Stipulatio (Verbal Contract) in Roman Law

Elvan Sütken

Article Details

Stipulatio (Verbal Contract) in Roman Law

Authors:

Elvan Sütken

Publisher:

Anadolu University

Main Topics:

Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal:

Anadolu Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.203-229

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

2/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001341322

pISSN:

2687-394X

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Contracts examined within the scope of Roman Law of Obligations contractus were legal transactions that established a debt relationship with the agreement of the parties declarations of intent consensus and the fulfillment of formal conditions. In Roman law, only certain types of contracts were included and allowed to be sued actio. While no formal requirement was required for consensual contracts consensu contrahitur and contracts in rem re contrahitur, formal requirement was required both for verbal contracts verbis contrahitur and written contracts litteris contrahitur. In the Classical Period in Rome, the most important formal contract was the stipulatio, which was made verbally in the form of questions and answers. From Roman Law to today, the subject of form in legal transactions has been important. Form is the external pattern such as words or written signs that people use to declare their will. Roman jurists thought that form was the oldest norm. Legal transactions were carried out with ceremonies and verbal forms which dont exist today. Ius Civile included regulations strictly adhering to the rules of form. But Ius Gentium consisted of flexible rules. Contrary to Rome, verbal form is an exceptional condition of validity in legal transactions today. In this study; the place, importance, method of formation, field of application and types of stipulatio, which is the cornerstone of the contract system in Roman Law and has the usage area of written contracts in todays law, are analysed.

 Contracts examined within the scope of Roman Law of Obligations contractus were legal transactions that established a debt relationship with the agreement of the parties declarations of intent consensus and the fulfillment of formal conditions. In Roman law, only certain types of contracts were included and allowed to be sued actio. While no formal requirement was required for consensual contracts consensu contrahitur and contracts in rem re contrahitur, formal requirement was required both for verbal contracts verbis contrahitur and written contracts litteris contrahitur. In the Classical Period in Rome, the most important formal contract was the stipulatio, which was made verbally in the form of questions and answers. From Roman Law to today, the subject of form in legal transactions has been important. Form is the external pattern such as words or written signs that people use to declare their will. Roman jurists thought that form was the oldest norm. Legal transactions were carried out with ceremonies and verbal forms which dont exist today. Ius Civile included regulations strictly adhering to the rules of form. But Ius Gentium consisted of flexible rules. Contrary to Rome, verbal form is an exceptional condition of validity in legal transactions today. In this study; the place, importance, method of formation, field of application and types of stipulatio, which is the cornerstone of the contract system in Roman Law and has the usage area of written contracts in todays law, are analysed.

 Contracts examined within the scope of Roman Law of Obligations contractus were legal transactions that established a debt relationship with the agreement of the parties declarations of intent consensus and the fulfillment of formal conditions. In Roman law, only certain types of contracts were included and allowed to be sued actio. While no formal requirement was required for consensual contracts consensu contrahitur and contracts in rem re contrahitur, formal requirement was required both for verbal contracts verbis contrahitur and written contracts litteris contrahitur. In the Classical Period in Rome, the most important formal contract was the stipulatio, which was made verbally in the form of questions and answers. From Roman Law to today, the subject of form in legal transactions has been important. Form is the external pattern such as words or written signs that people use to declare their will. Roman jurists thought that form was the oldest norm. Legal transactions were carried out with ceremonies and verbal forms which dont exist today. Ius Civile included regulations strictly adhering to the rules of form. But Ius Gentium consisted of flexible rules. Contrary to Rome, verbal form is an exceptional condition of validity in legal transactions today. In this study; the place, importance, method of formation, field of application and types of stipulatio, which is the cornerstone of the contract system in Roman Law and has the usage area of written contracts in todays law, are analysed.

 Roma borçlar hukuku kapsamında incelenen sözleşmeler contractus, tarafların irade beyanlarının uyuşması consensus ve genellikle o zaman için hukuk düzenince aranan şekli şartların yerine getirilmesi şartıyla borç ilişkisini kuran hukuki işlemlerdi. Sözleşme özgürlüğüne yer vermeyen Roma hukukunda, yalnızca belli sözleşme tiplerine yer verilmiş, sınırlı sayıdaki sözleşmelere dava actio olanağı tanınmıştı. Roma borçlar hukukunun sözleşmeler sistemi; sözlü sözleşmeler verbis contrahitur, rızaî sözleşmeler consensu contrahitur, ayni sözleşmeler re contrahitur ve yazılı sözleşmelerden litteris contrahiturden oluşmaktaydı. Rızaî sözleşmeler ile ayni sözleşmeler için şekil şartı aranmazken, sözlü sözleşmeler ve yazılı sözleşmeler için şekil şartı aranırdı. Romada Klasik Dönemde en önemli şeklî sözleşme, sözlü olarak soru ve cevap şeklinde yapılan stipulatio idi. Günümüz hukukunun temelini teşkil eden Roma hukukundan bugüne, hukuki işlemlerdeki şekil konusu önem taşımaktadır. Şekil, kişilerin iradelerini beyan ederken başvurdukları söz ya da yazılı işaret gibi dış kalıplardır. Roma hukukçuları şeklin, en eski norm olduğunu düşünmekteydi. Romada Ius Civile şekil kurallarına sıkı sıkıya bağlı düzenlemeler içerirdi. Ius Gentium ise esnek kurallardan oluşuyordu. Hukuki işlemler, bugün uygulanmayan bir takım törenlerle ya da sözlü şekillerle meydana getiriliyordu. Sözlü şekil, Romanın aksine günümüzde istisnai olarak hukuki işlemlerde geçerlilik şartıdır. Roma Hukukunda Stipulatio başlıklı bu çalışmamızda, Roma borçlar hukukunda sözleşmeler sisteminin temel taşı niteliğindeki, günümüz hukukundaki yazılı sözleşmelerin kullanım alanına sahip olan stipulationun yeri, önemi, yapılış yöntemi, uygulama alanı, türleri incelenmiştir.

Article Details

Stipulatio (Verbal Contract) in Roman Law

Authors:

Elvan Sütken

Publisher:

Anadolu University

Main Topics:

Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal:

Anadolu Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.203-229

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

2/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001341322

pISSN:

2687-394X

Stipulatio

Roman Law

Roman System of Contracts

Form

Verbal ContractsStipulatio

Roma Hukuku

Roma Sözleşmeler Sistemi

Sözlü Sözleşme

Şekil

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Elvan Sütken

Publisher: Anadolu University

Main Topics: Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal: Anadolu Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.203-229

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 2/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001341322

pISSN: 2687-394X

Issues

Authors:

Elvan Sütken

Publisher:

Anadolu University

Main Topics:

Hukuk (Diğer)

Journal:

Anadolu Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.203-229

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

2/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001341322

pISSN:

2687-394X