La législation statutaire des communes italiennes

This study explores the communal statutes (statuti comunali) of Italian cities (11th-14th centuries), crucial legislative texts that emerged alongside urban autonomy. It details their development from custom to codified written law, establishing legal frameworks for governance, societal norms, and public order. Drafted by legal experts (statutari), statutes consolidated local regulations and reflected political agreements. Jurists debated the legitimacy of communal legislative power (potestas statuendi), developing theories based on permission, jurisdiction, or self-governance. These adaptable statutes were fundamental to medieval Italian legal culture, balancing local needs with broader legal traditions.