In this episode, host and guest delve into the challenges and fascination of late Roman law and codification. Professor Peter Riedlberger—a leading historian of Late Antiquity at the University of Bamberg and principal investigator of two ERC projects (Acts of the Ecumenical Councils and AntCoCo: Understanding Late Antique Top-Down Communication)—explains how imperial constitutions and codices such as the Codex Theodosianus were produced, transmitted, and interpreted.

Riedlberger discusses his approach that combines philology, legal history, and digital humanities, revealing how Late Antique laws were both normative texts and rhetorical performances meant to convey imperial authority. The conversation touches on the chaotic reality of legislation, the per ...