1^0 A. D. 529. 



529 — The incomprebenfible mafs of the innumerable Roman laws 

 was in fome degree methodized, and abridged in twelve books, called 

 the Code of Jtijlinian. The opinions and comments of the moft cele- 

 brated lawyers, contained in two thoufand treatifes, were compreffed in- 

 to fifty, which were called the PandeBs (a''. $33)- Another colledion was 

 made of the Injlitutes of the Roman law. And thefe compilations, 

 fanclioned by the authority and the fignature of the emperor, were or- 

 dained to be the ftandard for all legal proceedings in fucceeding ages. 

 Though a correSied edition of the Code was publifhed foon after by Juf- 

 tinian, and many new and contradidory laws w^re added during his 

 long reign, the colledion of which was called the Novels (a''. 565), his fyf- 

 tem of law has been in a great meafure adopted in the jurifprudencc- 

 of feveral nations of Europe, and has confequently had great influence 

 in the regulation of commercial contrads, and the decifion of commer- 

 cial difputes, long after the total extindion of the empire for which they 

 xvere enaded. 



527-565 — Juftinian delighted much in building; and during his long 

 reign innumerable forts were ereded to proted, or confefs the weak- 

 nefs of, the frontiers. The moft capital of all his edifices was the ca- 

 thedral of Saint Sophia, which remains to this day, a fuperb monument" 

 of the bell tafte of an age, in which all the fine arts were rapidly de- 

 clining. 



Eut the interefl:s of commerce were facrificed to his rage for conquefts 

 and exhaufting wars. He ftationed an officer at the port of Conftantin-. 

 ople, who compelled the commanders of velfels to pay enormous duties, 

 or to commute them by the carriage of cargoes for the emperor to Afri- 

 ca or Italy, which exadions were found fo intolerable, that many vefl^els 

 were adually burnt, or abandoned, by their owners : and thofe merch- 

 ants, who did pay the duties, were obliged to advance the prices of their 

 goods in a proportion, that was ruinous to themfelves and to the con- 

 fumers. His money-changers, inftead of giving 210 foles for the golden 

 ftater, gave only 1 80. And every branch of commerce, except the 

 clothing trades, was fettered and opprefled by monopolies. [P/ocop. 

 Aiiecd. c. 25.] 



The legal rate of intereft was eftablifhed at7?r per cent ; but perfons 

 of rank were not permitted to take more than four ; while eight was al- 

 lowed for the convenience of merchants and manufadurers, and twelve 

 upon the rifle of bottomry. [Pandc6f. L. xxii, ///. 1,2; Cod. L. iv, ///. 



32, 33-] 



The merchants of Egypt were no longer capable of conduding the 



Oriental trade, as their predeceflbrs had done. Their voyages did not 



often extend beyond AduJi or the port of Aden in Arabia Felix. Many 



of them removed their refi'Jence to Aduli, and confequently transferred 



their allegiance to the fovercign of Axuma (or Abyiliuia), and ii fome 



