Short Lecture on the Teaching of Roman Law in the Middle Ages

This lecture offers a concise overview of the teaching of Roman law at medieval universities, with particular focus on the period between 1100 and 1500. Hans Ankum highlights the central role of Bologna in the revival of Roman legal studies, beginning with Irnerius and the Glossators, whose exegetical work laid the foundation for academic jurisprudence in Europe. He traces the development through the Ultramontani of Orléans and the later Italian Post‑Glossators, whose dogmatic and practice‑oriented methods shaped the civilian tradition. Finally, Ankum notes the importance of early Central‑European centres, including Charles University, in the broader intellectual landscape of medieval legal education.