Augustine of Hippo’s Confessions Society and Law in the fourth century AD

Abstract

The Later Roman Empire is one of the most exciting periods in the history of the ancient world, given that many of the juridical and social institutions still in force; therefore, their study is important as a way to better understand some of the problems that still arise in our modern societies. Along with the legal sources, in many cases fragmentary and suspicious of later reelaboration, it can be very useful to use literary sources. Thus, Augustine of Hippo’s Confessions constitute a valuable source in knowing how many of the issues that were subject to regulation and legislative modification in the late fourth century AD were perceived in the everyday reality.