Some Legal Questions Concerning Loans and Legal Disputes in the Roman and Medieval Commercial Navigation.

The paper describes basic financial elements of commercial navigation during the Roman and medieval period. These primarily include the persons who financed the voyage, as well as other partners as determined by law. The legal regulation in question concerns maritime loan, a deposit used as an instrument of security for the return of loan ever since the Ancient times by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and other maritime nations in the Eastern Mediterranean. The oldest legal regulations related to maritime loan can be found in the Roman law, the Rhodian Law on Jettison of Cargo, and the Rhodian Sea Law (Lex Rhodia). The paper analyses elements related to maritime litigation as well as other relevant issues such as maritime flags. In addition, the paper explores the extent of the influence that these regulations have had on the resolution of certain legal issues connected with maritime navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]