NOVELLAE, (OR NOVELLAE CONSTITUTIONES)

New constitutions; generally translated in English, “Novels.” The Latin name of those constitutions which were issued by Justinian after the publication of his Code; most of them being originally written in Greek. After his death, a collection of 168 Novels was made, 154 of which had been Issued by Justinian, and the rest by his successors. These were afterwards included in the Corpus Juris Civilis, (q. v.,) and now constitute one of its four principal divisions. Mackeld. Rom. Law, 80; 1 Kent, Comm. 541.