Courtroom Friezes

Question 1

Menes

Answer 1

First King of the first dynasty of ancient Egypt. Unified upper and lower Egypt under his rule. One of the earliest recorded lawgivers,

Question 2

Hammurabi

Answer 2

King of Babylon; founded Babylonian Empire. Known for Code of Hammurabi, one of the earliest legal codes.

Question 3

Moses

Answer 3

Prophet, lawgiver, judge of the Israelites. Mosaic Law is based on the Torah, the first 5 books of the Old Testament.

Question 4

Solomon

Answer 4

King of Israel and renowned judge. His name, meaning “figure of the wise man”, has become synonymous with “judicial wisdom”.

Question 5

Lycurgus

Answer 5

Legislator of Sparta. Credited with being one of the reformers of Sparta’s constitution.

Question 6

Solon

Answer 6

Athenian lawgiver. Appointed archon, an officer of state, and was charged with remodeling the Athenian constitution in 594 B.C.

Question 7

Draco

Answer 7

One of Solon’s legal predecessors in Athens. Around 620 B.C., he commited an Athenian code of laws to paper for the first time. “Draconian”, meaning harsh or cruel, is derived from his name.

Question 8

Confucious

Answer 8

Chinese philosopher whose teachings stressed harmony, learning, and virtue.

Question 9

Octavian

Answer 9

Augustus. 1st Emperor of Roman empire. Brought widespread reforms to many facets of Roman life.

Question 10

Justinian

Answer 10

Byzantine Emperor from 527 till death. Ordered codification of Roman Law and published Corpus Juris Civilis. Thsi work became known as Justinian Code.

Question 11

Muhammad

Answer 11

Prophet of Islam. Teachings explain and implement Qur’anic principles.

Question 12

Charlemagne

Answer 12

Charles I (the Great). King of the Franks and Roman Empire. Avid student who became an eloquent speaker of several languages. Supported learning and literature throughout his realm.

Question 13

King John

Answer 13

born John Lackland. King of England from 1199 to death. His policies and taxation caused his barons to force him to have his seal affixed to the Magna Carta.

Question 14

Louis IX

Answer 14

King of France. Canonized as St. Louis in 1297. Led the 7th and 8th Crusades.

Question 15

Hugu Grotius

Answer 15

Huig de Groot. Dutch scholar, lawyer, statesman. Wrote “Concerning the Law of War and Peace”, one of the first books on international law, in 1625.

Question 16

Sir William Blackstone

Answer 16

English law professor and jurist. Wrote Commentaries on the Law of England (1765- 1769), which has had a major influence on English and American Law.

Question 17

John Marshall

Answer 17

4th Chief Justice of the U.S. His 1803 opinion in Marbury v. Madison stated that the Supreme Court of the United States had the authority to determine the constitutionality of a law, establishing the power of judicial review for the Court

Question 18

Napoleon

Answer 18

Emperor of France from 1804 to 1815. He ordered and directed the recodification of French Law into what became known as the Code Napoleon or Civil Code.