Reflections on Legal History of Romania and a Comparison to Greek Family Law

This paper presents reflections of the laws of Romania and a comparison of family law of Romania to Ancient Greek family law. Roman law has left a profound and enduring legacy on the legal system of Romania. The introduction of Roman law in the region began with the Roman conquest of Dacia in 106 AD under Emperor Trajan. This marked the beginning of a period of significant Romanization, during which Roman legal principles, institutions, and practices were extensively implemented. Later, the influence of Byzantine law on Romania is a critical chapter in the nation's legal history, reflecting the cultural and political interactions between the Byzantine Empire and the Romanian principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia. Byzantine law began to permeate the region following the withdrawal of Roman forces from Dacia in 271 AD and continued to shape Romanian legal traditions through the Middle Ages. Further, the Ottoman Empire's dominion over these principalities from the 15th to the 19th centuries introduced a complex interplay between local traditions and Ottoman legal principles. Lastly, family law in Greece from Roman times to the Ottoman era shares several parallels with the evolution of similar laws in Romania, reflecting the broader legal and cultural influences of the region.