The Twelve Tables that redefined the legal system of ancient Rome were written in the year 451 B.C. and underwent continuous amendments until the year 450. It is the first attempt by the Romans to create a codified legal system. Before the Twelve Tables were written, there was a major struggle for the protection of the common underprivileged people in the society and there were gross violations of civil rights. The common people in Roman society were known as the plebeians and the privileged classes were known as the patricians. The patricians exploited the plebeians.
The contents of each of the twelve tables are mentioned as follows: Procedure for courts and trials in Table I, Trials continued in Table II, debt in Table III, the rights of fathers (known as paterfamilias) over the family in Table IV, legal guardianship and inheritance laws in Table V, acquisition and possession in Table VI, land rights in Table VII, torts and delicts (laws of injury) in Table VIII, public law in Table IX, sacred law in Table X, Supplement I in Table XI and Supplement II in Table XII.
The contents of each of the twelve tables are mentioned as follows: Procedure for courts and trials in Table I, Trials continued in Table II, debt in Table III, the rights of fathers (known as paterfamilias) over the family in Table IV, legal guardianship and inheritance laws in Table V, acquisition and possession in Table VI, land rights in Table VII, torts and delicts (laws of injury) in Table VIII, public law in Table IX, sacred law in Table X, Supplement I in Table XI and Supplement II in Table XII.
