The basic principles of ancient Roman law include: equality, human rights, rationality, supremacy of law, and justice.

Roman jurists divided the law into the following categories from different perspectives based on different standards:

(1) According to the different objects adjusted by the law, it can be divided into public law and private law. Public law includes regulations on religious sacrificial activities and the organization and activities of state agencies; private law includes regulations on ownership, creditor's rights, marriage, family, and inheritance.

(2), according to the form of legal expression, it can be divided into written law and unwritten law. Statutory law refers to all norms issued in written form and having legal effect, including laws passed by Parliament, resolutions of the Senate, emperor's edicts, magistrates' notices, etc.;

(3), according to Roman law The scope of application can be divided into natural law, civil law and law of peoples. Civil law refers to the law that only applies to Roman citizens;

(4), according to different legislative methods, it can be divided into civil law and magistrate law. Magisterial law specifically refers to the laws composed of notices, orders, etc. issued by senior Roman officials, and the content is mostly private law.

(5) According to the content of the subject, object and private rights protection, it can be divided into personal law, property law and procedural law. Personal law is the law that stipulates personality and identity; property law is the law involving property relations; procedural law is the method that stipulates the protection of private rights.