The
Novellae Constitutiones ("new constitutions"; , ), or
Justinian's Novels, are now considered one of the four major units of
Roman law initiated by
Roman Emperor Justinian I in the course of his long reign (AD 527–565). The other three pieces are: the
Codex Justinianus, the
Digest, and the
Institutes. Justinian's quaestor
Tribonian was primarily responsible for compiling these last three. Together, the four parts are known as the
Corpus Juris Civilis. Whereas the Code, Digest, and Institutes were designed by Justinian as coherent works, the Novels are diverse laws enacted after 534 (when he promulgated the second edition of the Code) that never were officially compiled during his reign. (According to
Black's Law Dictionary, a translated, unabridged collection of Justinian's Greek Novels is known as
Liber Authenticorum.)