Eustathios Rhomaios: Judge and Jurist of the Byzantine Empire

"Eustathios Rhomaios was a prominent Byzantine judge and jurist during the late-10th and early- to mid-11th century. He studied Roman Law and began his career under Basil II (reign 976 to 1025) and became the chief judge during the mid-1020s. His legal decisions, collected and compiled into a document called the Peira ('Experience') by a younger colleague of his, were not only celebrated during his own lifetime but also hailed in later ages as 'the most elegant and valued.'"

"We do not know Eustathios' family name, because the name Rhomaios could either mean the 'inhabitant of Rome', in this case the New Rome Constantinople, or refer to someone familiar with Italian wisdom, which was what the Byzantines called the Roman law in his case. So Eustathios could have been a native of Constantinople or gained the name later in his life because of his expertise in Roman law."

"Perhaps like most of the future elites intending to enter into imperial service, Eustathios Rhomaios received a comprehensive primary education ( enkyklios paideia) at a young age. Then he most likely learned law from a private tutoring school that taught law as one of the advanced subjects, among which were literature, philosophy and theology. Rhomaios no doubt focused his attention on law, but he also obtained a knowledge of classical rhetoric that he put to good use: we find references to Homer, Plato, Aris"

Eustathios Rhomaios emerged as a prominent Byzantine judge and jurist in the late tenth to mid-eleventh century. He studied Roman law and advanced through imperial service under Basil II, becoming chief judge in the mid-1020s. His legal decisions were compiled into the Peira by a younger colleague and gained celebrated status. He came from a family of lawyers and likely belonged to the emerging middling class rather than the aristocracy. He received enkyklios paideia, trained in law at a private tutoring school, and applied classical rhetoric in his practice. He advocated compassionate judgment and discretionary adjudication, leaving an impressive career record.

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