The earliest stat-ute or code of Roman law, framed by a corn-mission of ten men, B. C. 450, upon the re-turn of a commission of three who had beeu sent abroad to study foreign laws and insti-tutions. The Twelve Tables consisted partly of laws transcribed from the lnstltutionB of other nations, partly of such as were altered and accommodated to the manners of the Romans, partly of new provlslons, and main* ly, perhaps, of laws and usages under thelr ancient kings. They formed the source and foundation for the whole later development of Roman jurisprudence. They exist now only in fragmentary form. See 1 Kent* Comm. 520
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
