The Romans developed a complex legal system that has influenced and served as the foundation, directly or indirectly, of many legal systems around the world. They established the principle whereby legal experts (Jurists) would interpret and reinterpret the proper application of laws. Included in Roman law was the basic mechanism for one individual to sue another for damages. This type of lawsuit was called "delict," based on a law called the lex Aquilia, and is similar to American torts. Surviving legal writings include fictional cases that jurists use to illustrate legal principles. These sample cases provide a glimpse of the common events and disputes of people in the Roman world. Many disputes, for example, involve people who rent work animals, much as someone today might rent a car or equipment. One famous case asks how to award damages...