The laws in the decline of the Empire: Augustine about Roman Law

Abstract

The following article aims to investigate the role played by Roman law in the decline of the Roman Empire, in the vision of Augustine of Hippo. At first, we will make brief remarks about the causes of the decay of the Roman world. In a second step, we will discuss the association, made ​​by many intellectuals since ancient times, between the decline of the Empire and the rise of Christianity. That debate led to the City of God. In a third step, we discuss the representation that Augustine makes of Roman law in the City of God.