The law school of Beirut was a center for the study of Roman law in
classical antiquity located in Beirut. It flourished under the patronage
of the Roman emperors and functioned as the Roman Empire's preeminent
center of jurisprudence until its destruction in 551 CE. The earliest
written mention of the school dates to 239 CE, when its reputation had
already been established. The school attracted young, affluent Roman
citizens, and its professors made major contributions to the Codex of
Justinian. The school achieved such wide recognition throughout the
Empire that Beirut was known as the "Mother of Laws". Beirut was one of
the few schools allowed to continue teaching jurisprudence when
Byzantine emperor Justinian I (pictured) shut down other provincial law
schools. The school's facilities were destroyed in the aftermath of a
massive earthquake that hit the Phoenician coastline. It was moved to
Sidon but did not survive the Arab conquest of 635 CE. Ancient texts
attest that the school was located next to the ancient Anastasis church,
vestiges of which lie beneath the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral
in Beirut's historic center.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_school_of_Beirut>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1060:
Béla I the Champion was crowned king of Hungary.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9la_I_of_Hungary>
1921:
The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed and then came into force
exactly one year later, establishing the Irish Free State, the first
independent Irish state to be recognised by the British government.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Irish_Treaty>
1953:
Vladimir Nabokov completed his controversial novel Lolita, five
years after starting it.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolita>
1988:
The Australian Capital Territory (flag pictured) was granted
self-government.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Australian_Capital_Territory>
2005:
Members of the People's Armed Police shot and killed several
people in Dongzhou, Guangdong, China, who were protesting government
plans to build a new power plant.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dongzhou_protests>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
Nicholine:
Created by, in the style of, or pertaining to (any of several people
named) Nicholas.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Nicholine>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Vain is the chiming of forgotten bells That the wind sways above
a ruined shrine. Vainer his voice in whom no longer dwells Hunger that
craves immortal Bread and Wine. Light songs we breathe that perish with
our breath Out of our lips that have not kissed the rod. They shall not
live who have not tasted death. They only sing who are struck dumb by
God.
--Joyce Kilmer
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Joyce_Kilmer>