Final answer:
The Roman Republic's written law was called the Twelve Tables, adopted around 450 BCE, revealing Roman society's legal sophistication and the foundation of principles such as the presumption of innocence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The written law of the land in the Roman Republic was known as the Twelve Tables, and it was adopted around 450 BCE. The adoption of the Twelve Tables came as a result of the Struggle of the Orders, where plebeians were concerned that unwritten laws were interpreted unfairly by patrician judges. Thus, the demand was made for laws to be codified and made publicly available to ensure transparency and reduce corruption. The Twelve Tables served as the foundation for later Roman law and influenced modern legal systems, highlighting the Roman commitment to the principle that no one is above the law. Furthermore, the Twelve Tables provided insights into Roman society, indicating a complex legal system that distinguished between private and public law, as well as early concepts of international law.
Roman law, as established by the Twelve Tables, set the precedent for using past judgments to inform future legal decisions. A revolutionary notion of the time, introduced by the Romans, was the presumption of innocence, asserting that a person was innocent until proven guilty, a principle that is a cornerstone in modern jurisprudence. This historic codification of laws helped establish civil rights for citizens and informed the legal structure of the Republic, contributing to the stability and governance of Roman society.