisdictions, and opens up prospects for further analysis of the impact of Roman–Byzantine law on the state–legal development of Rus.