Завештања из архивa Манастира Светог Јована Продрома на Меникејској гори, код Сера (од краја XIII до средине XIV века)

Abstract

Acts of bequeathing, well-documented in Byzantine law, likewise other Medieval legal systems, provide a handful of information for researchers. One specific archive which beside public acts encompasses a multitude of private document, a multitude of private documents, was connected to the Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner, located at the Mt Menoikio, outside the city of Serres. Legal historians perusing those documents look for legal institutes rooted in classical Roman law, only to find that their purpose has been drastically changed throughout the time. Testamentum (will) and, especially, the other deeds of bequeathing show specific nature, whose main aspects are religious life and piety. In these terms, by reading about testator’s life and his aims for the future time, we also encounter an important personal message, addressed not only to his legal heirs, but also to a wider audience.