Principles of Ancient Democracy and Judicial Practices in Ancient Georgia

Abstract

Ancient Greece, and later Rome, used to be a source of information for ancient Georgia regarding the principles of judicial practices. This information was reflected in the Georgian Law. The article aims to identify those elements of Georgian judicial practices that exhibit democratic trends to varying degrees and have parallels in the ancient world. The elements in question are to be looked for in the early customary law, which survives in Georgian highlands even nowadays. This form of judicial practice allows for higher degree of direct popular participation and hence, democracy. The paper is focused on mediation, which was part of judicial culture in early times, as well as on such questions of the medieval legal system as appellation, democratically elected jury, legal acts tailored to regional needs, requirements for judges and forms of punishment.