During the 15th century the Digest has been subjected to previously unparalleled historical and philological scrutiny: humanists analyzed and appraised it not just in an exclusively juridical context, they also managed to grasp its...
moreDuring the 15th century the Digest has been subjected to previously unparalleled historical and philological scrutiny: humanists analyzed and appraised it not just in an exclusively juridical context, they also managed to grasp its literary value and exploit its linguistic significance for a restoration of the Latin language. A case in point is Maffeo Vegio’s anthology published under the title De verborum significatione in iure, which had a good diffusion in manuscripts, but whose effective use by the humanists of Vegio’s generation has to date never been docu- mented. The preparation of a critical edition of Biondo Flavio’s Roma instau- rata for the Edizione Nazionale delle Opere di Biondo Flavio has brought to the fore remarkable evidence in this respect. First of all, Biondo’s use of Vegio’s work provides new evidence for the reconstruction of Biondo’s personal library; secondly, it sheds new light on his links with the antischolastic culture of his age and his personal and intellectual connections with scholars such as Maffeo Vegio and Lorenzo Valla; thirdly, it helps clarify Biondo’s scholarly methodology, and helps the editor in the constitutio textus of the Roma instaurata.
