Rhodian Sea Law

Regulations governing trade and navigation in the Byzantine Empire. Based on a statute in the Code of Justinian and on ancient maritime law in Rhodes, the Rhodian Sea Law focused on liability for lost or damaged cargo. It divided the cost of the losses among the shipowner, the owners of the cargo, and the passengers, thus serving as a form of insurance against storms and piracy. It was effective from the 7th through the 12th century.

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