The science of law is autonomous but not independent. It cannot live isolated from politics and culture. Law is part of a social structure, of tradition, of a collective human project. Law is a branch of politics in the noblest sense. Legal institutions, concepts, and ideas are so often a natural consequence of political ideals and values. Political revolutions many times involve legal revolutions. Therefore, to help the reader understand Roman law in context, what follows is a brief summary of the most significant aspects of ancient Rome’s unwritten political constitution from the foundation of Rome in 753 BCE until the death of Emperor Justinian in 565 CE.