Final answer:
The Code of Justinian is significant because it consolidated and codified Roman law, linking the Byzantine Empire to its Roman heritage and influencing many modern legal systems.Option 4 is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The significance of Emperor Justinian's law code, known as the Code of Justinian, lies in its role as a foundational text for modern legal systems. Contrary to being an original document with unprecedented laws, as suggested by the third option, the Corpus Juris Civilis was a comprehensive collection and refinement of existing Roman laws. Justinian's codification project involved legal experts who systematically reviewed Roman law, removing inconsistencies and compiling the codes, digests, and institutes into a coherent structure.
This codification had several key goals and outcomes: ensuring religious uniformity, consolidating Roman unity, and reviving the authority of Roman law. Interestingly, despite the Byzantine Empire's increasing use of Greek, the code maintained the use of Latin, linking the empire to its Roman past. Moreover, the Code of Justinian also had far-reaching influence, as it preserved and transmitted Roman legal principles that have since provided a basis for many legal systems around the world today—making Option 4 the correct answer to the significance of Justinian's legal work.