The Laws of Alfred: The Domboc and the Making of Anglo-Saxon Law

The Domboc is the longest and most ambitious legal text of the Anglo-Saxon period, combining Alfred's laws with a translation of legal passages from the Bible and the legislation of the West-Saxon King Ine. It is the first critical edition of the domboc published in over a century and offers fresh insights into the laws of Alfred and Ine, showing that they were the result of deep reflection on the nature of law.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 494 pages
Publication date: 07 December 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The Domboc, or Book of Laws, attributed to Alfred the Great, stands as the longest and most comprehensive legal text of the Anglo-Saxon era. In this remarkable work, Alfred interweaves his own laws, covering a wide range of subjects such as sanctuary, feuding, and bee theft, alongside a lengthy translation of legal passages from the Bible and the legislation of the West-Saxon King Ine (r. 688–726). Notably, Alfred's laws rival Ine's in length and scope, showcasing his profound influence on legal development. This book represents the first critical edition of the Domboc to be published in over a century, accompanied by a fresh translation. Five introductory chapters provide valuable insights into the laws of Alfred and Ine, exploring their backgrounds, their relationship to early medieval legal culture, their manuscript evidence, and their reception in subsequent centuries. Rather than a mere compilation of ordinances, the Domboc emerges as a result of deep reflection on the very nature of law, exerting a lasting impact on the evolution of early English legislation.

Weight: 744g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108744379