The book provides students with an exposition of Roman civil law and procedure, setting the law in the context of the history of Rome and keeping the use of Latin phrases to a minimum. A major feature of the book is the use of texts from the ultimate source of Roman law, the ""Digest of Justinian"". The texts serve to illustrate the law and to make it more vivid for the reader. Emphasis is placed on the influence of Roman law on the modern world and more extensive reference to the fruits of Roman law scholarship.